Etowah River, River system in northern Georgia, United States.
The Etowah River is a river system in northern Georgia that flows from Dahlonega through Canton and collects water into Lake Allatoona. It continues its course until it meets the Oostanaula River near Rome.
Early maps by Matthew Carey in 1795 called it the High Town River, while Cherokee records knew it as Hightower River. The name was officially changed to Etowah in 1897.
The river runs near the Etowah Indian Mounds in Cartersville, a place where an ancient Mississippian society once lived and left visible traces. Visitors can see these earthen mounds and feel how connected the waterway is to the area's earlier inhabitants.
Lake Allatoona, formed by this river, has multiple places where you can access the water for fishing and boating. Plan your visit based on the activities you want to do, as water conditions change with the seasons.
Two endangered fish species, the Cherokee darter and Etowah darter, live only in this water system and nowhere else. Spotting these rare fish reveals why the river is so important for wildlife.
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