Powell River (Virginia)
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The Powell River in the United States rises in southwest Virginia and flows into East Tennessee. For much of its length it flows roughly parallel to the Clinch River, separated by Powell Mountain. The Powell River flows into the Clinch River within the impoundment of the Norris Dam reservoir.
Powell River was named for a man called Powell who apparently carved his name into many of the trees of the area while accompanying the exploration party of Dr. Thomas Walker in the mid-18th century. His name appeared so frequently on trees in the valley of this river that later explorers and early pioneers came to call the stream "Powell's River" and the valley "Powell's Valley".