The Coosawattee River is a 49.3-mile-long (79.3 km) river located in northwestern Georgia, United States.
The river is noted as beginning at the confluence of the Ellijay and Cartecay rivers in the city of Ellijay in central Gilmer County.
The river flows west through the foothills in the North Georgia mountains region and is a tributary of the Oostanaula River (It in turn is a tributary of the Coosa River).
Primary tributaries of the Cooswattee River include Mountaintown Creek, Tails Creek, Cole Creek, Goble Branch, Harris Creek, Camp Branch, Lewis Branch, Woodring Branch, Fisher Creek, Talking Rock Creek, Willbanks Branch, Mineral Springs Branch, Rock Springs Branch, Sugar Branch, Duke Creek, Noblet Creek, Dry Creek, Salacoa Creek, Vanns Creek, and Crane Eater Creek
In Murray County, the river is impounded by Carters Dam, forming Carters Lake behind the dam. (The lake is located mostly in Gilmer County). Completed in 1977, Carters Dam is the tallest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River. The Coosawattee River leaves the dam flowing west (directly into the Reregulation Reservoir). It serves as the Murray-Gordon County line before entering Gordon County.
