Tennessee's geography is defined by its majestic rivers and expansive lakes.
* **Major Rivers**: The **Mississippi River** forms the state's entire western border. The **Tennessee River** and the **Cumberland River** are vital commercial, recreational, and geographic lifelines that carve through the state. * **Lakes & Reservoirs**: The state is dotted with massive reservoirs, predominantly managed by the TVA. Key bodies of water include Kentucky Lake, Norris Lake, Center Hill Lake, and Percy Priest Lake. * **Reelfoot Lake**: A naturally occurring shallow lake in northwest Tennessee, famously created by the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–1812.