The Stones River Watershed is located in Middle Tennessee and includes parts of Cannon, Davidson, Rutherford, and Wilson Counties. The battle of Stones River, fought in 1862, was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The watershed contains Percy Priest Lake, which is popular for recreational boating and fishing.

The Old Hickory Lake Watershed is located in Middle Tennessee and includes parts of Davidson, Macon, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, and Wilson Counties. Old Hickory Dam, Lake, and Watershed are named after President Andrew Jackson (nicknamed "Old Hickory"). The lock, dam (completed in 1954), powerhouse, and lake are operated and supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' personnel under the direction of the District Engineer at Nashville.

The Cheatham Lake Watershed is located in Middle Tennessee and includes parts of Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, and Williamson Counties. Cheatham Lake is an impoundment of the Cumberland River and includes 320 miles of shoreline that extends 67.5 miles up the Cumberland River from Cheatham Dam, through Nashville, to Old Hickory Dam. The Lock and Dam were authorized by Congress in 1946 as a navigation project to enhance the development of the Cumberland River and Cheatham Lake was filled and the lock opened to the public in December 1952. The Tennessee Blue Book states that Cheatham County, where the lock and dam are located, was named for Edwin S. Cheatham, Speaker of the Tennessee Senate from 1855 to 1861. However, history holds that Cheatham County was named for the man who settled it, J.R. Cheatham. Another theory passed along since the project was completed is that it was named after Confederate General Benjamin F. Cheatham. In any case, Cheatham Lake is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Harpeth River Watershed is located in Middle Tennessee and includes parts of Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Rutherford, and Williamson Counties. The origin of the name “Harpeth” is somewhat obscure. While stories abound about the marauding Harpath Brothers of Kentucky in the 1800’s, the name “Harpath” appears on maps as early as the 1780’s, thus making the family name an unlikely source of the area name. Information in Tennessee State Archives suggests that a Chinese legend describes Harpath as a man who dwelled in a bountiful valley and that early settlers, reading such legends, may have named their beautiful valley after Harpath (later changed to Harpeth).

The Tennessee portion of the Red River Watershed is located in Middle Tennessee and includes parts of Cheatham, Davidson, Montgomery, Robertson, Sumner, and Stewart Counties. The Red River is a major stream of north-central Tennessee and south-central Kentucky and is a major tributary of the Cumberland River. The stream's name derives from its typical water color. This is caused by a large load of clay and silt which contains iron oxides.