river rising in the Blue Ridge, Transylvania county, western North Carolina, U.S., and flowing 210 miles (340 km) northeast past Brevard, then northwest past Asheville, N.C., and through the Great Smoky Mountains into Tennessee, where it turns west to join the Holston River near Knoxville, forming the Tennessee River. Douglas Dam and Reservoir, part of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), is on the French Broad east of Knoxville. The river was named French Broad to distinguish it from North Carolina's Broad River. The French Broad flows west and was associated with French settlers to the west. Main tributaries are the Pigeon and Nolichucky rivers.