The Forked Deer River system is the main drainage of the central portion of West Tennessee.

In the mid-20th century much of this was done under the auspices of the Obion-Forked Deer Basin Authority, a Tennessee state agency.

Local historians record that barges and small riverboats plied the Forked Deer in the early 19th century as far up river as the present location of the city of Jackson.

Siltation from agricultural run-off eventually choked the river, and channelization became a major focus of West Tennessee politicians until the 1970s.

River cutoffs have left numerous small finger lakes that are popular with local crappie and bass fishers.