Obey River, river in north-central Tennessee, U.S., formed by the East Fork Obey and West Fork Obey rivers in southern Pickett county. It flows north and west to join the Cumberland River at Celina after a course of about 60 miles (100 km). Dale Hollow Dam, finished in 1943, impounds Dale Hollow Lake, which has 620 miles (1,000 km) of shoreline and covers most of the Obey’s length. The lake provides numerous recreation sites along its shores, and Standing Stone State Park is just to the south. The Obey River watershed drains about 780 square miles (2,000 square km).