The river's headwaters are located in
Snellville, Georgia, near Braselton Highway. It initially flows South, flowing by Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary. This section of the river, from River Drive in Snellville to
Annistown Road, near Centerville. This stretch of the river is considered Section I of the river. The river continues to flow in a Southerly direction through Section II, which is from
US-78 to Snellville Highway. Section III is from Snellville Highway, South to
I-20, and then continues flowing to Brown Bridge Road, where Section IV begins. Section IV flows through the town of
Porterdale, until the river reaches
Jackson Lake, in Henry County. The river is classified as a Class I-IV+, under the
International Scale of River Difficulty. There are several minor weir dams along the river, and the river is a mix of shoals and flatwater. ==Name==