Mississippi River
Mississippi River in New Orleans.
Country	United States
States	Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana
Major cities	Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN, St. Louis, MO, Memphis, TN, New Orleans, LA
Length	2,320 mi (3,734 km)
Watershed	1,151,000 mi² (2,981,076 km²)
Discharge at	Baton Rouge, LA
- average	450,000 ft³/s (12,743 m³/s) [1]
Discharge elsewhere
- St. Louis	168,000 ft³/s (4,757 m³/s) [2]
Source	Lake Itasca
- location	Itasca State Park, Clearwater County, MN
- coordinates	47°14′23″N 95°12′27″W / 47.23972, -95.2075
- elevation	1,475 ft (450 m)
Mouth	Gulf Of Mexico
- location	Pilottown, Plaquemines Parish, LA
- coordinates	29°09′13″N 89°15′03″W / 29.15361, -89.25083
- elevation	0 ft (0 m)
Major tributaries
- left	Ohio River
- right	Missouri River, Arkansas River
Map of the Mississippi River

The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning 'great river' (gichi-ziibi 'big river' at its headwaters), is the longest river in the United States, with a length of 2,320 miles (3,734 km) from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River is part of the Jefferson-Missouri-Mississippi river system, which is the largest river system in North America and among the largest in the world: by length (6,275 km or 3,900 miles), it is the fourth longest, and by average discharge (16,200 m³/s), it is the tenth largest. The longest of the many long Mississippi tributaries is the Missouri River with the Arkansas River as second longest. Measured by water volume, the largest of all Mississippi tributaries is the Ohio River. The river starts in Minnesota and then empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1007 KB) Summary Mississipi River - New Orleans (Louisiana) self made PRA Algiers Point is seen at right. ... NOLA redirects here. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Largest metro area Greater Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St Louis[1] Area  Ranked 21st  - Total 69,709 sq mi (180,693 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 300 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Minneapolis redirects here. ... State capitol building in Saint Paul Saint Paul is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Minnesota in the United States of America. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... For other uses, see Memphis (disambiguation). ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... “km” redirects here. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... For the Canadian restaurant, see Baton Rouge (restaurant). ... It has been suggested that Thousand Cubic Feet be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ... It has been suggested that Thousand Cubic Feet be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... This article is about the unit of time. ... Lake Itasca and Elk Lake Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately 1. ... The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca Itasca State Park is a state park in Minnesota, United States, and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River. ... Clearwater County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... The currently active front of the Mississippi Delta . ... Plaquemines Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... The Arkansas River flows through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1386x870, 46 KB)Map of Mississippi River. ... The Mississippi River from Highway 417 near Antrim. ... Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa or Anishinaabemowin in Eastern Ojibwe syllabics) is the third most commonly spoken Native language in Canada (after Cree and Inuktitut), and the fourth most spoken in North America (behind Navajo, Cree, and Inuktitut). ... For other uses, see River (disambiguation). ... Lake Itasca and Elk Lake Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately 1. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... The Jefferson River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 207 mi (333 km) long, in the U.S. state of Montana. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... View of the Nile River, the longest in the world, from a cruiseboat, between Luxor and Aswan in Egypt. ... This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... The Arkansas River flows through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

Geography

See also: Upper Mississippi River and Mississippi River Delta

The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca

From its source at Lake Itasca, 1,475 feet (450 m) above sea level in Itasca State Park located in Clearwater County, Minnesota, the river falls to 801 feet (244 m) prior to St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis. There it drops to 725 feet (220 m), creating the only waterfall along the river's course. The Mississippi is joined by the Minnesota River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Wisconsin River in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, the Illinois River and the Missouri River near St. Louis, Missouri, and by the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. The Arkansas River joins the Mississippi in the state of Arkansas. The Atchafalaya River in Louisiana is a major distributary of the Mississippi. See also: Mississippi River The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois. ... False-color image of the larger Mississippi Delta Closeup of the currently active delta front Mississippi Delta Lobes The Mississippi River Delta is the modern area of land (the river delta) built up by alluvium deposited by the Mississippi River as it slows down and enters the Gulf of Mexico. ... Image File history File links The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. ... Image File history File links The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. ... Lake Itasca and Elk Lake Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately 1. ... The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca Itasca State Park is a state park in Minnesota, United States, and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River. ... Clearwater County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. ... Aerial view of Saint Anthony Falls with the upper dam Saint Anthony Falls, or the Falls of Saint Anthony, located near downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, was the only waterfall on the Mississippi River until it was replaced by a series of dams in the 1950s and 1960s. ... This article is about the city in Minnesota. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Mendota Bridge crossing the Minnesota River, just above its mouth View of the Minnesota River from Memorial Park; southeast of Granite Falls, MN. The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the state of Minnesota in the United States. ... Minneapolis redirects here. ... The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 430 mi (692 km) long, in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Largest metro area Greater Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to... This article is about the river in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... Cairo is a city in Alexander County, Illinois in the United States. ... The Arkansas River flows through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... The Atchafalaya River is a distributary of the Mississippi and Red rivers, approximately 170 mi (270 km) long, in south central Louisiana in the United States. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... distributary in Else and Hase at Melle A seasonal Distributary of the Kaveri river on the Kaveri delta, near Nannilam, India. ...

The Mississippi drains most of the area between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, except for the areas drained by Hudson Bay via the Red River of the North, the Great Lakes and the Rio Grande. It runs through two states — Minnesota and Louisiana — and was used to define the borders of eight states. The river has since shifted, but the state borders of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi have not changed. The river empties into the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles (160 km) downstream from New Orleans. Measurements of the length of the Mississippi from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico vary, but the EPA's number is 2,320 miles (3,733 km). The retention time from Lake Itasca to the Gulf is about 90 days.^[3] For individual mountains named Rocky Mountain, see Rocky Mountain (disambiguation). ... The Appalachian Mountains are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... Hudson Bay, Canada. ... The Red River drainage basin, with the Red River highlighted The Red River in Greater Grand Forks, as viewed from the Grand Forks side of the river The Red River in Fargo-Moorhead, as viewed from the Fargo side of the river For other things named Red River, see the... The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... “Río Bravo” redirects here. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Largest metro area Greater Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St Louis[1] Area  Ranked 21st  - Total 69,709 sq mi (180,693 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 300 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... EPA redirects here. ...

Confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers at Cairo, Illinois.

The river is divided into the upper Mississippi, from its source south to the Ohio River, and the lower Mississippi, from the Ohio to its mouth near New Orleans. The upper Mississippi is further divided into three sections: the headwaters, from the source to Saint Anthony Falls; a series of man-made lakes between Minneapolis and St. Louis, Missouri; and the middle Mississippi, a relatively free-flowing river downstream of the confluence with the Missouri River at St. Louis. Image File history File links CairoIL_from_space_annotated. ... Image File history File links CairoIL_from_space_annotated. ... Cairo is a city in Alexander County, Illinois in the United States. ... See also: Mississippi River The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois. ... The Lower Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River downstream of Cairo, Illinois. ... Aerial view of Saint Anthony Falls with the upper dam; there is also a lower dam. ...

A series of 29 locks and dams on the upper Mississippi, most of which were built in the 1930s, is designed primarily to maintain a 9 foot (2.7 m) deep channel for commercial barge traffic.^[4][5] The lakes formed are also used for recreational boating and fishing. The dams make the river deeper and wider but do not stop it. No flood control is intended. During periods of high flow, the gates, some of which are submersible, are completely opened and the dams simply cease to function. Below St. Louis, the Mississippi is relatively free-flowing, although it is constrained by numerous levees and directed by numerous wing dams. Canal locks in England. ... A wing dam is a manmade barrier that, unlike a conventional dam, only extends partway into a river. ...

Through a natural process known as delta switching the lower Mississippi River has shifted its final course to the ocean every thousand years or so. This occurs because the deposits of silt and sediment begin to clog its channel, raising the river's level and causing it to eventually find a steeper, more direct route to the Gulf of Mexico. The abandoned distributary diminishes in volume and forms what are known as bayous. This process has, over the past 5,000 years, caused the coastline of south Louisiana to advance toward the Gulf from 15 to 50 miles (25 to 80 km). Delta switching, also known as avulsion, is the process by which some rivers--such as the Mississippi River--change their course near their deltas. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Big Cypress Bayou in Jefferson, Texas off of U.S. Route 59. ...

U.S. government scientists determined in the 1950s that the Mississippi River was starting to switch to the Atchafalaya River channel because of its much steeper path to the Gulf of Mexico. Eventually the Atchafalaya River would capture the Mississippi River and become its main channel to the Gulf of Mexico, leaving New Orleans on a side channel. As a result, the U.S. Congress authorized a project called the Old River Control Structure, which has prevented the Mississippi River from leaving its current channel that drains into the Gulf via New Orleans. Because of the large scale of high energy water flow through the Old River Control Structure threatening to damage the structure, an auxiliary flow control station was built adjacent to the standing control station. This US$300 million project was completed in 1986 by the Army Corps Of Engineers. The Atchafalaya River is a distributary of the Mississippi and Red rivers, approximately 170 mi (270 km) long, in south central Louisiana in the United States. ... The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ... The Old River Control Structure complex, showing the three dams at the outlet to the Atchafalaya River. ... USD redirects here. ...

The Great River Road in Wisconsin; Minnesota is in the land mass across the Mississippi River at Lake Pepin

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1178x1748, 1191 KB) From en wiki, uploaded by Jonathunder Wisconsin Great River Road, Mississippi River, and bluffs. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1178x1748, 1191 KB) From en wiki, uploaded by Jonathunder Wisconsin Great River Road, Mississippi River, and bluffs. ... The Great River Road is a collection of state, provincial, federal and local roads which follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten U. S. states and one Canadian province. ... For the lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota, see Le Sueur County, Minnesota. ...

Course changes

The Illinoian Glacier, about 200,000 to 125,000 years before present, blocked the Mississippi near Rock Island, diverting it to its present channel farther to the west (current western border of Illinois). The Hennepin Canal roughly follows the ancient channel of the Mississippi downstream from Rock Island to Hennepin. South of Hennepin, the current Illinois River is actually following the ancient channel of the Mississippi River to Alton before the Illinoian glaciation. The Wolstonian glaciation is a name for an ice age period which occurred between 200,000 and 125,000 years ago. ... Rock Island is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. ... The Hennepin Canal is an abandoned waterway in northwest Illinois, between the Mississippi River at Rock Island and the Illinois River near Hennepin. ... Hennepin is a village located in Putnam County, Illinois. ... This article is about the river in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Historic Alton Home Alton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 15 miles north of St. ...

Other changes in the course of the river have occurred because of earthquakes along the New Madrid Fault Zone, which lies between the cities of Memphis and St. Louis. Three earthquakes in 1811 and 1812, estimated at approximately 8 on the Richter Scale, were said to have temporarily reversed the course of the Mississippi. This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ... Seismic map New Madrid Seismic Zone - USGS The New Madrid Seismic Zone, also known as the Reelfoot Rift or the New Madrid Fault Line, is a major seismic zone, located in the mideastern United States. ... For other uses, see Memphis (disambiguation). ... The Richter magnitude test scale (or more correctly local magnitude ML scale) assigns a single number to quantify the size of an earthquake. ...

The settlement of Reverie, Tennessee was cut off from Tipton County, Tennessee during the 1811 and 1812 earthquakes and placed on the western side of the Mississippi River, the Arkansas side. View to the Southwest along the former riverbed of the Mississippi River, just South of the Tennessee/Arkansas state line near Reverie, TN (2007) Reverie, Tennessee is a town in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. ... Tipton County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ...

These earthquakes also created Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee from the altered landscape near the river. The faulting is related to an aulacogen (geologic term for a failed rift) that formed at the same time as the Gulf of Mexico. Reelfoot Lake is a shallow natural lake located in the extreme northwest portion of Tennessee, United States of America, just south of the Kentucky line. ... In geology, an aulacogen is a failed arm of a triple junction of a plate tectonics rift system. ...

Watershed

Mississippi Watershed

The Mississippi River has the third largest drainage basin ("catchment") in the world, exceeded in size only by the watersheds of the Amazon River and Congo River. It drains 41% of the 48 contiguous states of the United States. The basin covers more than 1,245,000 square miles (3,225,000 km²), including all or parts of 31 states and two Canadian provinces. Image File history File links Mississippi-map. ... Image File history File links Mississippi-map. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... This article is about the river. ... The Congo River (for a time known as Zaire River) is the largest river in Western Central Africa. ... This article is about the animal. ...

Major tributaries of the Mississippi:

• Big Black River in Mississippi
• Yazoo River in Mississippi
• Red River in Louisiana
• White River in Arkansas
• Arkansas River in Arkansas
• Ohio River in Kentucky
• Big Muddy River in Illinois
• Kaskaskia River in Illinois
• Missouri River in Missouri
• Illinois River in Illinois
• Des Moines River in Iowa
• Skunk River in Iowa
• Rock River in Illinois
• Maquoketa River in Iowa
• Wisconsin River in Wisconsin
• Chippewa River in Wisconsin
• St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota) in Minnesota And Wisconsin
• Minnesota River in Minnesota

Major sub-tributaries include the Tennessee River (a tributary of the Ohio River) and the Platte River (a tributary of the Missouri River). Big Black River is a river in the US state of Mississippi and a tributary of the Mississippi River. ... hTe Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi and the second longest tributary of the Mississippi River that flows into that river from the east (the longest is the Ohio River). ... The Red River is one of several rivers with that name, and of two rivers with that name in the United States. ... The White River is a 722-mile-long river that flows through the US states of Arkansas and Missouri. ... The Arkansas River flows through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... The Big Muddy River is located in Illinois. ... The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 320 mi (515 km) long, in central and southern Illinois in the United States. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... This article is about the river in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Des Moines River - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The Skunk River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. ... The frozen Rock River near Oregon, Illinois. ... The Maquoketa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 130 mi (209 km) long, in eastern Iowa in the United States. ... The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 430 mi (692 km) long, in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. ... The Chippewa River, in Wisconsin, flows approximately 183 miles (294 km) through west-central and northwestern Wisconsin. ... The St. ... The Mendota Bridge crossing the Minnesota River, just above its mouth View of the Minnesota River from Memorial Park; southeast of Granite Falls, MN. The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the state of Minnesota in the United States. ... A riverboat passing under the Henley Street Bridge on the Tennessee River. ... The Platte River, showing the North Platte and South Platte The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 310 mi. ...

Mississippi - Missouri river system

The longest named river in North America is the Missouri River, with a length of 2,341 miles (3,767 km) from the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin to the Mississippi River. Taken together, the Jefferson, Missouri, and Mississippi form the largest river system in North America. The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... The Jefferson River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 207 mi (333 km) long, in the U.S. state of Montana. ... The Madison River The Madison River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 mi (295 km) long, in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. ... The Gallatin River The Gallatin River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi (193 km long), in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. ... For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A waterfall on the Ova da Fedoz, Switzerland A river is a large natural waterway. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...

If measured from the source of the Jefferson at Brower's Spring to the Gulf of Mexico, the length of the Mississippi-Missouri-Jefferson combination is approximately 3,900 miles (6,275 km), making the combination the 4th longest river in the world. The uppermost 207 mi (333 km) of this combined river are called the Jefferson, the lowest 1,352 mi (2,175 km) are part of the Mississippi, and the intervening 2,341 mi (3,767 km) are called the Missouri. Browers Spring is a spring in the Centennial Mountains of Montana that is believed to be the ultimate headwaters of the Missouri River. ... View of the Nile River, the longest in the world, from a cruiseboat, between Luxor and Aswan in Egypt. ...

Outflow

Sequence of NASA MODIS images showing the outflow of fresh water from the Mississippi (marked by arrows) into the Gulf of Mexico.

Fresh river water flowing from the Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico does not mix into the salt water immediately. The images from NASA's MODIS to the right show a large plume of fresh water, which appears as a dark ribbon against the lighter-blue surrounding waters. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (540x1085, 156 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Mississippi River ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (540x1085, 156 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Mississippi River ... Ash plumes on Kamchatka Peninsula, eastern Russia MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a payload scientific instrument launched into Earth orbit by NASA in 1999 on board the Terra (EOS AM) Satellite, and in 2002 on board the Aqua (EOS PM) satellite. ... Ash plumes on Kamchatka Peninsula, eastern Russia MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a payload scientific instrument launched into Earth orbit by NASA in 1999 on board the Terra (EOS AM) Satellite, and in 2002 on board the Aqua (EOS PM) satellite. ...

The images demonstrate that the plume did not mix with the surrounding sea water immediately. Instead, it stayed intact as it flowed through the Gulf of Mexico, into the Straits of Florida, and entered the Gulf Stream. The Mississippi River water rounded the tip of Florida and traveled up the southeast coast to the latitude of Georgia before finally mixing in so thoroughly with the ocean that it could no longer be detected by MODIS. The Straits of Florida, Florida Straits, or Florida Strait is a strait located south-southeast of the North American mainland, generally accepted to be between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, and between the Florida Keys and Cuba. ... For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ...

The Mississippi river discharges at an annual average rate of between 200,000 and 700,000 cubic feet per second (7,000 to 20,000 m³/s).^[6] Although it is the 5th largest river in the world by volume, this flow is a mere fraction of the output of the Amazon, which moves nearly 7 million ft³/s (200,000 m³/s) during wet seasons. On average the Mississippi has only 1/11th the flow of the Amazon River, but is nearly twice that of the Columbia River and almost 6 times the volume of the Colorado River. This article is about the river. ... The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ... The Colorado River from the bottom of Marble Canyon, in the Upper Grand Canyon Colorado River in the Grand Canyon from Desert View The Colorado River from Laughlin Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona The Colorado River is...

History

Nomenclature

The word Mississippi comes from Messipi, the French rendering of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe or Algonquin) name for the river, Misi-ziibi, which means "great river."^[7][8] The Ojibwa called Lake Itasca Omashkoozo-zaaga'igan (Elk Lake) and the river flowing out of it Omashkoozo-ziibi (Elk River). After flowing into Lake Bemidji, the Ojibwe called the river Bemijigamaa-ziibi (River from the Traversing Lake). After flowing into Cass Lake, the name of the river again changed to Miskwaawaakokaa-ziibi (Red Cedar River) and then to Gichi-ziibi (Great River) after flowing into Lake Winnibigoshish.^[9] The Ojibwe name Misi-ziibi applied only to the portion below the Crow Wing River, but the ever-changing names of the river seemed illogical to the English speakers. After the expeditions by Giacomo Costantino Beltrami and Henry Schoolcraft, the longest stream above the juncture of the Crow Wing River and Gichi-ziibi was named "Mississippi River". The Anishinaabe language or the Ojibwe group of languages or Anishinaabemowin in Eastern Ojibwe syllabics) is the third most commonly spoken Native language in Canada (after Cree and Inuktitut), and the fourth most spoken in North America (behind Navajo, Cree, and Inuktitut). ... This article is about the native North American people. ... Lake Bemidji, near the headwaters of the Mississippi River Lake Bemidji is a small glacially-formed lake, approximately 11 sq mi (28 sq km) in area, in northern Minnesota in the United States. ... Cass Lake is a glacially-formed lake, approximately 25 sq. ... Lake Winnibigoshish is a body of water in north central Minnesota, in the Chippewa National Forest. ... The Crow Wing River rises in a chain of 10 lakes in southern Hubbard County, Minnesota and flows southeast about 90 miles before joining the Mississippi River at Crow Wing State Park, northwest of Little Falls, Minnesota. ... Giacomo Costantino Beltrami (1779 – January 6, 1855) was an Italian jurist, author, and explorer, best known for claiming to have discovered the headwaters of the Mississippi River in 1823 while on a trip through much of the United States (later expeditions determined a different source, however). ... Henry Schoolcraft Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793–December 10, 1864) was an American geographer, geologist, and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his discovery in 1832 of the source of the Mississippi River. ...

Early American

On May 8, 1541, Hernando de Soto became the first recorded European to reach the Mississippi River, which he called "Rio de Espiritu Santo" (River of the Holy Spirit). (The river is now called Rio Misisipi in Spanish.[2]) French explorers Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette began exploring the Mississippi. He traveled with a Sioux named "Ne Tongo" (which in Sioux means big river) in 1673. Marquette proposed calling it the River of the Immaculate Conception. In 1682, René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle and Henri de Tonty claimed the entire Mississippi River Valley for France, calling the river Colbert River after Jean-Baptiste Colbert and the region Louisiana, for King Louis XIV. In 1718, New Orleans was established by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events The first official translation of the entire Bible in Swedish February 12 - Pedro de Valdivia founds Santiago de Chile. ... For the Peruvian economist, see Hernando de Soto (economist). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Louis Joliet, also known Louis Jolliet (September 21, 1645–May 1700), was a Canadian explorer born in Quebec who is important for his discoveries in North America. ... Father Jacques Marquette (French: Père Jacques Marquette) (June 10, 1637–May 18, 1675) and Louis Jolliet were the first Europeans to see and map the Mississippi River. ... The Sioux (IPA ) are a Native American and First Nations people. ... Lakota or Lakhota (as it is also commonly spelled) is the largest of the five major dialects of the Sioux language. ... Mary, mother of Jesus as the Immaculate Conception. ... Engraving of La Salle René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (November 22, 1643 – March 19, 1687) was a French cleric and explorer. ... Henri de Tonti (1649-1704) was an Italian-born soldier, explorer, and fur trader in the service of France. ... Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (August 29, 1619 – September 6, 1683) served as the French minister of finance from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. He achieved a reputation for his work of improving the state of French manufacturing and bringing the economy back from... Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ... Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville (February 23, 1680–March 7, 1767) was a colonizer and governor of Louisiana. ...

France lost all its territories on the North American mainland as a result of the French and Indian War. The Treaty of Paris (1763) gave the Kingdom of Great Britain rights to all land in the valley east of the Mississippi and Spain rights to land west of the Mississippi. Spain also ceded Florida to England to regain Cuba, which the English occupied during the war. Britain then divided the territory into East Florida and West Florida. Combatants France First Nations allies: Algonquin Lenape Wyandot Ojibwa Ottawa Shawnee Great Britain American Colonies Iroquois Confederacy Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) Casualties 3,000 killed, wounded or captured 10,040 killed, wounded or captured The French and... The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on February 10, 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. ... For an explanation of terms such as Scotland, Wales, England, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom, see British Isles (terminology). ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami metropolitan area Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Map of East and West Florida in 1810. ... This article is about the region. ...

Article 8 of the Treaty of Paris (1783) states, "The navigation of the river Mississippi, from its source to the ocean, shall forever remain free and open to the subjects of Great Britain and the citizens of the United States." With this treaty, which ended the American Revolution, Britain also ceded West Florida back to Spain to regain the Bahamas, which Spain had occupied during the war. Spain then had control over the river south of 32°30' north latitude and, in what is known as the Spanish Conspiracy, hoped to gain greater control of Louisiana and all of the west. These hopes ended when Spain was pressured into signing Pinckney's Treaty in 1795. France reacquired 'Louisiana' from Spain in the secret Treaty of San Ildefonso in 1800. The United States bought the territory from France in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Painting by Benjamin West depicting (from left to right) John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... Pinckneys Treaty, also known as the Treaty of San Lorenzo or the Treaty of Madrid, was signed in San Lorenzo de El Escorial on October 27, 1795 and established intentions of friendship between the United States and Spain. ... The Treaty of San Ildefonso (formally titled the Preliminary and Secret Treaty between the French Republic and His Catholic Majesty the King of Spain, Concerning the Aggrandizement of His Royal Highness the Infant Duke of Parma in Italy and the Retrocession of Louisiana) was a secretly negotiated treaty between France... For the musical, see Louisiana Purchase (musical) and Louisiana Purchase (film). ...

The river was noted for the number of bandits which called its islands and shores home, including John Murrell who was a well-known murderer, horse stealer and slave "re-trader". His notoriety was such that author Mark Twain devoted an entire chapter to him in his book Life on the Mississippi, and Murrell was rumored to have an island headquarters on the river at Island 37. The tumultuous history of John Murrell (also spelled as Murel and Murrel), a legendary bandit operating in the United States along the Mississippi River in the mid-1800s, causes almost in as much confusion as his name. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. ... Life on the Mississippi cover Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain detailing his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War. ...

Shifting sand bars in the Mississippi, such as these in Arkansas and Mississippi, made navigation in the river difficult.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (860x539, 313 KB) Summary I took this. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (860x539, 313 KB) Summary I took this. ... Sand bars in the Mississippi River at Arkansas and Mississippi A bar is a linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

19th century

Twain's book also extensively covered the steamboat races which took place from 1830 to 1870 on the river before more modern boating methods replaced the steamer. It was published first in serial form in Harper's Weekly in seven parts in 1875. The full version, including a passage from the unfinished Huckleberry Finn and works from other authors, was published by James R. Osgood & Co. in 1885. The first steamboat to travel the full length of the Mississippi from the Ohio River to New Orleans, Louisiana, was the New Orleans in December 1811. Its maiden voyage occurred during the series of New Madrid earthquakes in 1811–12. Steamboat transport remained a viable industry (both in terms of passengers and freight) until the end of the first decade of the twentieth century. Among the several Mississippi River system steamboat companies was the noted Anchor Line, which from 1859 to 1898 operated a luxurious fleet of steamers between St. Louis and New Orleans. For other uses, see Steamboat (disambiguation). ... Teresa Bagioli Sickles confession, 1859 Harpers Weekly (A Journal of Civilization) was an American political magazine based in New York City. ... Mark Twain Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) by Mark Twain is commonly accounted as one of the first Great American Novels. ... The New Madrid Earthquake, the largest earthquake ever recorded in the contiguous United States, occurred on February 7, 1812. ... The Anchor Line was a steamboat company that operated a fleet of boats on the Mississippi River between St. ...

In 1815, America defeated Britain at the Battle of New Orleans, part of the War of 1812. Combatants United Kingdom United States Commanders Sir Alexander Cochrane Sir Edward M. Pakenham† John Keane John Lambert Andrew Jackson William Carroll John Coffee Strength 8,000 men 3,500-4,000 men Casualties 385 killed 1,186 wounded 484 captured 13 killed 58 wounded 30 captured The Battle of New... This article is about the U.S. – U.K. war. ...

The river played a decisive role in the American Civil War. The Union's Vicksburg Campaign called for Union control of the lower Mississippi River. The Union victory at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863 was pivotal to the Union's final victory of the Civil War. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... In this map:  Union states prohibiting slavery  Union territories  Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery  Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis  The Confederacy  Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... Lithograph of the Mississippi River Squadron running the Confederate blockade at Vicksburg on April 16, 1863. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant John C. Pemberton Strength 77,000[1] ~30,000 Casualties 4,855[2] 32,697 (29,495 surrendered)[2] The Battle of Vicksburg, or Siege of Vicksburg, was the final significant battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of...

In 1848, the Illinois and Michigan Canal was built to connect the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan via the Illinois River near Peru, Illinois. In 1900, the canal was replaced by the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. The canal allowed Chicago to address specific health issues (typhoid, cholera and other waterborne diseases) by sending its waste down the Illinois and Mississippi river systems rather than polluting its water source of Lake Michigan. The canal also provided a shipping route between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi. The location and course of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. ... --67. ... This article is about the river in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Aerial view of Peru, Illinois Peru is a city in La Salle County, Illinois, United States. ... The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is the only shipping link between the Great Lakes (specifically Lake Michigan by the Chicago River) with the Mississippi River system, by way of the Illinois and Des Plaines rivers. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... This is about the disease typhoid fever. ... Cholera (or Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera) is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ...

20th century

On The Mississippi, music sheet cover for a 1912 song

The sport of water skiing was invented on the river in a wide region between Minnesota and Wisconsin known as Lake Pepin. Ralph Samuelson of Lake City, Minnesota, created and refined his skiing technique in late June and early July 1922. He later performed the first water ski jump in 1925 and was pulled along at 80 miles per hour (128 km/h) by a Curtiss flying boat later that year. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... // Water skiing began in 1922 when Ralph Samuelson strapped two boards to his feet and rigged a clothesline up to his boat on Lake Pepin in Lake City, Minnesota. ... For the lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota, see Le Sueur County, Minnesota. ... Ralph Samuelson (July 3, 1903–August 1977) was the inventor of water skiing, which he first performed in the summer of 1922 in Lake City, Minnesota in the days before his nineteenth birthday. ... Lake City is a city located in Wabasha County, Minnesota. ... Boeing 314 A flying boat is an aircraft that is designed to take off and land on water, in particular a type of seaplane which uses its fuselage as a floating hull (instead of pontoons mounted below the fuselage). ...

In the spring of 1927, the river broke out of its banks in 145 places during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and inundated 27,000 square miles (70,000 km²) to a depth of up to 30 feet (10 m). The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in United States history. ...

On October 20, 1976, the automobile ferry MV George Prince was struck by a ship traveling upstream as the ferry attempted to cross from Destrehan, Louisiana, to Luling, Louisiana. Seventy-eight passengers and crew died; only eighteen survived the accident. is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... On the morning of October 20, 1976, the ferry George Prince was struck by the Norwegian tanker SS Frosta, which was traveling upriver on the Mississippi River. ... Destrehan is a census-designated place located in St. ... Luling is a census-designated place located in St. ...

The Great Flood of 1993 was another significant flood, although it primarily affected the Mississippi above its confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. The Great Flood of 1993 was a major flood that occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, and their tributaries, from April to October of 1993. ...

Two portions of the Mississippi were designated as some of the American Heritage Rivers in 1997: The lower portion around Louisiana and Tennessee, and the upper portion around Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. American Heritage Rivers are designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to receive special attention (coordinating efforts of multiple governmental entities) to further three objectives: natural resource and environmental protection, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation. ...

21st century

In 2002 the Slovenian long-distance swimmer Martin Strel swam the entire length of the river, from Minnesota to Louisiana, over the course of 68 days. Martin Strel is a Slovenian ultra marathon swimmer, born: October 1, 1954, Mokronog, Slovenia. ...