page_title: Mississippi River System
section_title: Missouri River
hierarchical_section_title: Mississippi River System / Major tributaries / Missouri River
caption_attribution_description: The widest point on the Ohio River is just west of downtown Louisville, where it is one mile wide
context_page_description: The Mississippi River System, also referred to as the Western Rivers, is a mostly riverine network of the United States which includes the Mississippi River and connecting waterways. The Mississippi River is the largest drainage basin in the United States. In the United States, the Mississippi drains about fifty-nine percent of the country's rivers.
  From the perspective of natural geography and hydrology, the system consists of the Mississippi River itself and its numerous natural tributaries and distributaries. The major tributaries are the Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Red rivers. Given their flow volumes, major Ohio River tributaries like the Allegheny, Tennessee, and Wabash rivers are considered important tributaries to the Mississippi system. Before the Mississippi River reaches the Gulf of Mexico, it runs into its distributary, the Atchafalaya River.
  From the perspective of modern commercial navigation, the system includes the above as well as navigable inland waterways which are connected by artificial means. Important connecting waterways include the Illinois Waterway, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
context_section_description: The Missouri River is a long stream that originates in southwest Montana and flows southeasterly for 2,522 miles; passing through six states before finally entering the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The Missouri River is the longest river on the North American continent. The Missouri River was one of the main routes for the westward expansion of the United States during the 19th century.
caption: The widest point of the Ohio River
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