Mississippi River | river, United States | Britannica.com Mississippi River New Orleans Mississippi River, the longest river of North America , draining with its major tributaries an area of approximately 1.2 million square miles (3.1 million square km), or about one-eighth of the entire continent . The Mississippi River lies entirely within the United States . Rising in Lake Itasca in Minnesota , it flows almost due south across the continental interior, collecting the waters of its major tributaries, the Missouri River (to the west) and the Ohio River (to the east), approximately halfway along its journey to the Gulf of Mexico through a vast delta southeast of New Orleans , a total distance of 2,340 miles (3,766 km) from its source. With its tributaries, the Mississippi drains all or part of 31 U.S. states and two provinces in Canada . Lake Itasca, Itasca State Park, northwestern Minnesota.

Cbkarim Although the Mississippi can be ranked as the fourth longest river in the world by adding the length of the Missouri- Jefferson (Red Rock) system to the Mississippi downstream of the Missouri-Mississippi confluence—for a combined length of 3,710 miles (5,971 km)—the 2,340-mile length of the Mississippi proper is comfortably exceeded by 19 other rivers. In volume of discharge, however, the Mississippi’s rate of roughly 600,000 cubic feet (17,000 cubic metres) per second is the largest in North America and the eighth greatest in the world. As the central river artery of a highly industrialized nation, the Mississippi River has become one of the busiest commercial waterways in the world, and, as the unruly neighbour of some of the continent’s richest farmland, it has been subjected to a remarkable degree of human control and modification. Furthermore, the river’s unique contribution to the history and literature of the United States has woven it like a bright thread through the folklore and national consciousness of North America, linking the names of two U.S. presidents— Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S.

Grant —with that of the celebrated author Mark Twain . The Mississippi River basin and its drainage network. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Chicago River On the basis of physical characteristics, the Mississippi River can be divided into four distinct reaches, or sections. In its headwaters, from the source to the head of navigation at St. Paul , Minnesota, the Mississippi is a clear, fresh stream winding its unassuming way through low countryside dotted with lakes and marshes. The upper Mississippi reach extends from St. Paul to the mouth of the Missouri River near St. Louis , Missouri . Flowing past steep limestone bluffs and receiving water from tributaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin , Illinois , and Iowa , the river in this segment assumes the character that led Algonquian-speaking Indians to name it the “Father of Waters” (literally misi, “big”; sipi, “water”). Below the Missouri River junction, the middle Mississippi follows a 200-mile (320-km) course to the mouth of the Ohio River . The turbulent, cloudy-to-muddy, and flotsam-laden Missouri, especially when in flood, adds impetus as well as enormous quantities of silt to the clearer Mississippi.

Beyond the confluence with the Ohio at Cairo , Illinois, the lower Mississippi attains its full grandeur. Where these two mighty rivers meet, the Ohio is actually the larger; thus, below the Ohio confluence the Mississippi swells to more than twice the size it is above. Often 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from bank to bank, the lower Mississippi becomes a brown, lazy river, descending with deceptive quiet toward the Gulf of Mexico. Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., on the Mississippi River. © Comstock Images/Jupiterimages The Mississippi River at McGregor, Iowa, U.S. © Davie Muench/Corbis Confluence of the Mississippi (left) and Ohio rivers at Cairo, Illinois. © Alex S. MacLean/Landslides Gateway Arch and downtown St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., on the Misssissippi River. © Digital Vision/Getty Images Memphis, Tennessee, U.S., on the Mississippi River.

© Henryk Sadura/Fotolia USA Facts To geographers, the lower Mississippi has long been a classic example of a meandering alluvial river; that is, the channel loops and curls extravagantly along its floodplain, leaving behind meander scars, cutoffs, oxbow lakes, and swampy backwaters. More poetically, Twain compared its shape to “a long, pliant apple-paring.” Today the sunlight glittering on the twisted ribbon of water remains one of the most distinctive landmarks of a transcontinental flight. Now curbed largely by an elaborate system of embankments (levees), dams, and spillways, this lower section of the Mississippi was the golden, sometimes treacherous, highway for the renowned Mississippi steamboats, those “palaces on paddle wheels” that so fired the public imagination. Physical features Cheetahs Face Extinction Risk Physiography The geology and physical geography of the Mississippi drainage area are essentially those of the Interior Lowlands and Great Plains of North America. Fringes also touch upon the Rocky and Appalachian mountain systems and upon the rim of the Canadian (Laurentian) Shield to the north.

The focus of the system, the floodplain of the lower Mississippi, is of particular interest in that the geology and physical geography of the region are of the river’s own making. Like a huge funnel, the river has taken sediment and debris from contributory areas near the lip of the funnel and deposited much of the product in the alluvial plain of the funnel’s spout, illustrating the interdependence of the entire Mississippi system. Railroad bridge spanning the Big Black River near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Jet Lowe/Historic American Engineering Record/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (Digital file no. HAER: MISS,75-BOVI.V,1-6) A grain barge traveling on the Mississippi River along Missouri’s border. Kevin Horan—Stone/Getty Images A barge traveling down the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Thinkstock/Juipterimages The most significant contributory area in recent times has been to the west of the river. Rising in western uplands , notably in the foothills of the Rockies, rivers such as the Red , Arkansas , Kansas , Platte , and Missouri remove considerable silt loads from the rolling expanses of the Great Plains.

These tributaries meander and braid across a wide, gently sloping mantle of unconsolidated materials, laid down over rock beds of the Cretaceous Period (i.e., about 100 million years old), toward the “Father of Waters.” Precipitation in these western areas is light to moderate, usually less than 25 inches (635 mm) per year, but, because at least 70 percent of this precipitation falls as rain between April and September, the erosive capability of the rivers is enhanced (runoff from winter snowmelt is more gradual than from rainstorms). The sandy sediments, moreover, offer little resistance to erosion, so that many of these rivers are only braided in their courses. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The Mississippi’s eastern contributory rivers drain the well-watered Appalachian Mountain system. Most of this group, including the Kentucky , Green , Cumberland , and Tennessee rivers, flows via well-defined valleys into the Ohio and thence into the Mississippi. The erosive capacity of these rivers varies in relation to the geologic structure of their basins.

These consist of harder rocks in the higher elevations and a softer sill of limestone of the Late Carboniferous Period (i.e., about 300 million years of age), lying below the 1,000-foot (300-metre) elevation line between the Ohio and Tennessee rivers and in the glaciated area of the Ohio’s right-bank tributaries. The third contributory area of the Mississippi also differs from the other two. The upper Mississippi gathers its strength in a region marked by glacial action. After the great ice sheets of the Wisconsin Glacial Stage had put down layers of debris across much of Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and northern Iowa, huge quantities of meltwater flowed south, washing channels through this debris. Today the upper Mississippi and its tributaries, the Wisconsin , St. Croix , Rock , and Illinois rivers, all trace the lines of these former sluiceways. Pouring southward, the glacial meltwaters were joined by the proto-Missouri and Ohio rivers. The combined waters then enlarged the great north-south trough along which the lower Mississippi now flows.

Some 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long, this trough is 25 to 200 miles (40 to 320 km) wide and bounded by escarpments rising up to 200 feet (60 metres) above the valley floor. Geologic studies have revealed that the floor of the glacial trough was later buried by a deep layer of material washed out from an ice sheet and dumped to a thickness of 100 to 300 feet (30 to 90 metres) in the central section. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies The Mississippi’s delta is an even more striking monument to the river’s constructive work. There, at the tip of the drainage funnel, millions of years of sedimentation have spilled out across the floor of the Gulf of Mexico , forming cones of sediment that total 300 mi in radius and 30,000 square miles (77,700 square km) in area.

The surface expression of the many sub-deltas is the Mississippi delta, with an area exceeding 11,000 square miles (28,500 square km). Stretching its distributaries into the gulf , the Mississippi once delivered some 220 million tons of sediment there each year, most of it as silt . Today, however, much of this silt is captured behind upstream dams , causing the delta to erode and shrink in area. Compounding this problem are the many hundreds of miles of levees (walls that limit flooding) along the river’s banks, which trap silt in the channel proper. This is especially damaging in the delta, where annual silt additions from flooding help to keep it from being eroded by waves. Climate During winter, mean monthly temperatures in the Mississippi basin range from 55 °F (13 °C) in subtropical southern Louisiana to 10 °F (−12 °C) in subarctic northern Minnesota. Mean monthly temperatures in summer range from 82 °F (28 °C) in Louisiana to 70 °F (21 °C) in Minnesota.

Precipitation sources are low-level moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and some low-level and high-level moisture from the Pacific Ocean . Winter and spring precipitation occurs in the vicinity of easterly and southerly fronts and storms. Average monthly precipitation in winter ranges from 5 inches (130 mm) or more in the south to more than 3 inches (75 mm) over much of the Ohio River basin to less than 1 inch (25 mm) over the western and northern Great Plains. Summer and early autumn rainfall occurs mostly as showers and isolated thunderstorms and weaker frontal storms. Average monthly rainfall ranges from six inches in southern Louisiana and over the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina to only two or three inches over the Great Plains. Trending Topics Srinivasa Ramanujan The climate is humid over the eastern half of the basin, with large quantities of winter and spring runoff generated over the Tennessee, Ohio, and southern Mississippi river basins. A north-south band of subhumid climates, neither fully humid nor semiarid, extends from central Texas northward to eastern North Dakota .

To the west are the semiarid climates of the Great Plains, and along the Rocky Mountain crests an alpine climate prevails, in which winter snowfalls are released as spring and early summer meltwater runoff. Hydrology It is not surprising that the hydrology of so powerful a river as the Mississippi has been the subject of intense study. In the 19th century Mark Twain described with considerable wit how the pilots of the Mississippi paddle wheelers banded together to run a common information service about changing conditions along the channel. Today the Mississippi River Commission is responsible for river work and considers it worthwhile to maintain a working scale model of the river so that its engineers can test new plans in miniature before embarking on expensive, full-scale projects. Indeed, by the 1920s it was generally believed that enough was known about the river’s hydrology and enough control structures had been built to have tamed the river. Then in 1927 came the most disastrous flood in the recorded history of the lower Mississippi valley . More than 23,000 square miles (59,600 square km) of land flooded. Communications, including roads and rail and telephone services, were cut in many places.

Farms, factories, and whole towns went temporarily underwater. An immense amount of property was damaged, and at least 250 people lost their lives. The river engineers took another look at the hydrology of the Mississippi. Since the freak conditions of 1927, the mean discharge of water into the lower Mississippi by its major tributaries has been carefully monitored. The mean discharge of the main river at Vicksburg , Mississippi , is calculated at 570,000 cubic feet (16,140 cubic metres) per second. About 135 miles (215 km) downriver from Vicksburg, approximately 25 percent of the sediment and water discharge of the river is diverted into the Atchafalaya River through the Old River Complex (Old River Control Structures). These statistics, however, conceal all-important variations in river flow linked with the fluctuating state of the Mississippi’s larger tributaries. Broadly speaking, the western tributaries have the most-irregular flow regimes. They reach a spring or early summer peak that is up to three or four times as great as their winter contribution.

The upper Mississippi and its tributaries reach their maximum flow about the same time (March–June), when melting snows are followed by early summer rains. The winter runoff from this area, however, is also substantial. The crest of the Ohio ’s flow occurs slightly earlier. At Metropolis, Illinois, just above the confluence with the Mississippi, the greatest monthly discharge is usually recorded in March, at which time the Ohio may be providing more than three-fifths of the water being monitored past Vicksburg in the lower river. Thus, the Ohio is chiefly responsible for the lower Mississippi flood situations, which may be aggravated by such factors as early rains in the Great Plains , a sudden hot spell in early spring that melts the northern snows, and heavy downpours throughout the lower valley. Under such conditions the lower river will rise over its banks and put pressure against its man-made levees. Tributaries will back up and form lakes on the far side of these same levees. The current, which normally runs no more than 2 to 3.5 knots (2.5 to 4 miles [4 to 6.5 km] per hour), may then double at constricted points along the main channel.

Thus, for example, the monitoring station at Vicksburg , which at low water in 1936 recorded as little as 93,800 cubic feet (2,660 cubic metres) per second, measured 2,060,000 cubic feet (58,330 cubic metres) per second at high-water stage the following year. In late spring and early summer of 1993 another inevitable yet inconceivably large flood occurred on the Mississippi, this time confined to the parts of the river above its confluence with the Ohio (which was not in flood). Among the worst-hit rivers were the lower reaches of the Missouri, the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers in Iowa, and the Mississippi between the Wisconsin-Illinois border and Cape Girardeau , Missouri. The floods were set off by persistent rains in this region. For the first time in recorded history the Mississippi and the Missouri flooded at the same time—despite the 29 dams on the Mississippi and the 36 giant reservoirs on their tributaries.

The Raccoon River in Des Moines crested at 7 feet (2.1 metres) above the previous high, which constituted a 500-year flood event (a flood so large that it occurs, statistically, only about once every 500 years; or that it has a one in five hundred chance of happening in any year). In many parts of Iowa crops never got planted. In all, some 15 million acres (6.1 million hectares) flooded, and 40 federal levees and 1,043 nonfederal levees broke. This disastrous flood taught many that flood-control structures such as levees, floodwalls, and dams work for some events but fail to provide enough protection from the 100-year (or larger) floods. The floods of 1993 taught many that tight and total control of rivers as large as the Mississippi is neither possible nor economically feasible . Since then, it has become clear that “living with the river” means moving homes, farmhouses, and even entire towns off the floodplains and allowing these lowland areas to flood naturally.

A variety of pollutants , derived from municipal, industrial, and agricultural sources, have been identified in the waters and sediments of the Mississippi River. Organic compounds and trace metals occur in relatively low concentrations; in addition to those naturally present in the water, they derive from industrial and municipal wastes and runoff from agricultural and urban areas. High concentrations of bacteria associated with human waste, however, have been found downstream from some cities and have been attributed to inadequately treated sewage flowing into the river; concentrations downstream from New Orleans , for example, have been found to be many times greater than concentrations above the city. Pollutants have had little widespread effect on the composition of benthic invertebrate populations, which are indicative of changes in water quality. Water samples taken at New Orleans have shown a relatively high dissolved-oxygen content and low biochemical oxygen demand. Thus, by this index, river pollution may be said to be low. Plant and animal life Although the natural vegetation of the Mississippi’s immediate valley is the product of climate and soil rather than of the river, the Mississippi’s swamps and backwaters are ecologically noteworthy.

Threaded along the river, from the wild-rice marshes of Minnesota to the coastal wetlands of the delta, are pockets of thriving plant-animal associations. There the abundance of natural cover, the comparative isolation, and the food provided by such plants as sedges, pondweeds , and millets encourage regular colonization by waterfowl . The path of these birds, as they move up and down the river with the seasons, has been called the Mississippi Flyway, an appropriate name for the vast aerial highway that reaches from the delta to the distant summer nesting grounds in northern Canada. An estimated eight million ducks, geese, and swans winter in the lower part of the flyway, and many more birds use it en route to Latin America . Typical flyway migrants are Canada geese and lesser snow geese, large numbers of mallard and teal, black ducks, widgeon, pintail and ring-necked ducks, and coots. The Mississippi flyway (left) is the most heavily traveled of the migratory routes for birds. In … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The most important varieties of fish found in the river include several types of catfish (some of which grow to considerable size and are fished commercially by local concerns along the middle and lower river); walleyes and suckers, which thrive in the upper river and provide the basis for a sport-fishing industry in Minnesota and Wisconsin; carp; and garfish. Alligators are now rare, found only in the most isolated backwaters, and the shrimp and crab fisheries of the brackish waters are in decline. Workers preparing to harvest farm-raised catfish in Mississippi. Aquaculture was increasingly … Ken Hammond/USDA Giles Timothy Severin Robert A. Muller Richard H. Kesel Randall J. Schaetzl The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica Cultural life From Mark Twain ’s evocative description of the antebellum steamboat era in Life on the Mississippi (1883), which he based on his own experiences as a steamboat pilot, to the nostalgic lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II ’s song “Ol’ Man River” (1927), there is a tremendously rich body of literature and music both about the Mississippi and created by people who have lived along the river.

Literary life on the Mississippi No artist is more indelibly connected with the river than Twain (born Samuel Clemens), whose nom de plume was derived from a riverman’s phrase for water found to be two fathoms (12 feet, or 3.7 metres) deep (see Researcher’s Note: Origins of the name Mark Twain ). Twain grew up on the river in Hannibal , Missouri, and the Mississippi is virtually a character in his classic novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). Mark Twain. 7 Rivers 7 Continents: The Missouri/Mississippi Mark Kalch. By Lucas Will What’s more intimidating, spending the next 5 months kayaking 3,900 miles from the headwaters of the Missouri River to the confluence of the Mississippi and onto the Gulf of Mexico, or arriving in a country for the first time of which your knowledge is based only on episodes of Seinfeld? Both are true for Mark Kalch , an Australian-born paddler, as he prepares to travel the length of the longest river system in North America.

The 34 year-old is attempting the second river of his 7 Rivers 7 Continents project, in which he plans to paddle from source to sea on the longest rivers of each continent. In 2008, he along with Nathan Welch and Philip Swart rafted the 4,300 mile Amazon, highly debated with the Nile to be the world’s longest river. As Kalch works his way down all 7 rivers, covering over 22,000 miles of water from the ferocious Yangtze River in Asia to the Onyx, a 25-mile long glacial flow in Antarctica,, he hopes to highlight the relationships shared between these rivers and the people that live along them. A lifelong sea kayak and raft guide, Kalch was listed in Canoe & Kayak’s Ten Paddlers to Watch in 2012 , a title he downplays. Based in London, we caught up with him this last weekend in the midst of packing gear, chatting with sponsors, and one last JiuJitsu session. He’s en route now. Check out the video trailer from Kalch’s 2008 Amazon expedition below.

CanoeKayak.com:When did you have the idea for 7 Rivers 7 Continents and where did it come from? Mark Kalch:We made our successful decent of the Amazon and we were quite stoked with that. On the river we had a lot of time though, obviously, and we were on this big 30-mile wide river with nothing else to do and your mind starts to wander a bit, and I had the idea of coming up with a multi-year project, something that has a continuing theme throughout the whole thing. I think it was actually my girlfriend who came up with the idea about trying to paddle the longest river on each continent. Tell us more about why you are doing this project and what you hope happens as a result of it. The only reason why I did the Amazon was for an adventure, but after meeting all these amazing people and going through these amazing environments by river, you start to think a little bit. With this project, I want the journeys to be more than just an adventure—which is fine, I don’t think expeditions or big journeys need a better reason than that— but because there is so much more to take from it. I want to show people how rivers connect with human populations.

For my U.S. paddle I’ve teamed up with American Rivers , and for the project as a whole I’ve teamed up with International Rivers , because my main message is about rivers and their influence on people, and I’m trying to get that story out there. These big rivers have influenced where people live, how civilizations have developed, and I think that’s pretty amazing. Do you have an order of how you’re going to tick the rivers off? Not really, again it sort of comes down to logistics and organization. Doing the Missouri/Mississippi now made sense in that I could do it by myself. It’s the fourth longest river in the world so I thought if I can do that then I’ve done the longest in North and South America and that sets me up pretty nicely in terms of if I want to get people to listen to the stories that I’m hoping to get out of this. And then after this one, you know, depending on a successful descent, I think I would like to do the Yangtze next. And then maybe I’ll have a look at the Nile. I’m a bit scared of the Nile, to be fair. All I think about is crocs and hippos, and guns, to be honest.

But I’ve got some good contacts there and some really experienced guys. I’m happy to do the smaller ones, like the Volga and Murray-Darling at slightly later dates, because they don’t take a hell of a lot of logistics or take as much time. What are you paddling? On the Amazon we used a whitewater, 13-foot raft, and we kept that boat from where we put in until we reached the ocean. When the river gets 50km wide and you can’t see the other side it’s not like at the end of they day you can pull over and camp, so we just slept on the raft. With the Missouri/Mississippi I’m paddling a 17ft sea kayak because I can, at the end of the day, just pull over and camp. As well as that, it’s quite good through the water. You can imagine a whitewater boat on flat water, it doesn’t move too quickly. On the Yangtze and the Nile I’ll probably try to make a bit effort in terms of logistics on the upper sections using whitewater kayaks or rafts and then on the lower section swap over to something with a bit more speed, otherwise we’ll just be there forever.

So you did the Amazon in 2008, your second river now in 2012. How long are you thinking it will take to finish all seven rivers? If I managed to finish the entire project within the next 8-10 years, I would be very happy. I’ve got a son who’s two years old and a daughter who’s five months old, and for the last two weeks, besides packing gear and getting everything ready, 90 percent of the time my mind has been on them. The hardest thing for me is, at least at this stage, is I’m about to leave my kids and girlfriend, and I just think about them. It’s going to be interesting over the next few years as I try to get these rivers done how I cope with being away from them. Are you going to paddle the rest of the rivers solo? I’m doing the Missouri/Mississippi by myself, because of the nature of the river. But when it comes to, for example the Nile and the Yangtze, I’m pretty confident that I’m not going to do the entirety of those rivers by myself.

I wouldn’t really fancy putting myself against the upper Nile, but once the whitewater finishes, these rivers—and I don’t want to dismiss them— it can get a little bit boring when you’re paddling along and it’s the exact same scenery. What are you expecting on the Missouri and Mississippi? It’s much more developed as a whole so there’s going to be people about, which is sort of a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good because a big part of why I want to go there is to see how they’re influenced by the river and how they influence the river itself. As well as that, more people can mean more hassles. Until you go somewhere you never really know for sure. To be fair, I’ve never been to the US so that’s also going to be a big adventure for me. Where are you putting in and how are you getting there? I leave on Tuesday for Seattle and I’m going to get a greyhound bus to Bozeman and get myself sorted out for a couple of days.

The definition of source for the Missouri that I’ve used, which is used by National Geographic and the US Geological Survey, is Brower’s Spring, which is a fair way back up in the mountains right in the bottom SE corner of Montana. So that’s where I have to start and I think that’s about 2,400 meters. I was just told that they are due for a big snowstorm so there might be a fair bit of snow around, which is a bit of a worry because for me to start the trip I have to get to the source to follow the water from there and I’ll put in as soon as I can below that point. But until I can put in I’ll just be on foot.

Wandering around at two and a half thousand meters with a lot of loose snow is not something that I’m really keen on.I was put in touch with the chap who owns an area of private land that I’ve got to cross to get his permission and he was more than happy for me to do it, and he said hopefully he or his son can come to the source and do that first little bit with me, which if they can, I’ll be a happy man because avalanche and bears is not something that I’ve had a lot of experience with. Tags: Longest River By Continent - InfopediaPk - All facts in one site Longest River By Continent What thing is called "River"? The entrance of Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan, Philippines. A river is a stream of water that flows through a "channel" (or passage) in the surface of the ground. The passage where the river flows is called the riverbed and the earth on each side is called a riverbank. A river begins on high ground or in hills or mountains and flows down from the high ground to the lower ground, because of gravity. A river begins as a small stream and gets bigger, the farther that it flows.

The water in a river is called "fresh water". It comes from rain or snow and it can usually be drunk safely, unless it has been polluted. The water in a sea cannot be drunk safely because it is "salt water". Both people and animals often live near rivers, because they need water to survive. Longest River By Continent (2nd longest river on earth) Yangtze River (3rd longest river on earth) Mississippi River (4th longest river on earth) Volga River Murray River Countries Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Eritrea Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru The Nile passes through Cairo, Egypt's capital city The Nile The Nile (Arabic: النيل an-nil, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing river in Africa.It is the longest river on Earth also longest river in Africa (about 6,650 km or 4,132 miles), and flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Alexandria. The word "Nile" comes from Greek Neilos (Νεῖλος), of unknown derivation.

In the ancient Egyptian language, the Nile is called Ḥ'pī or iteru, meaning "great river", represented by the hieroglyphs shown on the right (literally itrw, and 'waters' determinative).In Coptic, the words piaro (Sahidic) or phiaro (Bohairic) meaning "the river" (lit. p(h).iar-o "the.canal-great") come from the same ancient name. The Nile has two major tributaries, the White Nile and Blue Nile, the latter being the source of most of the Nile's water and fertile soil, but the former being the longer of the two. The White Nile rises in the Great Lakes region of central Africa, with the most distant source in southern Rwanda and flows north from there through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and southern Sudan, while the Blue Nile starts at Lake Tana in Ethiopia,flowing into Sudan from the southeast. The two rivers meet near the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. The northern section of the river flows almost entirely through desert, from Sudan into Egypt, a country whose civilization has depended on the river since ancient times.

Most of the population and cities of Egypt lie along those parts of the Nile valley north of Aswan, and nearly all the cultural and historical sites of Ancient Egypt are found along the banks of the river. The Nile ends in a large delta that empties into the Mediterranean Sea. There are many different types of animals living in or near the waters of the Nile, including crocodiles, birds, fish and many others. Not only do animals depend on the Nile for survival, but also people who live there need it for everyday use like washing, as a water supply, keeping crops watered and other jobs. Amazon River Near Brazil The Amazon River The Amazon River (US) or River Amazon (UK) (Portuguese: Rio Amazonas; Spanish: Río Amazonas) of South America is the largest river in the world with a total discharge greater than the next ten largest rivers combined.

The Amazon, which has the largest drainage basin in the world, about 7,050,000 square kilometres (2,720,000 sq mi), accounts for approximately one-fifth of the world's total river flow.It total length is 6,400 km.It is also a longest river in South America and second longest river in world after nile.. The Amazon river has a series of major river systems in Peru and Ecuador, some of which flow into the Marañón and Ucayali, others directly into the Amazon proper. Among others, these include the following rivers: Morona, Pastaza, Nucuray, Urituyacu, Chambira, Tigre, Nanay, Napo, and Huallaga.

The most distant source of the Amazon was established in 1996, 2001,2007,and 2008, as a glacial stream on a snowcapped 5,597 m (18,363 ft) peak called Nevado Mismi in the Peruvian Andes, roughly 160 km (99 mi) west of Lake Titicaca and 700 km (430 mi) southeast of Lima. The waters from Nevado Mismi flow into the Quebradas Carhuasanta and Apacheta, which flow into the Río Apurímac which is a tributary of the Ucayali which later joins the Marañón to form the Amazon proper. While the Ucayali–Marañón confluence is the point at which most geographers place the beginning of the Amazon proper, in Brazil the river is known at this point as the Solimões das Águas. Shortly downriver from that confluence the darkly colored waters of the Rio Negro meet the sandy colored Rio Solimões, and for over 6 km (4 mi) these waters run side by side without mixing.

After the confluence of Río Apurímac and Ucayali, the river leaves Andean terrain and is instead surrounded by floodplain. From this point to`the Marañón, some 1,600 km (990 mi), the forested banks are just out of water, and are inundated long before the river attains its maximum flood stage. The low river banks are interrupted by only a few hills, and the river enters the enormous Amazon Rainforest. The river systems and flood plains in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, whose waters drain into the Solimões and its tributaries are called the "Upper Amazon". The Amazon River proper runs mostly through Brazil and Peru, and it has tributaries reaching into Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia. In its upper stretches the Amazon river is called Apurímac (In Peru) and Solimões (In Brazil). The width of the Amazon varies between 1.6 and 10 kilometres (0.99 and 6.2 mi) at low stage, but expands during the wet season to 48 kilometres (30 mi) or more.

The river enters the Atlantic Ocean in a broad estuary about 240 kilometres (150 mi) wide. The mouth of the main stem is 80 kilometres (50 mi).Because of its vast dimensions, it is sometimes called The River Sea. At no point is the Amazon crossed by bridges.This is not because of its huge dimensions; in fact, for most of its length, the Amazon's width is well within the capability of modern engineers to bridge. However, the bulk of the river flows through tropical rainforest, where there are few roads and even fewer cities, so there is no need for crossings. While the Amazon is the largest river in the world by most measures, the current consensus within the geographic community holds that the Amazon is the second longest river, just slightly shorter than the Nile. The Yangtze River The Yangtze River, or Chang Jiang (simplified Chinese: 长江; traditional Chinese: 長江; pinyin: Cháng Jiang; literally "The Long River"; Tibetan: 'Bri-chu), is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. Like many rivers, the river is known by different names over its course.

At its source, it is called in Chinese the Dangqu (当曲, from the Tibetan for "marsh river"). Downstream, it is called the Tuotuo River (沱沱河) and then the Tongtian River (通天河, literally "river passing through heaven"). Where it runs through deep gorges parallel to the Mekong and the Salween before emerging onto the plains of Sichuan, it is known as the Jinsha River (金沙江 Jīnshā Jiāng, literally "golden sands river"). The river is about 6,300 kilometres (3,915 mi) long and flows from its source in Qinghai Province, eastwards into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It acts as a dividing line between North and South China, although geographers generally consider the Qinling-Huai River line to be the official line of geographical division.As the largest river in the region, the Yangtze is historically, culturally, and economically important to China. The section of the river flowing through deep gorges in Yunnan province is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas: a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The river originates in a glacier lying on the west of Geladandong Mountain in the Dangla Mountain Range on the eastern part of the Tibetan plateau. It runs eastward through Qinghai, turning southward down a deep valley at the border of Sichuan and Tibet to reach Yunnan. In the course of this valley, the river's elevation drops from above 5000 m to less than 1000 m. The headwaters of the Yangtze are situated at an elevation of about 4,900 m (16,100 ft). In its descent to sea level, the river falls to an altitude of 305 m (1,001 ft) at Yibin, Sichuan Province, the head of navigation for riverboats, and to 192 m (630 ft) at Chongqing. Between Chongqing and Yichang (I-ch'ang), at an altitude of 40 m (130 ft) and a distance of about 320 km (200 mi), it passes through the spectacular Yangtze Gorges, which are noted for their natural beauty but are dangerous to shipping.

It enters the basin of Sichuan at Yibin. While in the Sichuan basin, it receives several mighty tributaries, increasing its water volume significantly. It then cuts through Mount Wushan bordering Chongqing and Hubei to create the famous Three Gorges. Eastward of the Three Gorges, Yichang is the first city on the Yangtze Plain. After entering Hubei, the Yangtze receives more water from thousands of lakes. The largest of these lakes is Dongting Lake, which is located on the border of Hunan and Hubei provinces, and is the outlet for most of the rivers in Hunan. At Wuhan, it receives its biggest tributary, the Han River, bringing water from its northern basin as far as Shaanxi. At the northern tip of Jiangxi, Lake Poyang, the biggest freshwater lake in China, merges into the river. The river then runs through Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, receiving more water from innumerable smaller lakes and rivers, and finally reaches the East China Sea at Shanghai. Four of China's five main freshwater lakes contribute their waters to the Yangtze River.

Traditionally, the upstream part of the Yangtze River refers to the section from Yibin to Yichang; the middle part refers to the section from Yichang to Hukou County, where Lake Poyang meets the river; the downstream part is from Hukou to Shanghai. It is home to many thousands of people. Lower course of the Mississippi through New Orleans The Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America.About 2,320 miles (3,730 km) long,the river originates at Lake Itasca, Minnesota and flows slowly southwards in sweeping meanders, terminating 95 river miles below New Orleans, Louisiana where it begins to flow to the Gulf of Mexico. Along with its major tributary, the Missouri River, the river drains all or parts of 31 U.S. states stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Canada-U.S.

border on the north, including most of the Great Plains, and is the fourth longest river in the world and the tenth most powerful river in the world.The name "Mississippi" comes from a Native American name that means "big river." The source of the Mississippi is in the state of Minnesota, near the border with Canada. The Mississippi flows south through the middle of the United States. It flows past the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.The Mississippi has many large tributaries, or rivers that flow into it. The watershed of the Mississippi covers much of the United States. This means that the Mississippi and its tributaries drain much of the United States. Some important tributaries of the Mississippi are (listed from the source to the mouth of the river) The Minnesota River The Ohio River The Arkansas River The Mississippi has been extremely important for transportation in the history of the United States. When the United States first became a nation, the Mississippi River was the western boundary of the United States. The Volga The Volga (Russian: Волга) is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed.

It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including its capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage basin.The Russian hydronym "Волга" is akin to the old Mari name of the river - Volgydo that means "bright". Many people see it as the national river of Russia. It flows through the western part of the country. It is Europe's longest river, with a length of 3,690 kilometres (2,293 miles), and forms the core of the largest river system in Europe. It rises in the Valdai Hills of Russia, 225m above sea level north-west of Moscow. The Kama, Oka, Vetluga and the Sura are its main tributaries. The Volga and its tributaries form the Volga river system, which drains an area of about 1.35 million square kilometres in Russia. The Volga Delta has a length of about 160 kilometres. It includes 555 channels and small streams. It is the largest estuary in Europe.

It is the only place in Russia where pelicans, flamingoes, and lotuses may be found. The Volga freezes for most of its length for three months each year. Some of the biggest reservoirs in the world can be found along the river. The confluence of the Darling and Murray Rivers at Wentworth, New South Wales The Murray River The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At 2,375 kilometres (1,476 mi) in length. It starts high in the Snowy Mountains and flows mainly west until it gets to the sea near Goolwa, South Australia. For much of its length it forms the boundary between Victoria and New South Wales. Other rivers join the Murray, the Darling River, the Lachlan River, the Murrumbidgee River and the Goulburn River.Murray River falls in Indian Ocean. The river was first called the Hume River after it was discovered by European explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell in November 1824. Explorer Charles Sturt renamed the river in January 1830 after a British politician, Sir George Murray.

Create a free website 7 RIVERS 7 CONTINENTS Upper Volga The Missouri Mississippi Expedition kayaker and explorer Mark Kalch has just completed a 117-day, 3780 mile source to sea descent of the Missouri-Mississippi River system, the longest river in North America and 4th longest river in the world. The journey began at Brower’s Spring in the Centennial Mountains of Montana and finished in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana. Throughout the paddle Mark gathered and published stories and images about the river and the people connected to it. The aim was to highlight the importance of the world’s largest rivers to our existence and the continued need to protect them. The successful descent has seen Mark become the first person to ever paddle the river from it’s utmost source to where it empties into the ocean. He has also become the first person to ever paddle from source to sea both the longest rivers in North and South America (Amazon River, 153 days, 4300 miles, 2008) respectively. The descent is part of Mark’s 7 rivers 7 continents project to paddle from source to sea the longest river on each continent.

A combined distance of more than 22 000 miles. Beginning on snow shoes in Montana’s Centennial Mountains on 11th June 2012 Mark trekked to Brower’s Spring, the utmost source of the river system at an altitude of nearly 9000 feet above sea level (2743m). From this point he followed the trickle of water on foot for 2 days until big enough to launch his 17-foot P & H Scorpio 170 kayak. Then, for nearly 4 months he paddled the entire river as it wound it’s way across Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and finally Louisiana, into the gulf. The journey saw him paddle across lakes (including Fort Peck, Sakakawea, and Oahe) hundreds of miles long and miles wide, portaging his kayak by hand around huge dams. He encountered wildlife including bear, moose, wolves, coyote, deer, rattle snakes, water moccasin, wolverine, possum, beaver, raccoon, bald eagle, golden eagle and countless other bird species.

The heavily industrialised lower river had him dodging an endless stream of barge traffic, tow boats, tug boats, crew boats, work boats, fishing boats, fuel tankers, grain and container ships. In his kayak he was invisible to their radar. At 1300 hours on 5th October 2012, Mark paddled his final strokes on the river beyond Port Eads, Louisiana and into the breaking waves of the Gulf of Mexico, completing his epic journey. Mark says, “I am excited to have paddled another of the world’s great rivers from source to sea. It was a journey I will never forget, for the river itself and the communities connected to it. While at times supremely exhausting and a mental and physical endeavour like few others, paddling into the ocean to finish was an amazing feeling”. Mark Kalch is a world-class expedition paddler, explorer and speaker. Previous expeditions include multiple on foot journeys throughout Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, a 4300 mile source to sea paddling descent of the Amazon River and walking alone across the entire Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mark’s 7 rivers 7 continents project sees him making source to sea paddling descents of the longest river on each continent. A combined distance of more than 22 000 miles. Mark has been invited to speak on several occasions for the Royal Geographical Society and National Geographic Society. He is sponsored by Rab, Suunto, Kokatat, Seal Line, MSR, Therm-a-rest, Zeal Optics, P & H and Pyranha kayaks, Lowe Alpine, Snap Dragon Designs, ASUS, Lowa, C-TUG and H2O performance paddles. Mark supports International Rivers ( and American Rivers ( Visit the website at 7riversmissouri.com The Amazon Expedition Amazonas was a journey and undertaking of a lifetime. Over 7 months and 7000km, a team of explorers paddled the entire length of the world’s biggest and longest river – the mighty Amazon! Excerpt below from the expedition website - This is a traverse of the South American continent, from near the Pacific coast of Peru to the mouth of the Amazon River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil.

Encountering a range of terrain from harsh deserts, the snow-capped mountains of the Andes and ultimately the Amazon itself, the team face adventure, adrenalin, peril, hardship and life-changing experiences at every twist and turn of the mighty river. To be the first is not the aim of the expedition. To break records is not the aim of the expedition. The aim of the expedition is the journey itself! Background: Partnered with environmental and indigenous rights action group, Amazon Watch, the expedition will highlight the absolute need for a balance between global, sustainable development and the protection of the earth’s natural environment, along with its most vulnerable populations. The expedition is being undertaken by a team of experienced professionals using custom-built equipment supplied by industry leaders including Teva, Kokatat, First Ascent, ARK, Suunto and Garmin. Please explore the website to learn more about the expedition, the team and their equipment, the work of Amazon Watch, committed sponsors and this amazing world in which we all live. Follow the progress of the team with news updates and a unique mapping facility as they face everyday, a new set of challenges and adventures.

Be inspired to follow your own dreams and play a part in creating a planet that will allow others to do the same. Awe! The Expedition in Detail: 7 RIVERS 7 CONTINENTS | Mark Kalch - Expedition paddler Mark Kalch - Expedition paddler Mark Kalch - Expedition paddler SIGN UP to my monthly newsletter full of all the best bits, photos and assorted stuff from the world of expedition paddling, exploration and adventure. Paddling the longest river on each continent from source to sea. In 2014 I made a 71 day, 2300 mile descent of the Volga River in Russia. In 2012 I made a 117 day, 3780 mile descent of the Missouri-Mississippi River in the US. In 2008 a 153 day descent of the 4130 mile Amazon River in South America. In 2010, I walked alone across the entire Islamic Republic of Iran. I use my journeys to bring stories to life through images and word. 7 RIVERS 7 CONTINENTS Humans have always been drawn to rivers. The greatest civilizations in history have sprung and flourished alongside them.

They flow through every environment on the planet, bringing us the essentials of life. But, what rivers give, they can also take away. They are powerful, frightening, majestic and awe-inspiring. They are life. The 7 rivers, 7 continents project is an endeavour to complete source to sea paddling descents of the longest river on each continent. A combined total distance of some 35 000km (22 000 miles).

Amazon River (South America) – 6678 km (4150 miles) – completed 2007/2008 Nile River (Africa) – 6650 km (4132 miles) Yangtze River (Asia) – 6300 km (3916 miles) Missouri – Mississippi River (North America) – 6083 km (3780 miles) - completed 2012 Volga River (Europe) – 3645 km (2266 miles) - completed 2014 Murray-Darling River (Australia) – 3370 km (2904 miles) Onyx River (Antarctica) – 40 km (25 miles) More than successful descents, the project will provide a unique insight into the life that rivers have built and sustain. The great rivers of the world have shaped the very existence of humans and the ecosystems in which they live. The chief aim is to bring these river stories to life. From the fisherman, the hunter, the family and the power company worker, to the farmer, the trees, the predator and the prey.

All have inspiring and thoughtful stories to reveal. Using the medium of multimedia storytelling, the 7 rivers, 7 continents project looks to engage through photofilms, photo essays, written word and film, all delivered via a unique interactive online platform. For further information please visit - 7rivers7continents.com Rivers in North America Australia Rivers in North America The North American continent lies entirely in the Northern and Western Hemisphere of the planet. Its northern border is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean while to its east and west lie the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans respectively. Within the continent, there are many important rivers which provide a supply of fresh water to its inhabitants. Mississippi River, Mackenzie River, and Rio Grande are some of the most popular names known all around the world. Discussed below are ten popular rivers in North America. Missouri River The continent’s longest river is the Missouri which runs from its source to its mouth for 3,767 kilometers. It emerges from the Rocky Mountains in the state of Montana. On the other hand, river’s journey comes to an end at Spanish Lake in the Missouri State. It flows through seven states during its course. More informative facts about the Missouri River are given below.

The joining of three rivers – Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin – forms the Missouri River near Three Forks which is a town in Montana. The huge river ranks fifteenth among the planet’s longest rivers. The Missouri River was discovered by the Europeans in the seventeenth century. The Missouri drainage area is enormous and covers one-sixth of the land in the United States. This area equals 1,371,010 square kilometers. The huge Missouri basin accommodates a population of around ten million consisting of twenty-eight native tribes of North America, ten states of the US and some parts of Canada. Many man-made modifications, such as dams, have changed the natural flow of the river. A diverse species of fish is found in the river, including lake trout, channel catfish, carp, rainbows, sturgeon, Chinook salmon and many other varieties. Deep brush grasses and tall grasses are found along the banks of the river which house a population of formidable rattlesnakes. Individuals navigating across the river should look out for whirlpools as well strong currents. Mississippi River The second longest river flowing through North America is Mississippi.

It is 3,374 kilometers long with a width of 11 kilometers at its widest point. Emerging from Lake Itasca in Minnesota, the river flows through nine other states of the US before reaching the end of its journey at the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River is the major component of the continent’s largest drainage system. More information about this important North American river is provided in the following facts. Combined with the Missouri River, the Mississippi forms the continent’s longest river system which ranks fourth in the world. The widest point of the Mississippi River is at Lake Winnibigoshish in the state of Minnesota. The river is narrowest at Lake Itasca where it stretches from twenty to thirty feet only. Martin Strel conquered the Mississippi River by swimming the entire length of the river in 2002, completing the task in sixty-eight days. The river’s watershed extends from the Allegheny Mountains and continues up to the Rocky Mountains. During this course, the watershed covers thirty-one states of the US and two provinces of Canada, making it the world’s fourth largest watershed. Mississippi offers a supply of fresh water and is also used for dumping domestic and industrial waste by the communities living along and around the river.

Ohio River The importance of Ohio River lies in the fact that it is the largest tributary of the continent’s second longest river – the Mississippi River. Emerging from Pennsylvania, the river flows through six states and covers a distance of 1,579 kilometers. It discharges an average of 7,957 cubic meters of water per second. Here are some informative facts about the Ohio River. The river is formed when the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers join at Pittsburg. On the other hand, it reaches it mouth at the Mississippi River in the state of Illinois. The river supplies fresh drinking water to a population of more than 3 million individuals. The Ohio basin is home to more than 25 million souls which constitute around ten percent of the entire population of the United States. This basin spreads across an area of 490,601 square kilometers. Twenty dams have been built on the river for the purpose of power generation. However, this has resulted in polluting the river’s water with silt and changing its natural flow. Colorado River The most important river flowing through the Southwestern region of the United States and northwestern Mexico is the Colorado River.

It is 2,334 kilometers in length. It originates from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado which gives the river its name. On the other hand, its final destination is at the Gulf of California. The following facts reveal more information about the Colorado River. During its course, the river covers seven states of the US and two states of Mexico. It is a source of fresh water to a large population of over twenty-five million individuals. In addition, it irrigates around 3.5 million acres of agricultural land. The Grand Canyon – one of the world’s seven wonders – is found in the Colorado River. Before the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, the water of the river used to appear red owing to the presence of silt particles. For this reason, the river was also known as the Red River. However, the silt is now trapped by the dam, restoring the natural color and clarity of the river’s waters. The construction of dams on the river has affected the population of different fish species living in its waters. These dams have led to a change in the river’s temperature from 80 F to 42 F, which is unsuitable for most of its fish to thrive.

Rio Grande Rio Grande emerges from San Juan Mountains in Colorado and flows for 3,051 kilometers to reach its destination at the Gulf of Mexico. Part of the natural border between the USA and Mexico is formed by the river. It has been serving as an immensely significant source of water for irrigation as well as hydroelectric power generation. More information about Rio Grande is discussed below. The river is also called Rio Bravo in Mexico. It is North America’s fourth longest river system. Several major cities, including Santa Fe, Del Rio, El Paso and the Rio Grande City are situated along the river. Its basin area covers 471,900 square kilometers. Due to its historical importance, the river has been classified as one of the most important American Heritage Rivers. Also Read These Articles Major Rivers in Australia - Facts and Length Yellowstone River The Yellowstone River is one of the tributaries of the mighty Missouri River. It emerges from Absaroka Range in Wyoming where the North Fork converges with the South Fork. During its course, the river passes through three states of the US and covers a distance of 1,114 kilometers. The river is famous the world over owing to the breathtaking waterfalls which are one of its important natural features.

More information about the Yellowstone River is given through the following facts. It was known as the Elk River by the Native Americans. The Europeans first discovered the river in 1806. The river’s basin covers 181,299 square kilometers of area. The average discharge of the Yellowstone River is quite low, being 390 cubic meters per second. In 2011, a huge oil spill polluted the waters of the river. It was caused by a burst in pipeline which released around forty-two thousand gallons of oils into the water. Mackenzie River The famous Mackenzie River constitutes Canada’s longest river system. It emerges from the Great Slave Lake in Fort Providence and runs for 1,738 kilometers. After flowing through the Northwest Territories of Canada the river empties into the Arctic Ocean. Here are some interesting facts about the Mackenzie River. It is the world’s eleventh longest river. The river was named after a Scottish-Canadian discoverer – Alexandar Mackenzie – who travelled through the river during his journey towards the Pacific Ocean. The basin area of the Mackenzie is spread across 1,805,200 square kilometers. This enormous area is almost as large as the entire Mexico.

The width of the river ranges between 1.6 and 3.2 kilometers while the points marked by islands are 4.8 to 6.4 kilometers wide. Interesting wildlife is found along the river’s delta. Some of the most popular animals are the snow geese and the tundra swans. The river begins freezing in October and melts in May. During the rest of the months, the Mackenzie is navigable. The Mackenzie River system consists of important rivers including Peace, the Arctic Red, Slave and Liard Rivers. The Mackenzie basin consists of popular lakes including Lake Athabasca and the Great Bear Lake. Columbia River The largest river flowing through the Pacific Northwest part of the continent is the Columbia River. It emerges from British Columbia in Canada and empties into the Pacific Ocean after flowing for 2,000 kilometers. During its course, the Columbia River discharges an average of 7,500 cubic meters per second. Here are some informative facts about the river. After leaving the British Columbia, the river flows into Washington DC, US. From there, it flows onwards and forms a natural border between the states of Washington and Oregon before arriving at its final destination in the Pacific Ocean.

During this journey, the entire river covers around 260, 000 square miles. The Columbia River basin ranks fourth among the largest river basins on the planet. It covers an area of 668,000 square kilometers. The river serves as one of the world’s biggest sources of hydroelectric power through a large number of dams built on the river. It is also popularly known as the River of the West, River Oregon as well as the Big River. Green River The Green River flows through the western part of the United States and serves as the main tributary of the Colorado River. It is 1,175 kilometers long and is one of the important rivers in North America. Originating from the Wind River Mountain Range of the Rocky Mountains, the river flows through three states – Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. It joins the Colorado River at the Canyonlands National Park located in the state of Utah. Go through the following informative facts about the Green River. The area drained by the Green River is 124,578 square kilometers. The average discharge of the river is quite low – only 173 cubic meters per second.

The river is historically important as the river valley is where the Fremont Culture thrived during the 7th and 13th centuries. The Shoshone Indians called the river the Prairie Hen River. Hudson River The Hudson River is a small yet popular waterway flowing primarily through the New York State in the US. It originates from Adirondack Mountains and flows towards its mouth located at the Upper New York Bay. Its basin spreads across an area of 36,260 square kilometers. The river’s average discharge is 620 cubic meters per second. Here is some more information about the Hudson River. Although it was first discovered in the sixteenth century by Verrazano, the river is named after a European explorer, Henry Hudson. He explored the river a century later in 1609. The principal tributary of the river is known as the Mohawk River. The river is navigable. Ocean vessels can travel through it up to Albany while smaller vessels can travel up to Troy. The river’s upper course is marked by waterfalls as well as rapids. The Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains mark the river’s middle course. The continent contains many more large as well as small waterways.

Indeed, the rivers in North America areimmensely important for its economy and for sustaining its large population. These rivers offer fresh drinking water, serve as transport routes, generate hydroelectric power and offer irrigation water apart from being tourist attractions owing to their interesting geographical features. Do you find this information about the Rivers in North America useful? If yes, how much? Also, give us suggestions so that we may cater to your very needs. Mouth of the Mississippi : Image of the Day News & Notes download large image (3 MB, JPEG, 3384x3384) The Mississippi River drains the heart of the North American continent, carrying vast quantities of sediment and depositing it along the shore of Louisiana and into the Gulf of Mexico. The sediment is composed of topsoil, sand, dead and decaying plants, and anything else washed away by a strong rainstorm far upstream. Many of these effluents are nutrients that act as fertilizer for the microscopic plants (phytoplankton) living near the surface of the Gulf waters. Each summer the phytoplankton population explodes, fueled by the long summer days and the nutrients supplied by the Mississippi.

A similar effect occurs in a stagnant pond choked with algae (a common type of phytoplankton). As the phytoplankton age, die, and decompose, bacteria absorb oxygen dissolved in the water, creating a “dead zone” along the shore at the ocean bottom. The oxygen-poor water is deadly to animals, from the microscopic zooplankton that graze on phytoplankton to crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Once infrequent, the Gulf of Mexico dead zone is now an annual event, triggered by phosphorus and nitrogen in fertilizers used on farms throughout the central United States and as far away as Saskatchewan, Canada. In the fall, strong winds from seasonal storms stir the water, mixing the oxygen-poor deep water with oxygen-rich surface water, bringing a reprieve until the next spring. The true-color image above was acquired on November 27, 1999, by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) aboard NASA’s Landsat 7 satellite. For more information and images, read Mississippi Dead Zone.

(NASA Image by Robert Simmon, based on Landsat data provided by the UMD Global Land Cover Facility ) Mississippi River Facts - Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) Mississippi River Facts Mississippi River Overview The Mississippi River is one of the world’s major river systems in size, habitat diversity and biological productivity. It is the second longest river in North America, flowing 2,350 miles from its source at Lake Itasca through the center of the continental United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The Missouri River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, is about 100 miles longer. Some describe the Mississippi River as being the third longest river system in the world, if the length of Missouri and Ohio Rivers are added to the Mississippi's main stem. When compared to other world rivers, the Mississippi-Missouri River combination ranks fourth in length (3,710 miles/5,970km) following the Nile (4,160 miles/6,693km), the Amazon (4,000 miles/6,436km), and the Yangtze Rivers (3,964 miles/6,378km).

The reported length of a river may increase or decrease as deposition or erosion occurs at its delta, or as meanders are created or cutoff. As a result, different lengths may be reported depending upon the year or measurement method. Length For reasons mentioned above there are competing claims as to the Mississippi's length. The staff of Itasca State Park at the Mississippi's headwaters say the main stem of the river is 2,552 miles long. The US Geologic Survey has published a number of 2,300 miles, the EPA says it is 2,320 miles long, and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area suggests the river's length is 2,350 miles. Width At Lake Itasca, the river is between 20 and 30 feet wide, the narrowest stretch for its entire length. The widest part of the Mississippi can be found at Lake Winnibigoshish near Bena, MN, where it is wider than 11 miles. The widest navigable section in the shipping channel of the Mississippi is Lake Pepin, where it is approximately 2 miles wide.

Speed At the headwaters of the Mississippi, the average surface speed of the water is about 1.2 miles per hour - roughly one-third as fast as people walk. At New Orleans the river flows 3 miles per hour on average. Mississippi River Watershed The Mississippi River watershed is the fourth largest in the world, extending from the Allegheny Mountains in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west. The watershed includes all or parts of 31 states and 2 Canadian Provinces. The watershed measures approximately 1.2 million square miles, covering about 40% of the lower 48 states. Water Supply Communities up and down the river use the Mississippi to obtain freshwater and to discharge their industrial and municipal waste. We don't have good figures on water use for the whole Mississippi River Basin, but we have some clues. A January 2000 study published by the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee states that close to 15 million people rely on the Mississippi River or its tributaries in just the upper half of the basin (from Cairo, IL to Minneapolis, MN).

A frequently cited figure of 18 million people using the Mississippi River Watershed for water supply comes from a 1982 study by the Upper Mississippi River Basin Committee. The Environmental Protection Agency simply says that more than 50 cities rely on the Mississippi for daily water supply. Commerce Agriculture has been the dominant land use for nearly 200 years in the Mississippi basin, and has altered the hydrologic cycle and energy budget of the region. The agricultural products and the huge agribusiness industry that has developed in the basin produce 92% of the nation's agricultural exports, 78% of the world's exports in feed grains and soybeans, and most of the livestock and hogs produced nationally. Sixty percent of all grain exported from the US is shipped on the Mississippi River through the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana. In measure of tonnage, the largest port district in the world is located along the Mississippi River delta in Louisiana. The Port of South Louisiana is one of the largest volume ports in the United States. Representing 500 million tons of shipped goods per year (according to the Port of New Orleans ), the Mississippi River barge port system is significant to national trade.

Shipping at the lower end of the Mississippi is focused on petroleum and petroleum products, iron and steel, grain, rubber, paper, wood, coffee, coal, chemicals, and edible oils. Background Information To move goods up and down the Mississippi, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a 9-foot shipping channel from Baton Rouge, LA to Minneapolis, MN. From Baton Rouge past New Orleans to Head of Passes, a 45 foot channel is maintained to allow ocean-going vessels access to ports between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Volume At Lake Itasca, the average flow rate is 6 cubic feet per second. At Upper St. Anthony Falls, the northern most Lock and Dam, the average flow rate is 12,000 cubic feet per second or 89,869 gallons per second. At New Orleans, the average flow rate is 600,000 cubic feet per second. Background Information There are 7.489 gallons of water in a cubic foot. One cubic foot of water weighs 62.4 pounds. A 48 foot semi-truck trailer is a 3,600 cubic foot container.

At Lake Itasca, it would take 10 minutes for one semi-trailer of water to flow out of the lake into the Mississippi. At St. Anthony Falls, the equivalent of 3 semi-trailers full of water go over the falls every second. At New Orleans, the equivalent of 166 semi-trailers of water flow past Algiers Point each second. Wildlife

Question: The Mississippi River is on what continent?
Answer: North America