How long does it take a drop of water to travel the Mississippi River?
It takes 90 days for a single drop of water to travel the Mississippi River’s entire length. From its source, Lake Itasca, to its end, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River drops 1,475 feet.
Where does the middle Mississippi River begin and end?
The Mississippi River is known as the Middle Mississippi from the Upper Mississippi River’s confluence with the Missouri River at St. Louis, Missouri, for 190 miles (310 km) to its confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. The Middle Mississippi is relatively free-flowing.
Where is the deepest point on the Mississippi River?
It takes 90 days for a single drop of water to travel the Mississippi River’s entire length. From its source, Lake Itasca, to its end, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River drops 1,475 feet. The deepest point on the Mississippi River is located near Algiers Point in New Orleans and is 200 feet in depth.
How did the arrival of the Europeans affect the Mississippi River?
The arrival of Europeans in the 16th century changed the native way of life as first explorers, then settlers, ventured into the basin in increasing numbers. The river served first as a barrier, forming borders for New Spain, New France, and the early United States, and then as a vital transportation artery and communications link.
What is the mean discharge of the Mississippi River?
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.
Where is the widest part of the Mississippi River?
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.
Why is the Mississippi River important to North America?
Introduction to the River. The Mississippi River is one of the world’s major river systems in size, habitat diversity and biological productivity. It is also one of the world’s most important commercial waterways and one of North America’s great migration routes for both birds and fishes.
Where does the water from the Mississippi River come from?
The Mississippi River water source is fed by Lake Itasca in Northern Minnesota and flows all the way down into the Gulf of Mexico. What are the Mississippi River regions?
Where is the upper Mississippi River in Minnesota?
The Upper Mississippi River is joined by the Minnesota River at Fort Snelling in the Twin Cities; the St. Croix River near Prescott, Wisconsin; the Cannon River near Red Wing, Minnesota; the Zumbro River at Wabasha, Minnesota; the Black, La Crosse]
What are the states that the Mississippi River passes through?
The Mississippi River either borders or passes through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Who was the first person to see the Mississippi River?
On May 8, 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto became the first recorded European to reach the Mississippi River, which he called Río del Espíritu Santo („River of the Holy Spirit“), in the area of what is now Mississippi. In Spanish, the river is called Río Mississippi.