Mississippi River

A tragic incident occurred recently when a helicopter crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River near East Alton, Illinois, resulting in the deaths of two people.

About the Mississippi River

The Mississippi River holds several notable distinctions in North America:

• Longest River in the U.S.: Spanning more than 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers), it is the longest river in the United States and the second longest in North America.

• Source and Destination: It begins at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and flows southwards, ultimately reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

• Key Tributaries: The river is fed by significant tributaries, including:

  • Red River

  • Arkansas River

  • Illinois River

  • Missouri River

  • Ohio River

• World Ranking: When combined with the Missouri River system, the Mississippi-Missouri is the fourth longest river system in the world, stretching over 3,700 miles (6,000 km), trailing only the Nile, Amazon, and Yangtze Rivers.

• Largest Drainage Basin: The river basin drains an area of 1.26 million square miles, making it the largest drainage basin in North America.

Three Distinct Reaches of the Mississippi River

1. Upper Mississippi River:

   • Stretches from St. Paul, Minnesota to the mouth of the Missouri River near St. Louis, Missouri.

   • Characterized by steep limestone bluffs and tributaries from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.

2. Middle Mississippi River:

   • Runs for 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the Missouri River junction to the mouth of the Ohio River.

3. Lower Mississippi River:

   • After the Ohio River confluence in Cairo, Illinois, the river becomes much wider, with banks spanning up to 1.5 miles (2.4 km).

   • It flows slowly and wide, descending toward the Gulf of Mexico.

Ecological Significance

The Mississippi River Basin is home to diverse ecosystems, including:

• Wet forests with cypress trees.

• Freshwater and brackish marshes.

• Sandy beaches and salt marshes.