The Mississippi River is a classic example of American majestic life in its own right, and it has been without a doubt an indispensable part of the heritage of its people since its conception. Whether it be a playground for those running the River on steamboats in the 19th Century, or its current use as a commercial transportation hub for products being sent from coast to coast, the Mississippi River has been, and continues to be profoundly important for the region.
With its impressive natural beauty, the Mississippi River stands out as an attractive asset to its surrounding geographically, as well as economically. An interesting fact that many are surprised to come across is that the Mississippi River does not run uphill.
This appears counter-intuitive when considering the traditional water cycle. The concept behind water flow is that the higher areas are filled up, and essentially pushed around until it reaches a sea. This would lead one to reason that the Mississippi would eventually reach its banks, when in fact the opposite is true; it actually is sucked outwards, almost as if its in a race to outrun the water’s origin.
The Mississippi River Valley
The Mississippi River Valley is quite a wide basin of land stretching across two large countries, the US and Canada. It has a complex topography that contains many hills and mountains and valleys, which makes it somewhat confusing to observe the angle of the river itself. It is definitely possible to observe some of the beauty of the Mississippi as it passes through its valleys, but an experienced boater knows that the Mississippi does not actually move up, but rather appears to be going in a circular motion.
It has been scientifically proven that the volume of the water in the Mississippi does not, in fact, rise or fall which ensures that the flow of the river, and the speed of the waters, remain the same, no matter where its traversed. Even when natural disasters occur, such as flooding, the water’s amount and flow never increase, which is an interesting fact in itself.
Riverbed Depressions
The Mississippi River has a slight drop in its path as it heads south, most likely shaped by glacial activities and topographical features surrounding the area. Scientists have concluded two different conclusions that explain why the river does not run up the pre-existent natural slopes.
The first explanation, is that the sections of the river valley are actually under sea-level, and therefore the water is actually flowing down natural slopes, which already exist. The second, is that the topography of the Mississippi Valley has been intervened in by man-made dams and canals, changing the direction the river was destined to take.
Civil Engineering
The Mississippi River has been affected by human activities in many ways, mainly in terms of engineering. Most notably, the levees developed by the people that are meant to contain and move the water, and direct it away from areas that it may flood.
At the same time, canals and dams were created by engineers to control the direction of the river and gain a better understanding of where to control the flow, ensuring that the river is navigable along areas where it might natural be quite turbulent and dangerous to traverse. This type of civil engineering and engineering adaptation allows engineers to contain the amount of power and energy the Mississippi River brings.
Benefits of the Mississippi River
The Mississippi River has benefited many people and locations through times, whether through commercial usage of transportation, or by bringing life to the land that surrounds it, as can also be appreciated visually.
The effects of the river are seen in areas such as the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. Without the Mississippi, these two would not be as abundant as they are today, mainly in terms of nutrient-rich soil. Without their bounty, this would create a shortage of many prominent resources that they produce.
Effects of Climate Change
The changing climate across the world has resulted in a shift of the major tributaries of the Mississippi River, most notably its fish life. It is believed that over the next couple of years, the Mississippi river is going to be affected by climatic events such as floods and droughts, as well as changes in temperature.
These changes have already had a tremendous influence in the amount of fish present in the river. Nowadays, the species of fish that can survive in the deep regions of the Mississippi River are those that can tolerate extreme temperatures. Fishing has been hindered by the changing environment, making the traditional fishing areas of the river difficult to access.
Effects of Pollution
The Mississippi River is also struggling with increasing levels of pollution. This is mainly due to run off from riverside cities and states, as water carrying various pollutants make its way downstream. It is estimated that up to 162,000 metric tons of pollution enter the Mississippi River by the year 2050.
One of the most problematic pollutants is agriculture pesticides and fertilizers, which contaminate the water, leading to loss of life among marine species and a decrease in water quality. Consequently, this leads to a decrease in the number of sport-fishing areas, diminishing the previously abundant life in the river.
Human Habitation
In the last few decades, the popularity of the Mississippi River as a place to settle and build businesses or homes is on the rise. It is estimated that approximately 4 million people now live next to the banks of the river, and this number is growing each year.
The growth in population has raised problems regarding its public access, notably in the case of public beach areas. Currently, the Mississippi River waterfront is increasingly parceled and sold as real estate, preventing people from accessing areas that have been traditionally used for recreation for free.
Laws and Regulations
The fact that the Mississippi River is a heavily used waterway has resulted in the United States changing their laws and regulations to preserve, and keep it healthy.
The US government, through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other civil and commercial organizations, has implemented several new regulations, including establishing a National Navigation System in 1982. This system, which aims to regulate commercial river navigation, is advocated by a reviewed Waterway Law, which states that every ship using the Mississippi River must be approved and approved by the U.S. Coast Guard and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Negative Effects of Development
The Mississippi River has been primarily used for navigational purposes and human advantages since its conception. There have been a countless number of developments along it’s banks, such as buoys and docks, as well as power sources, that have had a negative effect on the aquatic’s wildlife.
The main effects are noise and contaminations, both of which impede the life of the aquatic and the mammals that live within the ecosystem. Other effects, such as the involving of fragile ecosystems, soils and wetlands, can also cause several repercussions, and even more so when environmental regulations are not taken into consideration, as many developers conduct their projects without complying with the current laws and standards.
River Clean-up and Preservation Initiatives
The Mississippi River has been the source of life for many cultures inhabiting its banks for centuries, so for them it’s of the utmost importance to keep it safe and clean. To ensure this, the US Congress passed the Mississippi River and Tributaries projects, which are aimed to preserve and protect the areas ecology, as well as its habitats.
Initiatives such as clean-up events, combating of pollutions and efforts to move people away from developing in sensitive areas, as well as maintain a more balanced and secure ecosystem, are heavily funded and encouraged by both the US and the people inhabiting the river’s banks.
Those initiatives taken to protect the Mississippi River, have, in turn, protected the sensitive aquatic life that rely on it, while also allowing its people to continue to lead a life close to the banks of this majestic river.
