Introduction
The Upper Mississippi River is an ecologically and economically important American river that have a significant influence on many species and businesses. Its influence is due to its length, having properties like boating and fishing, and presence of species such as bald eagles and river otters. But how deep is the Upper Mississippi River?
Factual Information
The Upper Mississippi River stretches from Minnesota to Connecticut and has a total length of 2,550 miles. The deepest part in the entire river is located between Alton and St. Louis, which is about 80 feet. Furthermore, its average depth varies, with more than 80 feet in the wider areas like at St. Louis and as low as 17 feet in certain stretches of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.
The Influence of Meanders
On its journey, the Upper Mississippi River passes many meanders, which are bends and curves in its path. Depending on the particular segments of the river bend, the depth can vary. Typically, much deeper sections of the river will be located near the apex or inside portion of the meander, whilst the shallow sections will be located near the outside portion of the meander loop.
The Importance of Damming
The depth of the Upper Mississippi River is also partially due to the damming. There are currently more than 29 dams that have been built on the river, with the first one being constructed in 1922 and the most recent built in 1969. The dams are mostly in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois with their purpose usually being navigation, electricity generation, flood control, and water project. By building dams, it causes the water to be more shallow and of course, the further from the dam, the deeper it gets.
Predicting Changes in Depth
As this river is subject to many natural changes, such as flooding, there are cases when its typical depth range is influenced by the season or any other external effect. The experts warn that during floods or heavy rains, the average depth might be higher up to 10-15 feet or even more. The prediction of the depth requires monitoring and is crucial for those who rely on the Upper Mississippi River and its waters, such as those who fishing or on it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Species Population and the Depth of the Upper Mississippi River
The depth of the Upper Mississippi River impacts species population as well. The deeper waters are preferred by larger animals like walleye or sturgeon, as they have more protective areas for their habitat and for spawning. The plants located in the riverbed rely mostly on the sedimentation, which usually takes place in shallow waters, but can also be influenced by its increasingly deeper areas in meanders.
Changes in Infrastructure
Crops located near the shore also benefit from the water’s depth as it affects their irrigation intake and irrigation upstream of the lake. The lack of rain would mean that the lake could become more shallow, hence, affecting the channel characteristics downstream of the lake and thus, the flow of river traffic, further influencing agricultural and recreational activities.
Water Quality
The depth of the Upper Mississippi River also affects the water quality. Deeper waters, as compared to shallow waters, appear to be less affected by human pollution and have higher oxygen content, whereas shallow waters have higher temperatures and contain fewer dissolved oxygen. As the river deals with a huge amount of pollution, understanding the correlation between its depth and water quality is crucial.
The Role of Sedimentation
The depth of the river has a role in regulated sedimentation as well. The sedimentation process can take place in deep or shallow waters but is much more prevalent in shallow areas. However, the sedimentation overall influences the river’s depth significantly, as it can increase the amount of silt, which is deposited on the riverbed, causing the river to be shallower.
Sediment-trapping Mechanisms
To keep the water deep, some rivers have constructed sediment-trapping mechanisms to reduce the amount of sediment flowing into the river. The Upper Mississippi River has several sediment-trapping mechanisms in place between Illinois and Iowa and lower down the riverside in Illinois. They are mainly used to protect water supply and recreation sites from sediment deposition.
Affect on Communities
Last but not least, the depth of Upper Mississippi River affects the lives of the people living in and around the river. Due to the fact that it houses a diverse range of fish and is used for recreation and transport, changes in the river’s depth t affects local businesses who rely on the river for their livelihood.
Hydroelectric Power
The Upper Mississippi River is an important power source for electricity generation. It has 14 hydroelectric plants along its length, which generate 6,500MW of electricity. Its depth influences the amount of power that can be generated; the deeper water can generate more power compared to shallow water.
Environmental Protection Programs
The US Environmental Protection Agency is currently running a river restoration program, which is aimed at restoring the river’s depth. This program aims to reduce the amount of sediment flowing into the river and increase the overall depth, allowing more species to inhabit the river and sustain itself in the long run.
Economic Impact
In terms of economic impacts, a deep river can enable transport of goods and shipping of products up and down the entire length of the river, making it an important factor for transportation of product through the Upper Mississippi River. Furthermore, it also affects tourism, which leads to increased revenue for businesses supporting the tourism industry.
Conclusion of Findings
Overall, the Upper Mississippi River is a important river for the United States both recreationally and economically. Its average depth is around 80 feet, but this is not fixed, with some parts having a much deeper depth and other parts a much shallow one. The presence of dams, meanders and sediment-trapping mechanisms further influence its depth. It also affects the local communities, businesses, and species which inhabit the river. If its depth is managed and maintained well, it can be a sustainable and long-term economic and environmental resource.
