The Mississippi River has a long and storied history. It’s estimated that it has been around for at least 59 million years, and it flows from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its biggest tributary, the Missouri River, at the confluence of the Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers. It has been a driving force for commerce and a source of immense natural beauty for centuries. But one of its most interesting stories is how the Mississippi River once flowed backwards.
At one time, in the year 1812, the mighty Mississippi actually flowed backwards, from south to north. It was an incredible sight, created by a once-in-a-lifetime combination of several factors. The first factor was a massive earthquake that shook the New Madrid Fault line on April 7, 1812. It was so strong it changed the course of the river.
The second factor was the large amount of snowmelt that had accumulated in the tributaries of the Mississippi River. The river was swollen with heavy rains and with runoff from unusually warm weather. Together, these conditions pushed the waters of the Mississippi so far up the river, they began to flow in the opposite direction.
Though an amazing phenomenon, this event had very serious consequences. The backward flow caused extensive flooding in the area. Farm fields were flooded, and towns were submerged. In addition, fishermen were unable to make a living, since fish were stranded by the contradictory force of the reversed river. It was reported that a few caught seahorses near the mouth of the river, a species not naturally found in those waters. The cities of Memphis, Vicksburg and Natchez were destroyed by the floods, and other towns were inundated.
The strange event caught the attention of Thomas Jefferson, who was president at the time. He ordered a scientific expedition to investigate the backward flow of the river. It was led by William Ives, who was able to measure and record the course of the river, and to collect samples of plants, birds, fish and other creatures in the area. Despite what Ives discovered, the cause of the backward flow was still a mystery.
To this day, no one is sure what caused the Mississippi River to temporarily run in reverse. Scientists have theorized that it might have been the seismic activity of the New Madrid earthquake, or the large amount of snowmelt that caused the reversal. The most likely explanation is a combination of both, with the force of the earthquake causing shifts in the river’s course and the snowmelt pushing against the water. Whatever the cause, it is clear that the reversal of the Mississippi River was a rare and fascinating event.
Geography
The Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States, with a total length of 2,340 miles. It is the fourth longest river in the world, and it serves a variety of purposes – from providing a source of fresh drinking water, to serving as a major transportation corridor, to being a breeding ground for diverse wildlife.
The Mississippi River has its source in Lake Itasca, located in northern Minnesota, and it flows through ten different states before draining into the Gulf of Mexico. The states it passes through are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
The Mississippi River has an extensive distributary network. A distributary is an outlet of a river carrying water away from the mainstream or mother stream. In the case of the Mississippi River, its distributaries are the Missouri River and the Ohio River, both of which are major tributaries. In all, the Mississippi River has more than 1,250 distributaries.
The largest of the Mississippi’s distributaries is the Missouri River, which is approximately 315 miles long. It drains the center of the North American continent, starting in Montana and traveling east, then south, and finally emptying into the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The Ohio River, which is approximately 981 miles long, goes through four states – Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio, where it empties into the Mississippi River near Cairo, Illinois.
The New Madrid Fault Line
The New Madrid Fault Line is a major seismic zone in the Central United States. It extends from northeastern Arkansas, through southeastern Missouri, western Kentucky, and western Tennessee, and into the southern tip of Illinois. It is named after New Madrid, Missouri, which was hit by a series of powerful earthquakes in 1811 and 1812.
The earthquakes of 1811 to 1812 were so powerful that over 1,200 houses were destroyed in the region. They were so strong that church bells in Boston, Massachusetts rang, and the Mississippi River reportedly ran in reverse for a short time. The quake caused changes in the landscape and the formation of Reelfoot Lake in western Tennessee.
The New Madrid Fault line is still active today, and geologists estimate that it is capable of producing an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8.0. The area is at risk of yet more powerful earthquakes, as well as tsunamis, which have been known to result from earthquakes near large bodies of water.
Though the likelihood of another large earthquake near the New Madrid Fault line is small, scientists are closely monitoring the area. A better understanding of the area’s geology can help to mitigate some of the damage caused by a major earthquake.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Mississippi River is an incredible, storied river. It has provided an invaluable source of fresh water, transportation, and natural beauty for centuries. But one of its most fascinating stories is how it once, in 1812, flowed backwards, from south to north. The cause of this unusual event has been a source of much speculation, but the most likely explanation is a combination of seismic activity in the New Madrid Fault line and snowmelt runoff. Whatever the cause, the backwards flow of the Mississippi River was an incredible and historically significant phenomenon, and it continues to be a topic of both scientific interest and popular fascination.
