Originating from the combination of two small rivers in the state of Minnesota, the Mississippi River acquires its name from the Ojibwe Indian origin that means “Gathering of Waters” or “Big River”. It is the second longest river in North America, behind the Missouri River and home to bountiful species of wildlife.
Most of the time, the Mississippi River runs as one single river moving southward, but its drainage basin is relatively large and widespread. In fact, the river’s course takes it through 31 states, cutting across the country from the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, through the Great Plains and Midwestern states, and all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.
From its birthplace at Lake Itasca—the deepest lake in the Midwest—the Mississippi River winds more than 2,300 miles, until ending its earthly journey near the Port Eads where it instills itself into the mighty wall of the Gulf.
Along its way, the Mississippi River traverses swamps, bayous, prairies, oxbow lakes, meanders, wetlands, and provides beauty and recreation for thousands of people who live in the city or rural areas, who are living in its boundaries or near it.
The long-term existence of the Mississippi River is undeniable, but its state of health is of significant concern. In line with this, experts claim that the river is heavily damaged, due to the massive pressure it is put under to supply drinking water, irrigation, and all types of industries.
Moreover, human interference is said to be the main reason behind the challenges this powerful river is facing nowadays. People have imposed dams, waste streams, heavy urban growth, and multiple pollutions. All of which directly affect the overall health of the river, plus its inhabitants and fauna.
Preserving the status of the Mississippi will require plenty of strategy, coordination and collaboration between authorities, businesses, and the public. As a first step, many efforts of conservation and regeneration can be done on the local level, such as waste disposal systems, new pollution-controlling technologies and more awareness programmes.
Freedom from Pollution
If the desired balance comes to light, then life for the countless species in the Mississippi can proceed in a much healthier environment. At the same time, human interference and pollutants must be lowered to the minimum. In this sense, regular water testing would be immensely helpful.
This could only be achieved if every government that is affected by the river, takes its own actions. This might mean that dams will be limited, cities will restructure their industries, and the public will learn how to manage the waste they generate.
Certainly, it is a hard task, but the long-term results are worth the short-term headaches. After all, it is the planet’s greatest river and looking after it, is in the hands of both scientists and the people.
The Importance of Education
Education is a crucial part of this mission. Ensuring that every single citizen is aware of the consequences of misusing the river, is one of the steps that can lead to its protection. Downplaying the threat that entrepreneurs and consumers bring to the environment, is no different that accessing a drive-in movie, without understanding its narrative.
Consequently, universities, schools, and non-profit organizations are introducing new programmes, researches, and education tools to explain the problems behind this river’s health.
This doesn’t mean that all users have to be aquatic ecologists, although this would be optimal. However, understanding the basics on how nature is affected by human activity, is a great start.
You don’t necessarily have to take on a tree-hugging mindset either. It is just about making sure that the next generations of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs that come after us, will be able to treasure a considerably healthier river.
Views from the Sky
One of the most powerful ways to understand the magnitude of what lies in front of us, is to see it from a new perspective. Drone technology, for instance, can provide amazing visuals of the Mississippi River, from afar.
These oversights can be used to monitor and protect the water, through which so much life like fish and wetlands have flourished for centuries. Seeing vast areas of the basin, gives an incredible insight into the sheer size and importance of this river.
Also, they can be used to register trends on land management, urban expansion, and other potential threats that can put the river’s health in danger. It is a simple, yet excellent tool that can send useful data back to our homes and offices.
The Magnificent Mississippi
The mighty Mississippi will forever remain in our hearts for its wealth, its lushness, and everything that it represents for our society. It can be looked at a giant gardener, whose sole purpose is to feed and nurture millions of people and creatures across the nation.
This river has become an integral part of American life and its importance cannot be overstated. Therefore, it is our responsibility to keep it strong and pristine for the generations to come as it consistently provides invaluable resources for life and livelihood for so many people and species.
A Unified Cause
The examination of the Mississippi River’s current state, is one of the items of a much larger agenda. Protecting other rivers across the world, is only possible through cooperation, knowledge and proper understanding of the issues at stake.
In that sense, sharing resources and plans with partners, and cooperating whenever possible, is the best way to deliver satisfactory results. It is a firm belief of all the people that have studied this river, that understanding the magnitude of its amazing potential, is the only way to save it.
The Vibrant Life along the River
From fishermen, to farmers, and everyday citizens, many people in different states that the river passes through, rely completely on the life which is given by the river and the wetlands. Without this dependency, a great number of those people located in small cities and towns would not exist.
Moreover, wild species depend on the wetlands for survival, making the whole ecosystem incomparable. This means that both the urban and rural areas located near the Mississippi River become invaluable to the nation as a whole and also in terms of its invaluable benefits.
Preserving the life in these wetlands is synonym to maintaining a stable and thriving environment in all the states near the river. It is, however, a shared concept that more efforts must be done to protect the wetlands and its inhabitants.
Bringing the Perfect Balance
The bond between the people living near and fishing in the Mississippi River and its stem is undeniably strong. It is a relationship that must be nurtured, if the river is to remain healthy.
However, people, officials, and the outdoors enthusiasts must understand that any form of immediate gratification of the fisheries, would in the long run only cause damages to the river’s life and ultimately to the fisheries themselves.
As with any delicate eco-system, finding the perfect equilibrium between human activities and wildlife elevation is the only way to protect the maligned Mississippi, with all of our hearts.
