The Mississippi River is one of the longest rivers in the world, stretching from Montana to the Gulf of Mexico. It’s well-known for many things, but one of the most interesting facts about this particular river is how much water is used to flow through it. While this river has been a major source of life-giving water throughout history, it’s also been a source of controversy regarding the amount of water that is being diverted away from the natural flow.
The flow of the Mississippi River is a delicate balance, with a few of the major points of diversion including the Mississippi Headwaters, the 12 locks along the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, and the St. Anthony Falls. This control system was put in place in the late 19th century to help control flooding, maintain navigable waterways, and generate hydropower from the river’s flow.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the Mississippi River is estimated to have a flow rate of 2,360 cubic meters per second. While this rate may seem impressive, it’s important to note that this is only a fraction of the amount of water that is actually used. In fact, more than 25 trillion gallons of water are diverted away from the Mississippi and into various other uses each year.
One of the biggest sources of this diverted water is agriculture. The majority of the agriculture in the Mississippi watershed relies heavily on irrigated water, which is derived from the surplus of the river’s flow. This irrigation is used to grow crops such as corn, soybeans, and cotton, as well as to provide water for animal husbandry. In addition, a significant amount of water is used by the industrial sector, primarily for cooling power plants that are located along the river.
A large portion of the diverted water is also used for municipal purposes. Water from the Mississippi is used to meet the needs of communities from cities as far south as New Orleans, as well as smaller communities such as Vicksburg, Louisiana, and numerous other small towns along the river.
It is clear that the Mississippi River is an important source of water for many purposes, and its use is continuing to grow. Unfortunately, this can have one major downside that is leading to the overuse of the river’s water resources. As the water demand increases, the river has become a victim of its own success. This has caused the flow rate of the river to decrease, resulting in lower water levels that can be detrimental to aquatic life and the environment.
Overall, the amount of water that is used in the Mississippi River is difficult to estimate as there are so many different sources of diverted water. That being said, it is clear that a large majority of this water is being used for agricultural, industrial, and municipal purposes. In order to ensure that this vital resource remains healthy and sustainable, it’s important to continue monitoring the river’s flow rate and work to conserve its water resources.
Water Rights
Water rights are an integral part of the discussion regarding how much water is taken from the Mississippi River. In the United States, the right to use water is based on two primary principles: riparian rights and prior appropriation. Riparian rights give landowners the right to use the water that flows by or through their property. On the other hand, prior appropriation rights are more strict and allow only those with the proper permit or water rights to use the water.
In the Mississippi watershed, a great deal of the water is taken by those with prior appropriation rights, in other words people who have the proper legal paperwork to use the river’s water. This has created a quandary in the watershed where different states, tribes, and water users are constantly in a battle over who
