Located in the southern region of the United States, the Mississippi River is an iconic river for its beauty, length, and size. Spanning a total of 2,340 miles, the Mississippi River is the busiest river in the country. At its widest point, deeper than most sea levels and many times wider than any ocean, the Mississippi River is an impressive part of nature. Throughout its entirety, the Mississippi River can vary in width from a few hundred yards to more than 11 miles in certain areas. In terms of the river’s widest part, this is located in the northern region of Louisiana near the town of Angola.
Specifically, the widest point of the Mississippi River is located near Angola, Louisiana and Massena, Iowa and measures 11 miles across. This 11-mile width occurs as the river passes between some of the Midwest’s most prominent states: Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Minnesota. Throughout the length of this impressive span, the river itself consists of five arms, each of which is on average over 6 miles wide. As the Mississippi River runs further south, its widest point gradually decreases and eventually reaches a width of just over a half a mile near New Orleans.
In terms of the river’s depth and corresponding width, multiple factors determine how wide the Mississippi River is at any given location. Firstly, geomorphology is a primary inspiration for the variability of the river’s wide. The geological and land features of particular stretches of the river in terms of elevation and sediment content can contribute to the Mississippi’s width. Additionally, the amount of precipitation that enters the river, or hydrostatic pressure, also contributes to its width.
Other contributors to the River’s width are the plants and animals that inhabit the various parts of the River. The aquatic vegetation, comprised of mosses and algae, literally adds feet as they grow and stretch throughout the surface of the water. Likewise, the beavers, muskrats, and other aquatic mammals who inhabit the swamps add to the waters of the Mississippi, making it wider and more powerful.
Factors Contributing to Mississippi’s Flow
The Mississippi River’s flow is impacted by a number of hydrogeologic forces, or when water in a certain area accumulates and moves in one direction. These forces, which include gravity and friction, help determine the speed at which the water moves and the area it takes up. Grades, or the changes in the elevation of land at a certain point, can also have an impact on the river’s width. During any given stretch of the river, the water has to move downhill and downslopes, often taking up more space than when the current is moving on a flat surface.
In terms of the Mississippi River’s hydrogeologic forces, several processes are in play. One of these is the buildup of sediment, which makes the Mississippi River’s width larger. As rocks and other materials come down the river and become deposited, they are contributed to the river’s flow and expand its overall width. In the northern region of the river, the sediment and other materials tend to accumulate more rapidly than in the southern portion.
The regional processes of the Mississippi River also play a significant role. As the rivers cuts and curves through different states, a certain percentage of energy is lost to the banks, causing the river to expand and take up more water. This can add to the river’s width and increase the regional velocity of the Mississippi.
Impacts of Human Activity on Mississippi River’s Wideness
Human activities on the banks of the Mississippi River can also create a varying degree of impact on its wideness. Construction near the water’s edges can contaminate the soils and water tables, leading to excessive silt buildup. In addition, the runoff from cities can overload the Mississippi’s capacity, leading to overflow and the potential for flooding. The river’s capacity is limited to the amount of water that can be taken up within the banks, so excess human activity can have a seemingly destructive role.
Within its realm of influence, the Mississippi River is threatened by myriad factors. Agriculture, industrialization, and other urbanization processes have all contributed to the river’s decrease in width. Pesticides and toxic materials, often necessary byproducts of industrial processes, have polluted the waters, leading to an decreased wideness in some areas. Deforestation and other land-clearing practices have also taken away from the river’s ability to support vast regions of vegetation and aquatic life, which in turn affects its ability to absorb the natural flow of the current.
Mississippi River’s Wideness and its Influence on the Economy
The Mississippi River holds an important role in the United States’ economy. The river is responsible for the transport of iconic products, including agricultural goods, minerals, and petroleum. It is also essential for commerce, as barge operators, shippers and other modes of transport utilize the river for commercial operations. Internationally, the Mississippi River serves as a major shipping lane for goods entering or exiting the United States.
Given its immense economic importance, the Mississippi River’s wideness has a direct impact on the architecture and route of its vessels. When determining the route, delivery companies must consider the wideness of the waterway, as the width can play a role in the size and type of cargo that can fit through. Of course, the river’s changing widths require constant adjustments by captains and crews to ensure the safe passage of their vessels.
Environmental Considerations of Mississippi’s Wideness
In addition to its economic importance, the Mississippi River provides numerous ecological benefits. The river is home to an estimated 800 species of fish, as well as numerous reptiles, amphibians, and aquatic birds and mammals. This variety of life is directly impacted by the river’s wideness, as the width helps to support the sustenance of the species.
Though the river’s width has historically been credited with providing a diverse assortment of biodiversity, human activity has threatened this wideness. Pollution, over-fishing, and other human-based activities have killed off fish populations and stem the amount of water-based plants. As a result, the wideness of the Mississippi River has been challenged.
One of the best ways to improve the wideness of the Mississippi River is to invest in environmental conservation efforts. This may include restoring degraded ecosystems and replenishing fish stocks, as well as limiting urban runoff. Limiting activities such as overfishing and the use of certain pesticides and herbicides near the banks of the river can also help protect the ecosystem by allowing more vegetation and life to thrive.
Changing Conditions of Mississippi River’s Wideness
Due to its length and imposing size, the Mississippi River is constantly changing and shifting. This is especially true in regards to the river’s wideness, which is impacted by a variety of environmental and geological conditions. Though the widest point of the Mississippi River historically occurs near Angola, Louisiana and Massena, Iowa, the width of the river is subject to fluctuations and a variety of other factors that walk in synchrony with the ecosystem surrounding it.
The Mississippi River is an incredible force of nature with a strong influence on the United States’ economy, wildlife and international relations. With its impressive width, the Mississippi River serves as a conduit between different regions, supporting the nation’s economy and the diverse array of organisms that inhabit its waters.
Role of Estuaries in Wideness of Mississippi River
The wideness of the Mississippi River owes much to estuaries, or areas where rivers meet the sea, which can increase the breadth over multiple interconnected arms. Estuaries are important components of the water cycle, as they provide a wide and interconnected network of waterways across the Mississippi Valley. As these areas tend to be nutrient-rich and teeming with life, they help to increase the velocity of the river and introduce a variety of species.
Estuarine ecosystems are also essential for maintaining the overall health of the Mississippi River. By providing a diverse habitat for a variety of plants, animals and macroinvertebrates, estuaries play a significant role in the biodiversity of the Mississippi. In turn, this contributes to the strength and endurance of the river, essentially making it a larger and more powerful body of water.
Despite the importance of estuaries, the Mississippi River’s ecosystem has experienced a notable decline in recent years. Estuaries have become polluted due to commercial and industrial activities, leading to a decrease in the overall wideness of the river. To help mitigate the accumulating pollution, the federal government has developed the Mississippi River Basin Conservation Program, which works to conserve, restore and protect these valuable waterways.
Mississippi River’s Uniqueness and Wideness
The Mississippi River holds its own unique distinction, as its length and width make it the fourth largest river in the world. This immense wideness has allowed the river to not only become a major shipping artery for agriculture and other goods, but provides a place for rich wildlife to flourish. Moreover, the river’s immensity has drawn attention from around the world and helped to build a global understanding of its importance.
Much of the Mississippi River’s wideness comes from its estuarine environment, as its numerous arms are fed by the influx of minerals and nutrients from estuaries. Despite the presence of pollution from human activity and the effects of climate change, the wideness of the Mississippi River will remain for years to come. In addition to its effects on the regional economy, the river’s wideness is also a testament to its natural beauty and its integral role in the lives of its inhabitants.
As the Mississippi River continues its formidable journey through North America, it is important to recognize the integral role its wideness has in sustaining the environment and helping to drive the economy. Its immense size is a testament to the importance of respecting and preserving our natural resources to promote a healthy, vibrant ecosystem that will benefit generations to come.
