Formation
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river in the United States, draining an immense area of more than 1.2 million square miles. It rises in two branches in western Minnesota and flows southwards for 2,320 miles before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. It is one of the oldest rivers in the world – geological evidence indicates that it formed over 3,700 million years ago. Its name comes from the Chippewa Native American word ‘misi-ziibi,’ which translates as ‘Great River.’
Tributaries
The Mississippi River is made up of numerous different tributaries. Its furthest source is at Lake Itasca, where two smaller brooks, About and Lake Alfred, join together. Other major tributaries include the Missouri, Ohio, St. Croix and White Rivers. Each of these rivers is fed by its own tributary network, allowing the Mississippi to draw from an even larger area of land.
Features
The Mississippi River is often cited as one of the mightiest and most influential waterways in the United States. Hundreds of locks, dams and levees line its course, creating a system of artificial rivers, lakes and channels. These are used by thousands of recreational vessels, barges and commercial boat traffic, making the river one of the busiest in the world.
Additionally, the Mississippi River has been nationally and internationally important in terms of trade and commerce, navigational safety and geological research. For example, the World’s Fair in St. Louis of 1904 was organized along the river, utilizing its deepest inland port.
Management
The Mississippi River has a complex management system. It is overseen by the US Army Corps of Engineer’s Mississippi Valley Division, which controls and guides the constant collection and adjustment of water levels. Additionally, the US Army Corps of Engineer’s Vicksburg District manages some of the levees and tributaries along the river.
Environment
Due to its large size, the Mississippi River drains some of the most populous centers in the United States, including Chicago and St. Louis. This affects the quality of water, with agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge and soil erosion leading to high levels of pollution and contamination.
The river’s large-scale pollution is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which released the following report: ‘Between 2014 and 2017, the Mississippi River basin received an average of over 6 billion pounds of nitrogen pollution annually.’
Flooding
The Mississippi River is also prone to severe flooding, with one of the worst being the Great Flood of 1927. This lasted for six months, causing property damage in more than 13 million acres of land and more than $400 million in damages.
Additionally, the Mississippi River Delta is in danger of continuous erosion due to rising sea levels and its lack of sediment. This has resulted in the loss of 7000 acres of land each year, with some estimates claiming that the delta could be completely gone by 2100.
Where is the Beginning and End of the Mississippi River?
The beginning of the Mississippi River is at Lake Itasca, located in northern Minnesota. The total length of the river is approximately 2,320 miles, with the end being approximately 90 miles south of New Orleans, where the river empties into the Gulf of Mexico.
Human Interference
Human interference has been an ever-present force in the life of the Mississippi River. Due to farming in the Midwestern states and the construction of levees and dams, the riverbed has been altered and disrupted, leading to the concentration of pollutants and silt. This has caused a decline in amphibian populations, affecting the whole food chain of the river and its associated ecosystems.
Conclusion
The Mississippi River is essential to the health of an immense number of people, animals, plants and ecosystems in the United States. Its rich history, remains and sites of human interference have created a river of huge significance for generations to come. With the rise of climate change, it is important to develop and maintain sustainable strategies for the long-term conservation of the Mississippi River.
