This article will discuss and provide information about the Mississippi River and its direction of flow, touching on the history, hydrology and geographical features of the river for an educational and engaging experience.
History and Geography
The famous Mississippi River is the world’s fourth-largest river system and is approximately 2,330 miles (3,734 km) in length, stretching across nearly a dozen U.S. states from northern Minnesota to Louisiana on the Gulf of Mexico. Its main source is Lake Itasca in northwestern Minnesota, and it flows all the way through 10 states – Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana – before reaching the ocean.
The river is historically significant due to its connection to the early exploration and settlement of North America by Europeans, as well as its role in the agricultural, industrial and transportation development of the northern United States. In the 20th century, the Mississippi River was one of the longest waterways in the world, carrying more cargo than any other U.S. river.
Flow Direction
The Mississippi River flows mainly southward in its lower reaches, coursing from north to south from Minnesota to Louisiana. This is due to the geological characteristics of the landscape and terrain through which the river passes. It visits several different terrains, beginning in rolling hills and highlands in Minnesota, then flowing through rugged highlands in Wisconsin, further south through flat, low plains in Illinois and Iowa, and then through the Missouri Bootheel and the Mississippi Lowlands before reaching the Delta near New Orleans.
The large landforms of the Midwestern and Southeastern United States have an influence on the direction of the Mississippi River. The gradual slope of the land towards the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico influences its flow direction. The shallow depth and rapids of the water in the upper part of the river give it some resistance, causing it to flow more slowly in the lower part as it takes advantage of the more gently sloping terrain.
Hydrology
The Mississippi River is arguably the world’s most important large river, with water levels in the river playing a key role in the commercial, environmental, and ecological aspects of the region. Rising and falling of the Mississippi River’s levels and currents are controlled by periodic floods, tributaries, and a system of locks and dams and levees that are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Flooding is a continual threat to cities, towns and farms along the Mississippi River and is caused by heavy rains and snow melt that occur over the upper basin of the river. The Army Corps of Engineers uses a series of locks and dams and levees to help manage and reduce flooding of the river by regulating fluctuations in the water level.
Environmental Impact
The flow of the Mississippi River has been altered by humans over the years to control flooding, accommodate the shipping industry, and alter the landscape for agriculture, among other uses. As a result, the artificial flow has altered the ecology of the river by changing the path of the water, leading to erosion and sedimentation in some parts, and the destruction of old sandbars and navigation channels in others.
The construction of dams and levees has also changed the distribution of nutrients and oxygen in the river, leading to decreased biodiversity, as well as changes in species composition and abundance. In addition, the disruption of natural flow patterns has decreased the habitat of aquatic species and fragile ecosystems, resulting in a decline of various species, such as fish, reptiles, and amphibians that rely on the Mississippi River’s open-water habitats for survival.
Conclusion
The Mississippi River plays an important role in a number of environmental, commercial, and agricultural activities across the United States. It flows southward from Minnesota to Louisiana, and its hydrology, geography, and environmental impact are all determined by the flow of the river and the artificial management of its levels and velocities. In understanding the Mississippi River, it is important to be aware of its historical significance as well as the potential and present consequences of its alteration by humans.
