{"id":10313,"date":"2024-03-02T10:45:11","date_gmt":"2024-03-02T09:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=10313"},"modified":"2024-03-02T10:45:11","modified_gmt":"2024-03-02T09:45:11","slug":"does-the-ohio-river-meet-the-mississippi-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/does-the-ohio-river-meet-the-mississippi-river\/","title":{"rendered":"Does The Ohio River Meet The Mississippi River"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Ohio River is one of the most important and iconic waterways in the United States, and has been a defining factor in the development of the region since its earliest settlements. But does the Ohio River meet the Mississippi River? The short answer is yes, but the mechanics of how and why it does are a bit more complex.<\/p>\n

At its source, the Ohio River starts at the union of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers in western Pennsylvania before flowing northwest and building up in size as other rivers come into its path. It eventually turns southward and then southwest and meanders across the states of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. At Cairo, Illinois it then meets up with the Mississippi River.<\/p>\n

For centuries the Ohio River has been an important natural resource for the central United States, and continues to be vital today. It provides an important transportation route for goods, providing access to the Gulf of Mexico and other ports. It is also a feeder system for the Mississippi River and its many tributaries, and serves as a major destination for recreational activities such as fishing and boating.<\/p>\n

The Ohio River is one of the most vital ecologically diverse watersheds in the United States, and is home to an incredible variety of fish, birds, plants and other wildlife. It is also a major source of drinking water for many communities along its path and provides a critical source of employment for the region.<\/p>\n