{"id":12335,"date":"2023-12-02T13:50:12","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T12:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=12335"},"modified":"2023-12-02T13:50:12","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T12:50:12","slug":"is-the-mississippi-river-in-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/is-the-mississippi-river-in-virginia\/","title":{"rendered":"Is The Mississippi River In Virginia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Since time immemorial, the mighty Mississippi River has been a source of wonder and captivation. From the memoirs of Mark Twain, to the popular music from the likes of Jimmy Buffet and others, the Mississippi River has been a central character in American life. But despite its reputation as a major waterway and feature of much American folklore, many would be surprised to discover that the Mississippi River does not, in fact, flow through or pass through the state of Virginia. <\/p>\n

This can come as a surprise to many, who may be under the impression that the Mississippi River passes through Virginia from its headwaters in Minnesota. But the truth is that the state of Virginia is far to the east of the mighty Mississippi River, which flows instead through a variety of states to its mouth in Louisiana at the Gulf of Mexico. This means that while Virginia may have an impressive number of rivers of its own, the Mississippi is not one of them. <\/p>\n

The fact that the Mississippi River does not pass through Virginia is due in large part to its enormous size and length. The mighty Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States, and reaches a length of more than 2,320 miles when one includes the Missouri River, which is a tributary of the Mississippi. This enormous body of water flows entirely to the west of Virginia’s borders, and instead passes through cities such as St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans. While the Mississippi River does not pass through Virginia, the state is still home to an impressive variety of rivers and other bodies of water, including the James, Potomac and Appomattox rivers. <\/p>\n

The fact that the Mississippi River does not pass through Virginia has given the state an extra layer of protection from the potential dangers of a flooding river. Over the years, the Mississippi River has been known to cause considerable damage to communities due to its propensity for flooding, but Virginia is safe from that particular risk due to its location so far east of the river. With a lack of development and fewer built-up areas near the state’s coast, Virginia is largely safe from the kinds of coastal erosion and flooding that are experienced in other parts of the country.<\/p>\n

Mississippi’s Role in America’s Biggest Waterway Systems<\/h2>\n