{"id":9858,"date":"2023-11-30T10:05:10","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T09:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=9858"},"modified":"2023-11-30T10:05:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T09:05:10","slug":"does-the-mississippi-river-flow-into-lake-superior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/does-the-mississippi-river-flow-into-lake-superior\/","title":{"rendered":"Does The Mississippi River Flow Into Lake Superior"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Background Information<\/h2>\n

The Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States and the fourth longest on the entire North American continent. It is the most important river in the United States, located in the heart of the country, and has played a crucial role in the economic and cultural development of the states along its banks. It is said that without the Mississippi River, the United States as it is known today would have been very different and much more difficult to develop. The Mississippi River watershed covers much of the United States, as well as parts of Canada and Mexico.<\/p>\n

The Mississippi River is a major tributary of the Missouri River, which is the longest river in the United States. The Mississippi begins its journey at Lake Itasca in Minnesota, and then flows south until it meets the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans, Louisiana. Along the way, it meets with many other rivers, streams, and lakes, and passes through ten states. The river has two main branches, the Upper Mississippi and the Lower Mississippi. The Upper Mississippi starts in Wisconsin, and follows a roughly northwest-southeast path, while the Lower Mississippi begins in Missouri and follows a more southerly course.<\/p>\n

Does The Mississippi River Flow into Lake Superior?<\/h2>\n

The short answer to the question is no, the Mississippi River does not flow into Lake Superior. The Lake Superior has its own drainage river, the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which runs into the Great Lakes. Despite being close to one another, Lake Superior and the Mississippi are separate bodies of water. The Mississippi River and Saint Lawrence rivers have very different watersheds, and in order for the Mississippi to flow into Lake Superior, the watersheds would have to be connected.<\/p>\n

The Mississippi River runs through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana and flows into the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans. Although, the Mississippi River does not flow into Lake Superior, the two rivers do share commonalities. Both rivers are part of the wider Great Lakes watershed. In addition, both rivers were used extensively by American settlers to explore, settle and develop much of the central United States.<\/p>\n

Economic Impact<\/h2>\n