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Jul 24, 1998 · Mississippi River, the longest river of North America, draining with its major tributaries an area of approximately 1.2 million square miles (3.1 million square km), or about one-eighth of the entire continent. The Mississippi River lies entirely within the United States.
- Missouri River
Missouri River, longest tributary of the Mississippi River...
- Lake Itasca
Lake Itasca, lake regarded as the main source of the...
- History and Economy
Mississippi River - Exploration, Trade, Navigation: As its...
- Mississippi River Summary
Mississippi River, River, central U.S.It rises at Lake...
- Plant and Animal Life
Mississippi River - Wildlife, Ecosystems, Habitats: Although...
- Physical Features
Average monthly precipitation in winter ranges from 5 inches...
- Modern Commercial Activity
Mississippi River - Trade, Navigation, Shipping: World War I...
- Jefferson
Jefferson River, river, most westerly of the Missouri...
- Cairo
Cairo and the Bank of Cairo were chartered in 1818, when...
- Missouri River
The Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles (160 km) downstream from New Orleans. Measurements of the length of the Mississippi from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico vary somewhat, but the United States Geological Survey's number is 2,340 miles (3,766 km).
- Length
- Width
- Speed
- Volume
- Watershed Size
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The Mississippi River is the second longest river in North America, flowing 2,350 miles from its source at Lake Itasca through the center of the continental United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The Missouri River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, is about 100 miles longer. Some describe the Mississippi River as being the third longest river sy...
At Lake Itasca, the river is between 20 and 30 feet wide, the narrowest stretch for its entire length. The widest part of the Mississippi can be found at Lake Winnibigoshish near Bena, MN, where it is wider than 11 miles. The widest navigable section in the shipping channel of the Mississippi is Lake Pepin, where the channel is approximately 2 mile...
At the headwaters of the Mississippi, the average surface speed of the water is about 1.2 miles per hour - roughly one-half as fast as people walk. At New Orleans the river flows at about three miles per hour. But the speed changes as water levels rise or fall and where the river widens, narrows, becomes more shallow or some combination of these fa...
Another way to measure the size of a river is by the amount of water it discharges. Using this measure the Mississippi River is the 15th largest river in the world discharging 16,792 cubic meters (593,003 cubic feet) of water per second into the Gulf of Mexico. The biggest river by discharge volume is the Amazon at an impressive 209,000 cubic meter...
Some like to measure the size of a river is by the size of its watershed, which is the area drained by a river and its tributaries. The Mississippi River drains an area of about 3.2 million square kilometers (1.2 million square miles) including all or parts of 32 states and two Canadian provinces, about 40% of the continental United States. The Mis...
Learn about the dimensions and features of the Mississippi River, the second longest river in North America. Find out how long, wide, fast and deep the river is, and how much water it discharges and drains.
Learn about the second-longest river in North America, which starts at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and ends at the Gulf of Mexico. Find out how wide, deep and fast the river is at different points along its course.
Apr 15, 2021 · The Mississippi River is the second longest river in North America, measuring 2320 miles from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. It has a rich history, diverse ecosystems, and is a major commercial waterway.
Dec 21, 2023 · According to the US Geological Survey, the length of the river including its source to its mouth is 2,320 miles, while the Army Corps of Engineers measurement places the length at 2,340 miles. Both measurements are taken from the most recent aerial surveys.
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Jul 24, 1998 · Average monthly precipitation in winter ranges from 5 inches (130 mm) or more in the south to more than 3 inches (75 mm) over much of the Ohio River basin to less than 1 inch (25 mm) over the western and northern Great Plains.
