The largest tributary of the Mississippi. Mississippi (river): description, characteristics and tributaries of one of the greatest rivers in the world

The Mississippi is called a great river, and it deserves this name: water flows into it from almost a third of the United States. Translated from the Indian name Mississippi means “father of waters.”

The source of the Mississippi is located in the northern United States, in the flat terrain of Minnesota. The river flows through the plain, and in its lower course - along the Mississippi Lowland from north to south and flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

The river mouth is huge delta, consisting of six sleeves. The length of the river is 3950 km, together with the Missouri tributary - 6420 km. The area of ​​the basin is 3268 thousand km2. The river has food mixed type. The annual flow is 600 km3.

When looking at a map, the Mississippi, along with all its tributaries, resembles a huge spreading tree. The largest right tributaries of the Mississippi are the Red River, Missouri, and Arkansas. Among the left tributaries is the Ohio. The Missouri and Mississippi meet at the city of St. Louis, but the more polluted tributary of the great river does not mix with the clear blue waters of the Mississippi for some time. For almost 25 miles below St. Louis, you can see the dirty yellow flow of the Missouri River with branches floating in it. Then the river waters mix and become equally muddy, and even further downstream, in the area of ​​​​the city of Queiro, they flow into the Mississippi clear waters Ohio rivers, which also do not immediately mix with the Mississippi.

Mississippi Basin

In the past, it was in the Queiro area that the Mississippi flowed into the Gulf of Mexico, which extended much further north than it does today. But the waters of the Mississippi have carried with them for centuries debris and particles rocks. Gradually, the northern part of the bay was covered with river drifts. Thus, the river itself formed the territory through which it moves now. It meanders a lot, and it happens that short time the bends sharply increase or, conversely, straighten. In this regard, the length of the river is constantly changing, and different sources may indicate different figures. The data presented in this book was taken from the Small Atlas of the World, published in 1987.

Before the exploration of North America by Europeans, dense forests grew along the banks of the upper reaches of the Mississippi, and prairies stretched along the lower reaches. But now most of the forests have been cut down and the prairies are plowed up. The more changes were made to nature, the less water remained in the river and the more often unexpected floods occurred.

In the past, the Mississippi flooded especially widely during high water, flooding coastal cities and numerous islands.

Today, floods are rare because high earthen dams are built along the banks and the width of the river flow has narrowed to 1–3 km. And yet, occasionally the water in the river rises above the dams and floods the surrounding area, causing great damage to the population of coastal cities.

In the lower reaches of the river, warm southerly winds from the Gulf of Mexico often blow. Meeting the cold northern air moving from the North Arctic Ocean, they turn out to be the cause of heavy rains and, as a result, regular floods. For example, from 1940 to 1950, the Mississippi Basin experienced 100 floods. Five floods were catastrophic and caused enormous damage. In this regard, in addition to dams in the upper reaches of the river (up to the point where the Missouri flows into it), locks were built, thanks to which it is possible to regulate the water level in the river.

The Mississippi is an important transportation route for the country. It is connected by canals to the Great Lakes. Thanks to the locks, even large ships can ascend to the upper reaches of the river, pass into the Great Lakes system and descend along the Hudson to New York. Thus, the river is the main waterway connecting the northern and southern states.

Historically, Mississippi has been considered main river, and the Missouri is its tributary. However, its length is quite large and amounts to 4740 km. Missouri increases the length of the Mississippi by as much as 2,470 km.

The Missouri, like the Mississippi, flows through the United States; it is the largest water stream flowing across the Great Plains. Because of the color of the water in the river, the Americans called it Big Muddy, which translated from English means “big muddy.”

The Missouri is formed by the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gadlatin branches, which originate on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and connect in the state of Montana at an altitude of 4182 m above sea level near the city of Gallatin City. The source of the Madison is located at an altitude of 8301 m above sea level.

From Gallatin City, the Missouri flows north through mountainous terrain. The width of its valley ranges from 30 to 40 km, and high mountain ranges rise along the edges. Near the city of Helena, the river flows through a deep and narrow gorge about 9 km long. This canyon was called the "Gateway of the Rockies." Approximately 650 km from the junction of the three branches, the waters of the Missouri fall from a height of 357 m, forming a beautiful waterfall.

At its confluence with the Cheyenne River, the Missouri turns southeast and flows to the Nebraska border, absorbs the waters of several more tributaries and finally connects with the Mississippi. Throughout this entire distance, the river erodes the banks and carries with it a mass of silt, which ends up in the Mississippi, making it even dirtier.

Total area The Missouri basin is 1370 thousand km2, the average water flow reaches 2600 m3/sec. The main left tributary of the river is the Milk, with Yellowstone, Platte and Kansas flowing into it from the right. Other tributaries include the Dakota, or James, Niobra, Little Missouri, Osage and Grand.

The Missouri is a low-water river. In the Great Plains, its flow does not exceed 19–25 km3. At the same time, there is a large number of suspended particles in the water. Despite this, it is in this area that the demand for water is quite high: it is used both for industrial purposes and for irrigation.

In spring, floods often occur on the river. Sometimes the waters rise 10 and even 12 m and flood the surrounding area. Reservoirs and a system of sluices were built in the upper reaches of the river to help control the water level. Two hydroelectric power stations were also built on the river. The Missouri is navigable all the way from Sioux City to its confluence with the Mississippi.

| | Mississippi River

The pride of the USA is the Mississippi River. This is one of the longest and deep rivers peace. It flows from north to south and divides the country into two unequal parts. The trap is much larger than the eastern one. The mighty water stream crosses 10 states.
The boundaries of these administrative entities run along the middle of the river. For example, the lands of the state of Iowa stretch along the right bank, and the state of Illinois along the left. So, having crossed the river, you can find yourself on a land where completely different laws apply.

Famous river The Mississippi is a winding “snake” across the entire continent of North America. A symbol of the old American South, the cradle of jazz, the mighty river of the United States is firmly established in fiction and folk music, broke all records for floods and the number of dams. She - national pride and a national disaster at the same time.
Translated from the Ojibwe Indian language, misi-ziibi means “great river.”

The length of the Mississippi River is 2320 miles, which corresponds to 3734 km. This is the 10th largest river in the world among all the great rivers. But the river system of the Mississippi River (the river itself, plus its tributaries) is 6275 km, which corresponds to 4th place in the world after the Amazon, Nile and Yangtze.

The Mississippi River begins its journey across the North American continent from Lake Itasca. It is characterized by very clean and clear water.

The mighty river ends its journey in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This western part Atlantic. Mississippi crosses the states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana. The Mississippi River system, that is, the river itself and all its tributaries, covers 31 states.

In the upper reaches of the river (Minnesota) there are rapids, riffles and waterfalls. The largest waterfall is located near the city of St. Paul. It is called Saint Anthony, and the height of the water drop reaches 15 meters.

Further, the river path is more gentle. The banks are high cliffs hanging over the water surface. The further you go south, the lower the height of the cliffs. In Illinois, they no longer make the right impression. This relief contrasts with the Lower Mississippi, where the banks are mostly flat.

The width of the water flow gradually increases. In some places the distance from coast to coast is 2-2.2 km. Near New Orleans, the width of the river reaches 2.5 km. At its confluence with the Gulf of Mexico, the great river forms a delta. It reaches 300 km in width and 320 km in length.

The Mississippi River basin occupies a huge area and covers 40% of the United States. Large riverboats travel along the river as far as St. Louis. The Americans themselves are very proud of the mighty stream, majestically carrying its waters into the Atlantic.

In the works of famous American writers, many storylines develop precisely on this river. More than any other famous name, the name of Mark Twain is associated with Mississippi. The tireless Samuel Clemens became a pilot on the river, and the river became one of Mark Twain's main characters.
He also called the river "the world's first deceiver." The river received this name due to its wayward flow. In the lower reaches, closer to the mouth, the river winds across the plain as it pleases. In just one spring, it can become either shorter or longer, changing its course, and with it the fates of the people who dared to settle on its troubled shores.

In the Mississippi River Valley you can find unique alligators and equally unique turtles. Flamingos, ibises and pelicans live in huge flocks near the water. In the green splendor of the Great River Basin, millions of miniature hummingbirds have found shelter and food.

Text Stanislav Lopatin

The Mississippi River is one of the most famous rivers, which the United States is rightfully proud of. In the Ojibwe language, misi-ziibi means "great river."

Despite such a trivial name, it fully reveals the characteristics of the river, because the Mississippi is the main artery of the largest river system in North America. It is in fourth place in length and ninth in fullness among all the rivers in the world.

History of the river

The Mississippi region was already inhabited 9,000 years ago. For a long time the river was used by the Indians for fishing, but after crossing it in 1541 Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto, everything has changed.

The first explorers of the Mississippi can be considered Louis Juliette and Jacques Marquette, who began studying the river in 1673. Europeans began to arrive on the banks of the Mississippi, and soon the river became the main transport route.

River on the map

The Mississippi is entirely located in the United States, but its basin also extends to Canada. The river flows through 10 states and is part of the borders of 31.

Characteristics of the Mississippi River

• The total area of ​​the basin is about 2,981,000 km2.
• The length of the river is 3770 km, and if you take into account Missouri, then 6420 km
• The climate in the north is continental, in the south it is subtropical

The river is divided into three parts: the upper, middle and lower Mississippi. The Upper Mississippi flows through many lakes and swamps, forming interlake waterfalls, the largest of which is St. Anthony. In the middle part, the Mississippi carries relatively little water, so its lower part is considered the most full. The mouth of the Lower Mississippi reaches a width of 2,400 km near New Orleans, and this part of the river never freezes.

The Mississippi ranks tenth in depth among all the rivers in the world. Its depth reaches 60 meters, which allows the United States to carry out cargo transportation and shipping. This river was one of the first along which steamships began to sail. The first steamboat traveled the river all the way from Ohio to New Orleans in 1860. Since transporting goods by water is less expensive, the river is the most important transport route in North America. The same reason made it possible to accelerate the industrial development of the Great Lakes region.

Due to the fact that the US goes through almost everything climatic zones, the river’s feeding regime varies in different parts of it, but is considered mixed, predominantly snow-rain. The right tributaries have their sources in the mountains, so when the snow melts they bring meltwater. The left tributaries have a rain-fed regime. Often during periods of heavy rainfall in Ohio, severe flooding occurs due to water overflowing the banks of the middle and lower Mississippi.

Flora and fauna

In general, the flora and fauna of the Mississippi is no different from most freshwater rivers. However, the river is home to some animals that are not found anywhere else. The river is famous for its fish, which are direct descendants of dinosaurs and have lived here for thousands of years.

Mississippi River nature photo

Paddlefish – freshwater fish, living only in the Mississippi and some of its tributaries. When the water level in the river rises, paddlefish migrate to lakes and then return back. The maximum recorded mass of a paddlefish is 91 kg, and its length is 221 cm. The fish feeds on detritus and plankton, filtering them through the gill bristles.

In the United States, paddlefish have little commercial importance, but their caviar and meat are highly valued. This type can reach 130 cm in length and weight up to 4 kg.

The shovelnose lives in most rivers in North America. The shovelnose feeds on small fish and aerial insects. Amiya is one of the species of relict fish; the oldest specimens were found in the form of fossils and are more than 89 million years old. Adults reach 90 cm in length and feed on everything they can catch and digest.

paddlefish photo

Amiya is of no commercial value, since its meat is tough and difficult to prepare. The Mississippi snapping turtles are subject to aggressive pollution, with about 30 million cubic meters per year being discharged into the river? waste water. Therefore, the diversity of species living there is noticeably reduced.

Source and mouth

The river is believed to originate from Lake Itasca. The Mississippi begins its movement at an altitude of about 530 m above sea level and flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the resulting delta is represented by swamps and lakes.

Climate

The USA passes through almost all climatic zones. Therefore, the surrounding climate directly affects the Mississippi, which flows through 30 states. This is primarily reflected in the temperature of the river and diet.

The Upper Mississippi has a snow feeding regime, because. This territory of America is covered with snow in winter, which brings meltwater into the river during melting. The Lower Mississippi has a rain-fed regime: the states here are in humid climate, due to which they receive large amounts of precipitation.

What rivers flow into

The Mississippi has one of the longest river systems in the world due to its numerous tributaries. In total, 14 rivers flow into it, the largest of which are the Ohio, Des Moines, Missouri, Arkansas and Red River. The Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi, is the largest tributary in the world. And Ohio is the deepest. Missouri is formed by three rivers, one of which is the Jefferson. The distance from its source to the mouth of the Mississippi is 6,300 kilometers.

Attractions

Some North American attractions are located right off the coast of the Mississippi. Effigy Mounds is a complex of mounds, many of which are shaped like animals. The River Hills wine tropics extend for 40 km. There are 6 wineries located in the tropics.

New Orleans is incredible beautiful city, which they managed to restore after almost complete destruction. The city is the birthplace of Jazz, and is also famous for its Saint-Louis Cathedral and the Six Flags Park.

• The river is described in Mark Twain's book Life on the Mississippi, where the author called the river "the world's first deceiver" because of its meandering course.
• St. Anthony Falls, which forms the Mississippi, is featured on the Minnesota state coat of arms.

This is one of greatest rivers in the world. Its length is 3770 km. The river originates in Lake Itasca, at an altitude of 450 meters above sea level in National Nature Reserve Itasca, and flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi is the longest river artery in North America. ( 11 photos)

2. The largest tributaries of the Mississippi are the Ohio, Des Moines (left), Missouri, Arkansas, Red River (right). Along with the Irtysh, the Missouri is the world's largest tributary. Mississippi ranks tenth in the world in terms of water flow, 16,200 m³/s. The river is used for industrial and irrigation purposes.

3. The largest tributary of the Mississippi is the Ohio River. The longest tributary is the Missouri, which begins at the confluence of three rivers, one of which is the Jefferson. Jefferson, Missouri and Mississippi form the longest river system in North America. Distance from Jefferson source to mouth Mississippi- 6,300 kilometers. The second long tributary Mississippi is the Arkansas River.

7. Every day, 1 to 1.5 million tons of sediment are transported by water in the Mississippi Delta. Flood meadows created by regular floods are especially fertile. Thanks to its mineral-rich fresh water and entering due to the ebb and flow of salty ocean water Numerous algae and phytoplankton arise, as well as the constant enrichment of the surrounding lands with organic material.

Mississippi is a state located in the southern part of the United States. Population 2,978,512 people. Area 125,443 km². The capital is the city of Jackson. Major cities: Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Biloxi. The state borders on Alabama in the east, Tennessee on the north, Louisiana on the southwest, and Arkansas on the northwest. In 1817 it became the 20th US state.

State attractions

Some of the state's attractions include: the old Capitol of 1833, which houses the history museum; the new 1903 Capitol is a copy of Washington's, Vicksburg Military Historical Park. The park contains approximately 1,325 monuments and memorials commemorating the 1863 Siege of Jackson. The university, which has more than 20,000 students, is located 200 km from Jackson. Interesting place For a tour there will be a museum of agriculture and forestry, in which among the exhibits there is a farm from 1850 with a vegetable garden and a barnyard, as well as a miniature of the main street of the city of the 30s with a large sweet shop. In the folk art gallery you can purchase a souvenir made by the Chocat Indians. There is a petrified forest in Mississippi, and in the museum you can see various plant fossils.

Geography and climate

About 3% of the state's area is covered by water. In the south, the state has access to the Gulf of Mexico. The main territory of the state lies on a slightly hilly plain. Between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers there is a flat area, which is limited on the east by the Delta range with very fertile soil. More than 50% of the territory is occupied by forests. Summers are usually humid and hot, winters are warm. Average temperature January in the northern part of the state is 6°C, in the southern part - 10°C. The south of the state receives more precipitation than the north. Intermediate level precipitation is 1300 mm per year. From the Gulf of Mexico, especially through southern part The state regularly experiences hurricane tornadoes (an average of 27 tornadoes per year).

Economy

In 2006, Mississippi's GDP was $84 billion, with a median income of $26,908 (the lowest in the country). Oil is extracted from minerals and natural gas. Power plants generate 3.5 GW of energy. Main industries: food, clothing, textile, chemical, pulp and paper, shipbuilding. The main crop is cotton, which is grown in the Mississippi River Valley. They also grow soybeans, corn, rice, wheat and sugar cane, and raise cattle, pigs and poultry. They harvest oysters and shrimp, which are then large quantities exported to other states. Due to the low labor force (35% of the population is officially classified as poor), many residents migrate to other states.

Population and religion

The population density is 24.5 people per km². Mississippi is home to about 37% African Americans (the highest percentage in the United States). Because of higher birth rates, many areas of the state have an overwhelming majority of African Americans. Racial composition of the population: 59.1% - white, 37% - black, 2.7% - Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% - Asian, 0.5% - Indian or Eskimo, less than 0.1% - Hawaiian or Oceanian , 1.3% - other races, 1.1% - two or more races. The largest ethnic groups are Americans (mostly descendants of the English and Scots) - 14.2%, followed by 6.9% - Irish, 6.1% - English, 4.5% - Germans, 2.3% - French, 1.9% – Irish-Scots, 1.4% – Italians, 1.2% – Scots. By religious affiliation 87% of the population consider themselves Christians (82% are Protestants, about 4% are Catholics), about 11% are atheists.

Did you know...

It was in Mississippi that the blues originated.
Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, was born in Mississippi.