What are 5 facts about the Mississippi river?

What are 5 facts about the Mississippi river?

10 Breathtaking Facts About the Mississippi River

• The Mississippi River Is the Third-Largest River Basin in the World.
• The River’s Widest Point is Over 11 Miles Across.
• It’s Where Water-Skiing Was Invented.
• Two People Have Swum the Entire Length of the River.
• It’s Home to 25% of All North American Fish Species.

What is Mississippi River known for?

As the nation’s second-longest river, behind only the conjoining Missouri, the Mississippi provides drinking water for millions and supports a $12.6 billion shipping industry, with 35,300 related jobs. It’s one of the greatest water highways on earth, carrying commerce and food for the world.

Did you know facts about the Mississippi river?

The Mississippi River is the third longest river in North America and flows 2,340 miles from beginning to end. It takes 90 days for a single drop of water to travel the Mississippi River’s entire length. From its source, Lake Itasca, to its end, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River drops 1,475 feet.

How old is the Mississippi river?

Therefore, the Mississippi River is less than 40 million years old. Now, we are going to approach the question from the other direction. During the Illinoisan and Wisconsinan glaciations (300,000 to 10,000 years ago), glacial till and moraines created dams that rerouted the Mississippi River to the west.

Does the Mississippi river flow backwards?

On February 7, 1812, the most violent of a series of earthquakes near Missouri causes a so-called fluvial tsunami in the Mississippi River, actually making the river run backward for several hours. The earthquake also caused fissures—some as much as several hundred feet long–to open on the earth’s surface.

How much water is in the Mississippi river?

1.5 million to 5.2 million gallons
The Mississippi River is the fifth largest U.S. river by volume and on average holds 1.5 million to 5.2 million gallons of water. The water level of the river varies by location.

What is wrong with the Mississippi river?

The Mississippi River and its tributaries have been plagued by nutrient runoff, specifically excess nitrogen and phosphorous. All of that nitrogen and phosphorous runoff ultimately ends up in the Gulf of Mexico, triggering rapid overgrowth of algae.

What’s the deepest part of the Mississippi river?

61 m
Mississippi River/Max depth

How deep is the Mississippi river on average?

The average depth of the Mississippi River between Saint Paul and Saint Louis is between 9 and 12 feet (2.7–3.7 m) deep, the deepest part being Lake Pepin, which averages 20–32 feet (6–10 m) deep and has a maximum depth of 60 feet (18 m).

Can you go swimming in the Mississippi river?

He said the Mississippi is safe to swim and fish in, as long as people are safe about it. Showering after swimming in the river and wearing a life vest are recommended. “It’s safe. In every river you’re going to have a little bit of pollution and the Mississippi is no different,” said Kean.

Is it safe to swim in the Mississippi river?

There are always unknown hazards in the Mississippi river due to bacteria levels according to Stuart Schmitz, a toxicologist at the Iowa Department of Public Health. He said the Mississippi is safe to swim and fish in, as long as people are safe about it.