The Mississippi
The Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States. How long is it? That depends on who you ask. Most estimates are between 2,300 and 2,350 miles, but some sources have it as long as 2,552 miles. With all of it’s tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains all or parts of 32 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. It is the fourth-longest river in the world and certainly the most famous river in the United States.
Our route starts at the Mississippi headwaters in Lake Itasca in Northern Minnesota. From there the river flows briefly north, then turns south. Some 681 miles — over one-quarter of the river — flow through the state of Minnesota.
St. Louis, MO
Minneapolis, MN
Sections of the River
The river can be divided into three sections:
The first section, from Lake Itasca to Minneapolis-St.Paul, has 14 dams that must be portaged around. This section starts as a small woodland creek, then moves into farmland as it gets wider, deeper and faster.
The second section, or middle section, begins in the “gorge” that runs through the Twin Cities, and flows through the hills of the Mississippi River Valley. It runs from St. Paul to St. Louis Missouri, and has 29 locks and dams. At every lock there is a chance we’ll have to wait, up to many hours, for the lock to be ready to go through.
The “lower” Mississippi is 1,000 miles of free-flowing wilderness all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. This section is up to 10 miles wide, and is heavily populated with barges and, further south, ocean-going ships. This is the most dangerous segment of the river.
Lakes
In Minnesota and Iowa, we will pass through several lakes, three of which are so big and dangerous that they could end our attempt. Lake Winnibigoshish, in northern Minnesota, is 18 miles across. Further south at, at mile 785, Lake Pepin is 22-miles long, where waves can reach 8 feet in high wings. And above lock and dam 13 north of Clinton, Iowa is a pool that spans over 10 miles. Bad winds or weather on any of these could mean disaster.
Wildlife
The Mississippi River is home to 305 species of birds, 57 mammals, 145 amphibians and reptiles and 260 different kinds of fish, including ancient specices like gar, sturgeon and paddlefish. It’s also a migration corridor for 40% of North America’s waterfowl.
Some of this information was found at the informative Mississippi River National River and Recreation Area’s website at: Mississippi River Facts
Commerce
To move goods up and down the Mississippi, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a 9-foot shipping channel from Baton Rouge, LA to Minneapolis, MN. From Baton Rouge past New Orleans to Head of Passes, a 45 foot channel is maintained to allow ocean-going vessels access to ports between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.