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Due to the size of the
Mississippi river basin it has been difficult to obtain and exact number of people who are reliant on the basin, NPS.gov stated reports show that about 15 -18 million people and 50 cities in just the upper half of the river use it. This includes obtaining fresh water and the discarding of waste. (National Park Services, 2018) The below image shoes the states that use the Mississippi river basin.

Mississippi River Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm

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The Mississippi river basin stretches 2350 miles as mentioned above it starts at Lake Itasca and flowing through all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. The size of the Mississippi River basin watershed drains areas in 32 states and two Canadian provinces totaling about 3.2 million kilometers (National Park Services, 2016) It is one of the largest and longest rivers in the world.

Nag, O. (2017, April 25). Facts About The Mississippi River. Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/facts-about-the-mississippi-river.html

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The scale of the Mississippi River in perspective

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The Upper Mississippi river basin is the home for a wide range of species. The basin has more than 127 species of fish and it is said that about 300 species of birds migrate through the upper Mississippi river basin each spring.

River and Basin Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2020, from http://www.umrba.org/facts.htm

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The Mississippi river basin stretches from Lake Itasca and flowing through all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the size and how far it the river basin stretches, it has a large variety of ecosystems, species and uses through the communities. This story board will discuss the challenges along this river basin, the migration, and the sustainable solutions that could be used to assist the challengers the Mississippi basin is facing.

C. (Director). (2015, October 20). A Mississippi River Journey—Headwaters to Delta—in five minutes [Video file]. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541tR66rdWM

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A Mississippi River Journey—Headwaters to Delta—in five minutes

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Social parameters : how the water is used

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Social parameters : how the water is used

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The Mississippi river is used for industrial and municipal waste as well as to provide freshwater to the communities. The Mississippi provides water to many communities due to the size. The river is also used for transportation.

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Although the Gulf of Mexico has issues caused by sediments that flow into it, the gulf is still home to a large variety of species, as well as some endangered/threatened species. The Gulf of Mexico has marine mammals, many different kinds of sharks, has a total of 5 threatened or endangered sea turtles and different forms of coral reefs throughout the gulf. (Heimbuch, 2018) This is why the impact of the dead zone is seen to be so damaging in the gulf of Mexico.

Heimbuch, J. (n.d.). 48 Facts You Should Know About the Gulf of Mexico, From Sunken Ships to Ancient Corals. Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.treehugger.com/facts-you-should-know-about-the-gulf-of-mexico-from-sunken-ships-to-ancient-corals-4858704

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Did you know that the Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body on the planet, and supports some of the largest fisheries in the world? The Gulf is a spectacular space with an astonishing diversity of species, and yet it may also be one of the most imperiled. Here's some of the most interesting facts about the Gulf of Mexico that will inspire you to learn more about this unique place.

Ancient Beginnings And Recent Discoveries

The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin -- only a narrow connection to the Atlantic exists as the gulf is surrounded by North America and Cuba.

It is the ninth largest body of water in the world, covering about 600,000 square miles, and is bordered by five US states in the north, five Mexican states in the west, and Cuba in the southeast.

The total coastline of the gulf measures approximately 3,540 miles from the tip of Florida to the tip of the Yucatan, with an additional 236 miles along Cuba.

The Gulf was created first by continental plates colliding in the Late Triassic period, around 300 million years ago, and then by the sea floor sinking.

Almost half of the gulf basin is shallow waters over continental shelves, though it contains a trough that measures as deep as 14,383 feet.

Along the US portion of the Gulf coast, 33 major river systems and 207 estuaries empty into the sea.

The Gulf Stream, which originates in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the strongest ocean currents in the world.

The first European exploration of the Gulf of Mexico was by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497.

The population in US states along the gulf is projected to reach 61.4 million people by 2025, a 40% increase.

Ecosystems and Wildlife In The Gulf of Mexico

Coastal Wildlife

The gulf coasts offers overs a range of habitats, including submerged vegetation, important upland areas, marine/offshore areas and over 5 million acres of wetlands.

There are 31 major estuarine watersheds in the Gulf of Mexico.

The coastal wetland of the gulf represents 28% of the total U.S. wetland, and open water area represents 41 % of the US total.

Louisiana is an important area for the millions of migratory birds that fly across the Gulf of Mexico, which includes nearly all of the migratory landbird species of the eastern United States, as well as many western species.

Radar technology has shown that hundreds of millions of birds cross the Gulf of Mexico at night during migrations, with as many as 2.5 million landing in Louisiana to rest each day.

There are 29 marine mammal species found in the Gulf of Mexico, including such icons as bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, minke whales, sperm whales, and the West Indian manatee. Many of the species of marine mammals found here are threatened or endangered.

The gulf is home to five species of threatened and endangered sea turtles, including Kemp's ridley sea turtles, Hawksbill sea turtles, Green sea turtles, Loggerhead sea turtles and Leatherback sea turtles.

As many as 49 shark species are known to inhabit the Gulf of Mexico, including Silky, Bull, Lemon, Oceanic whitetip, Dusky, Tiger, Thresher, several species of hammerhead, and even whale sharks, just to name a few. As with marine mammals and turtles, may of these once populous species are also threatened, endangered or are species of concern.

Isla Holbox was uncovered just a few years ago as a prime place to see whale sharks feeding in large groups during their annual migrations. The area is now struggling to balance an ecotourism industry with protecting these gentle giants.

Sargassum is a widespread genus of seaweed that creates floating oases for marine species, from sea turtles and seahorses to tuna and billfish, and patches can become so large and dense they can be detected from space.

Manatees are an iconic figure of Florida's coasts. They can reach up to 12 feet in length and weigh more than 1,500 pounds, but only 5,000 remain in the wild as run-ins with boaters and loss of coastal habitat impact populations.

Brown pelicans have made an incredible comeback after being nearly wiped out by DDT. However, about 60% of brown pelicans breed on the Gulf Coast and face many threats including loss of habitat, being caught in fishing lines, and oil pollution.

Sperm whales call the gulf home. Family groups of females and young totaling 500 to 1,500 individuals reside in the gulf, and when males come to visit, the number can hit as high as 3,000.

Coral Reefs and Shipwrecks

Florida is the only state in the continental United States to have extensive shallow coral reef formations near its coasts (over 60% of coral reefs found in the US are located around the extended chain of the Hawaiian Islands).

The Florida Reef Tract (FRT) stretches 358 miles from the Dry Tortugas National Park off of the Florida Keys to the St. Lucie Inlet in Martin County, and about 2/3 of the FRT lies within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS).

Coral reefs grow only in specific ecosystems with the right depth and temperature of water, and the right mix of nutrients and wave action. Reef growth is relatively slow with an individual colony growing between .5 and 7 inches a year.

Black coral living in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the slowest growing deep sea corals, and have been found to be up to 2,000 years old.

The majority of Florida's sport fish species and other important species spend their lives around coral reefs.

Coral reef ecosystems in Florida are extremely diverse, supporting more than 6,000 species--including 520 types of fish; 128 varieties of starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers; 55 species of soft corals; and 63 species of stony corals.

Once the most abundant and important coral species in the Caribbean coral reefs, Elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn (A. cervicornis) corals are now threatened species, declining by more than 90% since 1980.

Reef-related tourism generates roughly $17.5 billion each year and reefs support as many as 2,300 local jobs.

Coral reefs need platforms on which to grow, and creating artificial reefs is a popular tactic to help new coral reefs begin -- attracting not only fish and other animal species but also tourists.

Everything from retired ships to oil platforms can be used for creating artificial reefs.

At the end of 1998, 1,715 platforms were retired from oil and gas production and 128 of the retired platforms were donated and permanently dedicated as Rigs-TO-Reefs for fisheries enhancement.

There are many historical shipwrecks in the gulf as well, numbering over 750 known wrecks. While many are from the more recent world wars, some date as far back as the 16th and 17th centuries.

Human Impacts on the Gulf of Mexico

Land-Based Activities and the Gulf of Mexico

Agricultural runoff, mostly from over-application of fertilizer on agricultural fields, is causing record-setting annual dead zones, areas where plankton blooms and die-offs deplete the oxygen levels to a degree that nothing can live in the areas.

Dead Zones

A whopping 41% of the contiguous USA drains into the Mississippi River, which then drains into the Gulf of Mexico, bringing with it pollution and significant runoff from farmland.

Scientists say this summer's dead zone could be the largest since records began in 1985, measuring between 8,500 and 9,421 square miles.

Fishing and Tourism in the Gulf of Mexico

Fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico include red snapper, amberjack, tilefish, swordfish, grouper, shrimp, crab and oyster. Commercial fish and shellfish harvest from the five U.S. Gulf states during 2008 was estimated to be 1.3 billion pounds valued at $661 million. Shrimp accounted for 188.8 million pounds, and oysters for 20.6 million pounds.

The Gulf of Mexico has eight of the top twenty fishing ports in the nation by dollar value.

In 2008, over 24.1 million recreational fishing trips were made, catching 190 million fish from the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding waters.

There are four major industries in the Gulf of Mexico -- fishing, shipping, tourism and of course, oil. These four industries account for some $234 billion annually in economic activity, according to a 2007 study published by Texas A&M; University Press.

Oil and gas interests generate $124 billion, or over half of the total amount brought in by the four major industries. However, tourism comes in at a close second with an estimated $100 billion a year.

Oil Drilling

Oil exploration and drilling has been cited for problems among marine animals, from whales to fish to squid, causing noise pollution that makes it difficult for animals to communicate, navigate, and feed.

There are approximately 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells beneath the Gulf, which generally have not been checked for potential environmental problems.

The BP Deepwater oil spill flowed for three months starting April 20, 2010, releasing 4.9 million barrels of oil into the gulf and resulting in the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry.

Areas that will be under threat for years, even decades after the spill, include 8 U.S. national parks. Over 400 species living on islands and marshlands are at risk.

As of November 2, 2010, 6,814 dead animals had been collected, including 6,104 birds, 609 sea turtles, 100 dolphins and other mammals, and 1 other reptile. An accurate count of animals killed by the spill is not possible, as BP workers appear to have been collecting an destroying animals before they were counted.

Since January 1, 2011, 67 dead dolphins have been found in the area affected by the oil spill, with 35 of them premature or newborn calves.

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48 Facts You Should Know About the Gulf of Mexico, From Sunken Ships to Ancient Corals

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Did you know that the Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body in the world, and supports some of the largest fisheries in the world? The Gulf is a spectacular space with an astonishing diversity of species, and yet

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Agriculture is one of the major land uses in regard to the Mississippi river basin. The river edge is surrounded by crops and farmland. The below video explains how Mississippi is the leading state  for agriculture in the US. Ranging from Cotton, catfish, soybeans, poultry and many agriculture is very present in Mississippi.

M. (2016, October 28). Agriculture in Mississippi | @ISSUE | MPB. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4mzM6rY8wY

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Agriculture in Mississippi | @ISSUE | MPB

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Flooding is one of he known issues within the Mississippi river basin. In 2019 the Mississippi river had one of its longest floods ever. These floods not only cause damages and loss of habitat, but they lead to economic hardships.  This flood was said  to have cause roughly $2 billion dollars in damaged.

5 Reasons Why 2019's Mississippi River Flood is the Most Unprecedented of Our Time. (2019, August 05). Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://mississippiriverdelta.org/5-reasons-why-2019s-mississippi-river-flood-is-the-most-unprecedented-of-our-time/

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When it comes to regulating services the Mississippi river is used to supply freshwater for communities and agriculture. The use of the river for trade and commerce is also a key function of the mississippi river basin. The river also has dams and levees throughout. Due to the size of the river the cultural services have a larger variety. Ranging from boating, water sports and a place for people to visit and enjoy. Because of the amount of people that visit and use this river it is important to have plans in order to preserve the river and its ecosystem.

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Over the years the loss of land in general has been a huge amount within the Mississippi river basin. The loss of wetlands and riparian zones was caused mostly due to artificial drainage. (Day Jr, et all 2004) The wetlands and riparian zones are home to many important species throughout the Mississippi river basin, some of these are endangered as well. Examples of the species endangered due to the habitat loss in the Mississippi river basin are the Indiana bat (said to rely on riparian zones and wetlands) and a wood stork. (Mississippi Field office, 2019) These are just a few animals mentioned on the endangered list, but many others are impacted by the habitat loss as well, and the key factor seems to be cause by humans.

Day, J. (2003). Using Ecotechnology to address water quality and wetland habitat loss problems in the Mississippi basin: A hierarchical approach. Biotechnology Advances, 22(1-2), 135-159. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2003.08.012

Federally Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Species in Mississippi. (2019, March). Retrieved December 6, 2020, from https://www.fws.gov/MississippiES/_pdf/MS%20Species%20Habitat%20Descriptions_2019final.pdf

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Pollution in the basin is largely caused by agriculture.  Some of this pollution is caused by fertilizer runoff, animal waste from livestock operation, erosion, and insufficient oversight (Mississippi River Collaborative). Another form of pollution is found in agriculture is nitrogen and phosphorus pollution,  the Mississippi river collaborative explains this pollution as being due to animal waste, sewage planet discharge  and fertilizer run off. This pollution leads to the death of many species within the river and can also lead to closing down beaches.

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A challenge of water access or availability is in the the lower Mississippi river basin. The irrigation necessary to use for the crops has caused the aquifers to be depleted in the watershed. This has also lead to more pollution and contaminants running off into the water as well. (Reba, et all. 2017)

Reba, M., Massey, J., Adviento‐Borbe, M., Leslie, D., Yaeger, M., Anders, M. and Farris, J. (2017), Aquifer Depletion in the Lower Mississippi River Basin: Challenges and Solutions. Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, 162: 128-139. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2017.03264.x

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The Mississippi is surrounded by crops and the river is impacted very negatively by the growing of crops.
Majority of the pollution explained below comes from the run off from agriculture crops. This runoff has lead to the the Dead zone in the gulf of Mexico that will also be discussed in a future post.

Agriculture in the Mississippi River Basin: GRID-Arendal. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.grida.no/resources/6227

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The gulf of Mexico has endured a large amount of sediments flowing into the waters due to the amount of people who live and work in the upper Mississippi river basin. Because these sediments flow into the Gulf of Mexico is causes what is known as a dead zone. This is due to the hypoxia oxygen depletion
(https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/upper-mississippi-river/)

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The Gulf of Mexico's dead zone, explained

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Mississippi has had many natural disasters through the years. Some of these natural disasters consist of The great Mississippi flood of 1927 and Hurricane Katrina (among other hurricanes that also occurred). These natural disasters caused loss in many ways, such as habitat loss for animals, economic loss.

Mandel, K. (2011, May 9). A Tale of Two Rivers--Mississippi River Flood of 1927 excerpt part 1. Retrieved December 6, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGy4DgeaZNo&feature=youtu.be

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A Tale of Two Rivers--Mississippi River Flood of 1927 excerpt part 1

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Migration from and to locations can be impacted by natural disasters. People will be displaced if their homes are destroyed as mention above Hurricane Katrina cause damage and destruction all over and left many people homeless. The people were forced to migrate to other locations, on study showed that 100,000-150,000 people evacuated to Houston due to the hurricane. (Berlemann &Steinhardt 2017) Migration will continue to rise as precipitation and change in temperature changes, this will cause the  climate to change thus leading to the possible threat of more natural disasters.

Berlemann, Michael & Steinhardt, Max. (2017). Climate Change, Natural Disasters and Migration – A Survey of the Empirical Evidence. CESifo Economic Studies. 63. 353-385. 10.1093/cesifo/ifx019.

The below video explains how Hurricane Katrina is still impacting displaced families.

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10 years later: Hurricane Katrina is still affecting displaced families

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Refuge's will migrate to different areas to escape violence or if they are displaced from where they are living. The migration will increase the need for resources in the locations they migrate to. When the onset of the migration is sudden,

the impacts on the climate are harder to avoid. Some of the specific environmental reasons for

migration are caused by the environment, such as hurricanes, tsunamis, cyclones, and wildfire.

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After the flood in 2019 more thought has been put into how to manage the river better. Some of the ways mentioned to better manage the river were brought up with Louisiana putting the focus on actually restoring the basin rather than just protecting against floods. (Snider, 2019) The below video shows the ways runoff prevention is in the works. There are also projects in the works to restore the wetlands and habitats lost in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Preventing Runoff Into The Mississippi River

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The Gulf of Mexico currently has a list of protected species. This list protects the animals from being taken or harmed, the types of species on this list are Endangered Species, threatened species, candidate species and any species of concern. By having this protection plan in place it will assist in not disturbing these species further.

The referenced link is for the slides explaining the protected species.

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As explained previously the main causes to pollution in the Mississippi river basin is agriculture. To ensure the amount of runoff stays regulated, monitoring by the cities should be closely done. The cities should also take the time to determine where the largest amount of pollution is coming from.

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Focus on locating the point source and non point source pollution can assist in reducing the amount of pollution in the Mississippi river basin.A project can put into place int he upper Mississippi river basin to determine where the largest amounts of pollution are coming from, these projects can focus on how to target these areas specifically.

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The last solution proposition is to address the erosion that has already been caused around the lakes and rivers leading into the Mississippi river basin. Barriers can be built to rebuild the eroded areas and prevent further erosion from happening.

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The Mississippi River basin is a crucial river. After researching this river it is obvious how important it is for the communities, but also for the habitats within it. Many sustainable solutions are in the works to address the pollution in the water and specifically the gulf of Mexico. It seems the root cause of pollutions and habitat loss is the amount of runoff into the water, by implementing regulations and monitoring the pollution can improve.

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Agriculture in the Mississippi River Basin: GRID-Arendal. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.grida.no/resources/6227

C. (Director). (2015, October 20). A Mississippi River Journey—Headwaters to Delta—in five minutes [Video file]. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541tR66rdWM

Berlemann, Michael & Steinhardt, Max. (2017). Climate Change, Natural Disasters and Migration – A Survey of the Empirical Evidence. CESifo Economic Studies. 63. 353-385. 10.1093/cesifo/ifx019.

Day, J. (2003). Using Ecotechnology to address water quality and wetland habitat loss problems in the Mississippi basin: A hierarchical approach. Biotechnology Advances, 22(1-2), 135-159. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2003.08.012

Federally Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Species in Mississippi. (2019, March). Retrieved December 6, 2020, from https://www.fws.gov/MississippiES/_pdf/MS%20Species%20Habitat%20Descriptions_2019final.pdf

Heimbuch, J. (n.d.). 48 Facts You Should Know About the Gulf of Mexico, From Sunken Ships to Ancient Corals. Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.treehugger.com/facts-you-should-know-about-the-gulf-of-mexico-from-sunken-ships-to-ancient-corals-4858704

M. (2016, October 28). Agriculture in Mississippi | @ISSUE | MPB. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4mzM6rY8wY

Mandel, K. (2011, May 9). A Tale of Two Rivers--Mississippi River Flood of 1927 excerpt part 1. Retrieved December 6, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGy4DgeaZNo&feature=youtu.be

Mississippi River Basin. (2020). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Mi-Oc/Mississippi-River-Basin.html

Mississippi River Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm

N. (n.d.). An Overview of Protected Species in the Gulf of Mexico. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/oil-and-gas-energy-program/GOMR/NMFS-Protected-Species-In-GOM-Feb2012.pdf

Nag, O. (2017, April 25). Facts About The Mississippi River. Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/facts-about-the-mississippi-river.html

Reba, M., Massey, J., Adviento‐Borbe, M., Leslie, D., Yaeger, M., Anders, M. and Farris, J. (2017), Aquifer Depletion in the Lower Mississippi River Basin: Challenges and Solutions. Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, 162: 128-139. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2017.03264.x

River and Basin Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2020, from http://www.umrba.org/facts.htm

Slamdot, I. (2015, November 12). Agriculture. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.msrivercollab.org/focus-areas/agriculture/

5 Reasons Why 2019's Mississippi River Flood is the Most Unprecedented of Our Time. (2019, August 05). Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://mississippiriverdelta.org/5-reasons-why-2019s-mississippi-river-flood-is-the-most-unprecedented-of-our-time/