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Mississippi River Overview

einnes1 — 2016-08-09 02:29:03 UTC

The Mississippi River is one of the world’s major river systems, being the fourth longest river in the world. The Mississippi River is 3730 km long, flowing from its source at Lake Itasca in North Minnesota, through the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas and finally to Louisiana and out into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River basin covers around 12.5% of North America and its widest section has a width of more than 17 km. The Mississippi River passes through several pine forests, grassy marshes and lakes before it is joined by its 15 main tributaries that flow into it along the way to the Gulf. The Mississippi river is an important river which plays a major role in the economic, social and cultural values for more than 15 million people who live in the USA.

Map below of Mississippi River.

Social Value

einnes1 — 2016-08-09 06:37:28 UTC

People have been living on the Mississippi River and relying on it for many centuries. Indians have even lived on the banks of the Mississippi River from as early as 800 BCE. The Indians had a strong connection with the river and used it for daily requirements such as farming, drinking and bathing. Now, 200,000 people live along the Mississippi River according to the 2010 census. Roughly 50 cities rely on the Mississippi River as a water supply. This is why the Mississippi River is so important for Americans.

Economic Value

einnes1 — 2016-08-09 07:18:46 UTC

The Mississippi River has a huge economic value. Upper Mississippi River produces $253 billion annually and supports over 755 000 jobs. As shown in the pie chart below manufacturing, tourism and agriculture support over 92% of these jobs while tourism and outdoor recreation support more than 300,000 of them. Manufacturing is the region’s greatest asset producing $211 billion annually, the money comes from a variety of businesses ranging from food processing to petroleum and chemical manufacturing. Manufacturing produces the most amount of jobs that the Mississippi River creates.

Cultural Value

einnes1 — 2016-08-09 07:19:11 UTC

The Mississippi River has long been used and relied on by many tribes from approximately 800 BCE. One of these tribes the Chickasaw Tribe were said to have migrated from the west and had been living in villages along the banks of the Mississippi River. Their tribe seal is sown in the picture on the left. The tribes such as the Cherokee Tribe had very colorful clothing that they wore for tribal dances and ceremonies as shown in the picture on the right. These American tribes were all very reliant on the Mississippi River and as a result they shaped their life, traditions and beliefs around it. These tribes would not have lived like they did and shaped America as they have without the Mississippi River. They had an extensive and sturdy relationship with the Mississippi River over the time that they lived there.

Bibliography

einnes1 — 2016-08-23 02:15:40 UTC

·Anon, 2016. History of Memphis, Tennessee. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: [Accessed 14 Aug. 2016].

·Anon, 2016. Mississippi River Facts - Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service). [online] Nps.gov. Available at: [Accessed 14 Aug. 2016].

·Anon, 2016. Mississippi River - New World Encyclopaedia. [online] Newworldencyclopedia.org. Available at: [Accessed 14 Aug. 2016].

·Anon, 2006. Seven Environmental Issues. [online] Globalsiteperformance.org. Available at: [Accessed 23 Aug. 2016].

·Anon, 2016. Upper Mississippi River. [online] Upper Mississippi River Basin Association. Available at: [Accessed 14 Aug. 2016].

Enviromental Issue

einnes1 — 2016-08-24 06:32:49 UTC

The Mississippi River is facing many environmental issues due to human activity the most significant, pollution! Pollution gets into the river by chemicals running off residential yards and farmland, and also by companies discharging their industrial wastes into the river. This pollution consists of chemicals such as arsenic, benzene, mercury, and nitrates to name a few. This pollution is causing the water in the river to be unsafe and it is the 2nd most polluted waterway in the USA (Merchant, 2016). Thanks to all of this, the pollution flows into the Gulf of Mexico with the water currents and creates algae blooms stopping everything growing and living there. This is a called a dead zone. In conclusion, pollution is the most significant environmental issue that the Mississippi River is facing as a result of human activity.

The graph below shows the amount of nitrate that is in the Upper Mississippi River and the annual stream flow.

Enviromental Issue

einnes1 — 2016-08-24 06:39:10 UTC

This photo shows the Mississippi River meeting the St. Croix River shows a distinct contrast of quality and color between the two rivers. This image shows just how reckless people have been towards the Mississippi River. A river which they rely on so much.
Source: USGS

Cultural Value

einnes1 — 2016-08-28 23:07:08 UTC

Seal of the Chickasaw Tribe a tribe that lived along the Mississippi River.

Cultural Value

einnes1 — 2016-09-02 04:06:03 UTC

This image shows a young man in Cherokee clothing that was mainly worn in dances or ceremonies.

einnes1 — 2016-09-04 23:27:21 UTC

Cultural Value

einnes1 — 2016-09-07 02:17:43 UTC

Image Below of the Chickasaw Tribe living along the Mississippi River,
By Herb Roe, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Enviromenatl Issue

einnes1 — 2016-09-07 02:27:37 UTC

The graph below shows the amount of nitrate that is in the Upper Mississippi River and the annual stream flow.

Social Value

einnes1 — 2016-09-11 23:03:16 UTC

The graph below shows the population of the state of Illinois where the Upper Mississippi River Basin flows Illinois rely on the Upper Mississippi River Basin for a water source and without it the population would not grow and flourish as it does today

Mississippi River

einnes1 — 2016-09-11 23:14:25 UTC

The image below is a picture of the Upper Mississippi River Basin.