The Mississippi River Basin by Abby Iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw en-us 2018-12-02 17:14:42 UTC 2023-03-27 20:34:31 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Xmastree.png abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310190779 The Mississippi River has the fourth largest drainage basin in the world. It's length is about 3,710 miles/5,970km. It covers 1,245,000+ square miles total and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. More than 15 million people are dependent upon the basin and the services it provides. 

]]> 2018-12-02 17:31:48 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310190779 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310193075 The Mississippi River gets quite a bit of rainfall per year, but the rainfall patterns seem to vary between the south eastern and north western areas of the river, causing the amount of rainfall within the basin to be "patchy" as this article explains. ]]> 2018-12-02 17:46:50 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310193075 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310194523 The flow of the Mississippi River is maintained by runoff of rainfall and snowmelt. However, not all rainfall or snowmelt runs off. Some of it goes into the soil and is then transpired into the atmosphere by plants, or it can evaporate directly into the atmosphere. It is explained that evapotransprative losses take up more than 3/4 of the yearly precipitation, but this varies depending on which region of the basin you are looking at. Very little water is left to run off in the west after the evapotranspiration process, so most of the flow of the river comes from the eastern part of the basin. ]]> 2018-12-02 17:56:57 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310194523 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310196134 The Mississippi River is the second longest river in North America, flowing 2,350 miles from its source at Lake Itasca through the center of the continental United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River and is about 100 miles longer. Some describe the Mississippi River as being the third longest river system in the world, if the length of Missouri and Ohio Rivers are added to the Mississippi's main stem.]]> 2018-12-02 18:08:49 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310196134 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310196657 Communities all along the river use the Mississippi as a source of freshwater, and to dispose of their industrial and municipal waste. ]]> 2018-12-02 18:12:46 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310196657 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310197199 Agriculture has been the most dominant use of land in the Mississippi river basin for over 200 years and has changed the hydrologic cycle and energy budget for the region. The agriculture from this basin produce more than 92% of the nation's agricultural exports, 78% of the world's exports in feed grains and soybeans, and most of the livestock and hogs produced nationally. Sixty percent of all grain exported from the US is shipped on the Mississippi River through the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana. Activity along the Mississippi River generates about $496 billion in revenue for the US economy. ]]> 2018-12-02 18:16:24 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310197199 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310197825 This article, Electoral Currents Along the Mississippi, published by NBC paints an interesting picture of the river. It explains that the Mississippi River, being one of the most vital transportation avenues of the new world, can be connected to almost any American political or social movement. ]]> 2018-12-02 18:20:30 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310197825 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310199251 Although there have been many water conservation efforts put into action, water quality in the Mississippi still continues to decline. A major source of this pollution comes from agricultural runoff. Because of this, between 1980 and 2010, nitrate levels increased by more than 14% and has led to increased hypoxic zones, making it very difficult for wildlife to survive.]]> 2018-12-02 18:31:02 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310199251 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310201152 Here is a more detailed list of the impacts of Climate Change on the Mississippi River Basin. ]]> 2018-12-02 18:43:58 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310201152 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310201533 Climate change has been a huge influence on the decline of the Mississippi. The increased frequency of heavy rain in the basin is one of the clearest impacts of climate change on weather. Because the atmosphere is warmer, is holds more water vapor. Recent storms along the Mississippi River have been supercharged by running over a warmer ocean and through an atmosphere that is made wetter by global warming. With this rain and flooding that has occurred, it is not only damaging to the ocean and wildlife directly, but it also increases the run off and impacts it that way as well.]]> 2018-12-02 18:45:23 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310201533 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310202900 One major event has led to many different challenges for the Mississippi River Basin. In April of 2010, the explosion and sinking of a Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused 11 people to lose their lives, increased death of marine life, the death of hundreds of thousands of seabirds, and directly impacted 68,000 square miles of the ocean. ]]> 2018-12-02 18:56:02 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310202900 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310204974 One of the many tragic examples of the wildlife affected by the BP Oil Spill
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/feb/23/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20140221]]> 2018-12-02 19:11:51 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310204974 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310205429 Climate change has a direct impact on the food and freshwater supply for those living in or around the Mississippi River Basin. Because climate change has caused the freshwater supply to diminish, this means less water available for agricultural services. As I  had mentioned under the overview, the agriculture from this basin provides a very large percentage of the nation's agricultural exports, and if they cannot continue to grow at the rate they have, or even higher, then the nation's food supply will diminish as well. ]]> 2018-12-02 19:15:14 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310205429 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310206694 Under the Clean Water Act, states sets standards that define how much salt, nitrate, mercury, sediment, bacteria and other pollution a body of water can have in it and still be considered safe for "designated uses" like drinking water, fishing, swimming or irrigation. If a body of water does not meet one or more of these water quality standards, it is considered "impaired." The Mississippi river, because of the increased hypoxic zones from the agricultural runoff, is considered impaired. ]]> 2018-12-02 19:23:53 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310206694 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310207818 Because the primary energy sources of the Mississippi have potential to harm the environment and people within it, Free Flow Power has come up with a plan to provide an alternate source of energy. Turbines anchored to the bottom of the Mississippi could someday provide more than a gigawatt of renewable energy, enough to power a quarter of a million homes.]]> 2018-12-02 19:32:23 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310207818 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310207885 While hands on solutions like the alternative energy sources play a vital role in providing solutions to the basin's  problems, it is important to recognize the role of people working together collectively to design solutions as well. In this article about the World Assembly of River Basins, it is explained that the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative was made to help protect the Mississippi River Basin and many other basin's around the world against the effects of climate change. Mayor Belinda Constant of Louisiana says "Me and my fellow mayors north all the way to Minnesota see the adoption of an international sustainability agreement imperative to saving river basins—including ours—from climate change and major population growth."]]> 2018-12-02 19:32:49 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310207885 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310209840 The challenges of the Mississippi River Basin are being managed by several different organizations. One of which being the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They are working with several different organizations locally, such as Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, to assess the resources of the lower Mississippi River and evaluate restoration efforts that could increase the long-term sustainability of the basin. ]]> 2018-12-02 19:45:34 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310209840 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310210711 The Mississippi River has a substantial energy infrastructure. The state and the other areas of the basin have many natural gas, crude oil, and refined product pipelines. The state's larger ports, located on the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River, handle coal, crude oil, and petroleum coke and other refined petroleum products. All of these energy sources have clear potential to harm the environment and those dependent upon this system. An extreme example of the harm that these energy sources can cause would be the BP Oil Spill that I mentioned above. ]]> 2018-12-02 19:51:55 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310210711 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310213188 An article by the Washington Post explains that the Mississippi River Basin has failed several assessments of flood control, water quality, transportation. This is just an overall assessment of the basin that I found pretty interesting to read.
Article link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/10/16/were-totally-mismanaging-the-mississippi-river-basin-and-its-costing-us/?utm_term=.7b8efd2f114c]]> 2018-12-02 20:09:40 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310213188 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310213972 The agriculture along the Mississippi River Basin is one of the main challenges that the basin faces. Although it provides a service necessary for survival, it is contributing to the increased pollution of the river and making it almost impossible for marine life to survive in some areas. Some farm-level solutions where people can have a direct impact on the amount of pollution and soil erosion are:
  • Base fertilizer application rates on soil tests.
  • Minimize soil tillage.
  • Use continuous living cover.
  • Apply fertilizer when it is needed by a growing crop.
  • Treat gully erosion.
  • Do not apply chemical fertilizer or animal waste on snow, ice, or frozen ground.
  • Restrict cattle access to waterways.
]]> 2018-12-02 20:13:36 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310213972 How does Ready Player One connect to these challenges? abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310214609 For my theme analysis of RPO, I chose the theme of the alternate versions of reality and their impact on their environment. How this connects to the Mississippi River Basin is that with all of the benefits that we gain from the basin, we forget about the potential consequences. As I discussed previously, the Mississippi River generates about $496 billion in revenue for the US economy. This profit can distract us from what we are doing to the environment. When weighing the pros and cons of polluting the river for profit, the money almost always will take precedent over the environment. This relates to the theme I mentioned above because virtual reality can distract us from our lives and give us an escape from reality. The money and potential economic growth is our virtual reality and it distracts us from the reality of what we are doing to the environment. ]]> 2018-12-02 20:18:15 UTC https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310214609 abigail_iseminger https://padlet.com/abigail_iseminger/we0wiayhjgpw/wish/310215926 -Turbines Could Tap the Mississippi's Power
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/421558/turbines-could-tap-the-mississippis-power/

-Mississippi River Mayors Lead Food and Water Security Effort at World Assembly of River Basins, 2016
https://www.mrcti.org/newsblog/2016/12/21/mississippi-river-mayors-lead-food-and-water-security-effort-at-world-assembly-of-river-basins-2016

-How Agriculture Affects the Mississippi River
http://www.msrivercollab.org/focus-areas/agriculture/#C

-Mississippi State Energy Profile
https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=MS

-Mississippi River Facts
https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm

-We're totally mismanaging the Mississippi River basin--and it's costing us
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/10/16/were-totally-mismanaging-the-mississippi-river-basin-and-its-costing-us/?utm_term=.7b8efd2f114c

-State studies confirm: 40 percent of MN lakes and rivers are polluted
https://www.fmr.org/news/2017/11/20/state-confirms-40-percent-mn-lakes-and-rivers-polluted

-Managing the Mississippi River for ecosystem restoration, navigation and flood protection: A win-win-win
http://mississippiriverdelta.org/managing-the-mississippi-river-for-ecosystem-restoration-navigation-and-flood-protection-a-win-win-win/

-The Scale of Nature: Modeling the Mississippi River
https://placesjournal.org/article/the-scale-of-nature-modeling-the-mississippi-river/?cn-reloaded=1

-Gulf Oil Spill
https://ocean.si.edu/conservation/pollution/gulf-oil-spill

-Trends in the Water Budget of the Mississippi River Basin, 1949-1997
https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3020/

-Climate Impacts Along the Mississippi River Corridor
https://climatenexus.org/climate-change-us/climate-impacts-along-the-mississippi-river-corridor/

-Mississippi Basin Water Quality Declining Despite Conservation
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140411-water-quality-nutrients-pesticides-dead-zones-science/

-Electoral currents along the Mississippi
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5603458#.XAQiRehKjIU

-David, Mark, et al. “Biophysical and Social Barriers Restrict Water Quality Improvements in the 
Mississippi River Basin.” Environmental Science Technology, vol. 47, no. 21, 2013, pp. 11928-11929. American Chemical Society Journals, ACS, 10.1021/es403939n

-Secchi, Silvia, et al. “Potential Water Quality Changes Due to Corn Expansion in the Upper 
Mississippi River Basin.” Ecological Applications, vol. 21, no. 4, 2011, pp. 1068–1084. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23022980.

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