If it is not the end, I'm screwed.
September 22, 2007 8:52 PM Subscribe
On average is the Mississippi River wider at the beginning (in the Northern States) or towards the end (in the Southern states)?
Historically, the widest part of the Mississippi is Lake Pepin. More than two miles wide, twenty miles long and 10,500 years old, Lake Pepin was formed by the Chippewa River!
Sand and other materials carried by the Chippewa sink to the river bottom where the Chippewa and Mississippi join. The accumulation of these materials form a natural dam which in turn holds back the lake's water.
Lake Pepin is located between Bay City, Wi and Red Wing, Mn on the upstream end and Read's Landing, Mn on the downstream end.
posted by the christopher hundreds at 9:23 PM on September 22, 2007
Sand and other materials carried by the Chippewa sink to the river bottom where the Chippewa and Mississippi join. The accumulation of these materials form a natural dam which in turn holds back the lake's water.
Lake Pepin is located between Bay City, Wi and Red Wing, Mn on the upstream end and Read's Landing, Mn on the downstream end.
posted by the christopher hundreds at 9:23 PM on September 22, 2007
But then that's not on average...
posted by the christopher hundreds at 9:24 PM on September 22, 2007
posted by the christopher hundreds at 9:24 PM on September 22, 2007
If you go to the "official" start of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca, you can jump over it.
posted by sanka at 9:36 PM on September 22, 2007
posted by sanka at 9:36 PM on September 22, 2007
Best answer: Source: At Lake Itasca, the river is between 20-30 feet wide, the narrowest stretch for its entire length.
Upper: ...Upper Mississippi River Physical Data (at Wabasha). Average width 1000 ft ...
Middle: ...The average width of the Middle Mississippi River ... of 3200 ft...
River end (based on levees at mouth): ...floodway flaring from 7,700 feet in width at the river end...
posted by whatzit at 9:45 PM on September 22, 2007
Upper: ...Upper Mississippi River Physical Data (at Wabasha). Average width 1000 ft ...
Middle: ...The average width of the Middle Mississippi River ... of 3200 ft...
River end (based on levees at mouth): ...floodway flaring from 7,700 feet in width at the river end...
posted by whatzit at 9:45 PM on September 22, 2007
Just followed it all the way down on Google Maps. It's noticeably a lot wider in the south.
posted by Reggie Digest at 11:40 PM on September 22, 2007
posted by Reggie Digest at 11:40 PM on September 22, 2007
Of course it's wider on average at the bottom, because it's joined along its length by all the other rivers in its basin. One of them is the Missouri, which is actually the longer river of the two. One of them is the Ohio.
* Above the Missouri, the Mississippi runs about 90-100,000 cubic feet per second.
* Below the Missouri, the combined rivers run about 175,000 cu. fps.
* Below the Ohio, the combined rivers run about 400,000 cu. fps.
* The discharge into the Gulf of Mexico is some 480,000 cu. fps.
The river accommodates this water flow by meandering, which slows and controls it. The meanders are bigger down south.
Obviously there are points such as Lake Pepin, but that's a naturally-dammed lake, not technically the river stream itself. Below the lake, the river returns to its normal width for the area -- which is still pretty considerable.
posted by dhartung at 12:18 AM on September 23, 2007
* Above the Missouri, the Mississippi runs about 90-100,000 cubic feet per second.
* Below the Missouri, the combined rivers run about 175,000 cu. fps.
* Below the Ohio, the combined rivers run about 400,000 cu. fps.
* The discharge into the Gulf of Mexico is some 480,000 cu. fps.
The river accommodates this water flow by meandering, which slows and controls it. The meanders are bigger down south.
Obviously there are points such as Lake Pepin, but that's a naturally-dammed lake, not technically the river stream itself. Below the lake, the river returns to its normal width for the area -- which is still pretty considerable.
posted by dhartung at 12:18 AM on September 23, 2007
Response by poster: Did I actually post that!? Wow, no more drinking and mefiing for me! Thanks for the answers, I wonder if I put any money on the table...
posted by crawfishpopsicle at 12:39 PM on September 23, 2007
posted by crawfishpopsicle at 12:39 PM on September 23, 2007
« Older What is the secret to being able to edit documents... | Do I eat the thorns or the fur? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by efalk at 8:55 PM on September 22, 2007