Upper Mississippi River

Upper Mississippi River
The Upper Mississippi River near Harpers Ferry, Iowa
Map
Location
CountryUS, Canada [1]
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationLake Itasca, Minnesota[1]
 • coordinates47°15′11″N 95°12′43″W / 47.253°N 95.212°W / 47.253; -95.212
 • elevation450 m (1,480 ft)[3]
Mouth 
 • location
St. Louis, Missouri (flows into the Middle Mississippi) [1]
Length1,300 miles (2092.147 km) [2]
Basin size490,000 km2 (190,000 sq mi)[5]
Discharge 
 • average5,796 m3/s (204,700 cu ft/s)[4]
Barge going under the Mississippi River Bridge (La Crosse, Wisconsin)

The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of St. Louis, Missouri, United States,[1] at the confluence of its main tributary, the Missouri River.[citation needed] Historically, it may refer to the area above the Arkansas Post, above the confluence of Ohio River, or above Cape Girardeau.

  1. ^ a b c d "Mississippi River | History, Physical Features, Culture, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  2. ^ "UMESC - About the Upper Mississippi River System". www.umesc.usgs.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  3. ^ "General Information about the Mississippi River". U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved April 1, 2006.
  4. ^ "Background on Upper Mississippi River Basin". EPA: Mississippi River Basin & Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia. Retrieved April 1, 2006.
  5. ^ "River and Basin Facts". Upper Mississippi River Basin Association. Retrieved April 7, 2009.