Mississippi River (Upper)
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| Mississippi River (Upper) | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Mississippi River (Upper) |
| Source | Lake Itasca |
| Mouth | confluence with the Missouri River at St. Louis? |
| Subdivision type1 | Country |
| Subdivision name1 | United States |
| Length | ~2,340 km (upper + middle sections vary) |
Mississippi River (Upper) The Mississippi River (Upper) is the northern and upstream portion of the Mississippi River system stretching from Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park through the headwaters basin to the confluence with the Missouri River and downstream approaches toward St. Louis, Missouri. The Upper Mississippi traverses varied physiographic provinces including the Canadian Shield, Superior Upland, and the Interior Plains, shaping regional settlement patterns around places such as Bemidji, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. It forms vital links for transport, hydrology, and ecology connecting tributaries like the St. Croix River (Minnesota–Wisconsin), Minnesota River, and Wisconsin River to the continental drainage network.
Course and Geography
The Upper segment begins at Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park and flows generally south past urban centers including Bemidji, Minnesota, Brainerd, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Minneapolis, Minnesota before encountering major confluences at Saint Anthony Falls, the Twin Cities lock and dam system, and the junction with the Missouri River near St. Louis, Missouri. The reach crosses state boundaries of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois and cuts through glacially derived landforms such as the Driftless Area, Glacial Lake Agassiz remnants, and the Coteau des Prairies. The river corridor includes riparian cities like La Crosse, Wisconsin, Dubuque, Iowa, Quad Cities, and industrial centers including Rock Island, integrating with rail networks like the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company and riverport facilities.
Hydrology and Watershed
The Upper Mississippi's hydrology is driven by snowmelt from the Canadian Shield and precipitation over the Upper Midwest and drains a watershed incorporating major tributaries such as the Minnesota River, St. Croix River (Minnesota–Wisconsin), Des Moines River, and the Cedar River (Iowa). Flood regimes have been influenced by events linked to the Great Flood of 1993 and earlier flood episodes, with impacts modulated by infrastructure enacted under legislation like the Rivers and Harbors Act. Hydrometric monitoring by agencies including the United States Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tracks stage, discharge, and sediment loads; significant gauging stations include sites at St. Paul, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Sediment transport and nutrient fluxes from agricultural basins such as the Corn Belt contribute to downstream hypoxia concerns in the Gulf of Mexico via the mainstem and the Missouri River.
Ecology and Environment
The Upper Mississippi supports habitats for species protected under statutes involving Endangered Species Act listings, including migratory corridors for birds along the Mississippi Flyway and fish assemblages including native Lake Sturgeon and sport species affected by invasive taxa such as Common carp and Zebra mussel. Floodplain ecosystems contain wetlands tied to programs of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and refuges like the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which provide habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, and pollinators associated with adjacent refugia such as Horicon Marsh. Riparian forests include species influenced by timber markets and restoration projects connected to organizations like the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Environmental challenges include nutrient enrichment from the Missouri River and Iowa and Minnesota agricultural drainage, contaminants traced to industrial centers like Minneapolis–Saint Paul, and altered flow regimes from lock-and-dam operations implemented by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Navigation, Dams, and Infrastructure
Navigation on the Upper Mississippi is facilitated by a series of lock and dam complexes constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to maintain a 9-foot navigation channel established under mandates of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1930 and related legislation. Notable structures include the Lock and Dam No. 1 (St. Paul), the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, and successive lock-and-dam pairs numbered through the system. River ports such as St. Paul Port Authority and terminals in Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois handle commodities like grain from the Midwest and barge traffic serving markets linked to the Port of New Orleans. Bridges spanning the river—historic spans such as the Stone Arch Bridge (Minneapolis) and highway links like the Hastings Bridge—connect regional transportation networks including the Interstate Highway System and freight rail corridors like BNSF Railway.
History and Human Use
Indigenous peoples including the Ojibwe, Dakota, and other tribal nations used the Upper Mississippi as a corridor for trade, seasonal migration, and cultural practices prior to contact with European explorers such as Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet. Control and settlement intensified following treaties such as the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux and land cessions that facilitated fur trade posts linked to companies like the American Fur Company and later agricultural expansion during the 19th century. Urban growth of Minneapolis–Saint Paul was propelled by milling along Saint Anthony Falls and infrastructure investments tied to entities like the Northern Pacific Railway. Historic floods, steamboat navigation, and military logistics during conflicts such as the Black Hawk War shaped legal and institutional responses including river engineering by the USACE and federal policy under the New Deal era public works initiatives.
Conservation and Management
Management of the Upper Mississippi involves federal, state, and tribal agencies including the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, state departments such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and tribal governments. Collaborative frameworks include basin-scale efforts with organizations like the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative and scientific partnerships with universities such as the University of Minnesota and Iowa State University. Conservation actions target habitat restoration, invasive species control programs under coordination with the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, and nutrient reduction strategies connected to the Hypoxia Task Force. Ongoing debates concern balancing commercial navigation, flood risk reduction projects, and ecosystem restoration promoted by initiatives like the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program.
Category:Rivers of the United States Category:Mississippi River