Missouri is one of the longest rivers of North America, which is the largest right tributary of the Mississippi. Translated from the language of one of the tribes that once lived on its banks, the name means "a large and muddy river." This name fully confirms its character, because even the Mississippi, after entering the waters from Missouri, retains a changed color right up to the ocean.
Geographic location
As noted above, the Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi. It flows in a southeastern direction, crossing several states at once - Montana, as well as South and North Dakota. Moreover, it was she who determined the natural boundaries of Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. It should be noted that a small part of this river is located in the two provinces of Canada.
general description
According to official figures, the total length of this waterway is 3970 kilometers. The water in it is quite muddy. This is due to the fact that a powerful stream washes rocks. Even this fact does not scare away hundreds of thousands of tourists who annually come to it for outdoor activities and entertainment. The Missouri River is characterized by frequent floods, which can have disastrous consequences (the last of them occurred about sixty years ago). The average annual volume of sediment that it brings is 220 million tons. The largest cities on its shores are Kansas City, Omaha, Sioux City, Pierre, Bismarck and Jefferson City. This waterway is suitable for navigation (including for large river ships to the port of Sioux City). As for the total area of the pool, it is 1370 square kilometers, in other words, almost 17% of the entire US territory.
Source and flow
The Missouri River, whose source is located in the eastern spurs of the Rocky Mountains, is formed by the confluence of three water arteries (Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin) at an altitude of 4132 meters above sea level. Very close is the world famous Yellowstone National Wildlife Refuge. In the upper reaches, on a stretch of 16 kilometers long, rapids form, the height of which falls to the level of 187 meters. After exiting from deep crevices, a river in a deep valley crosses a plateau of the same name. At this site, due to dams, a whole chain of reservoirs was built on it. The Missouri downstream is characterized by an unstable and winding channel, as well as frequent floods.
Water mode
The upper reaches are characterized by snow, while the lower and middle ones are mostly rain fed. The water regime is very variable. The water level in the lower reaches during spring flood can rise by 12 meters. If the maximum water flow per second at this time reaches the mark of 19 thousand cubic meters, then in the summer it does not exceed 170 cubic meters. To regulate the flow, a complex of large reservoirs was built on Missouri itself and many of its tributaries. In addition, they provide irrigation and improve shipping conditions. The average water discharge at the mouth is about 2.25 thousand cubic meters per second. The largest tributaries that the Missouri River has are water arteries such as Jefferson, Kansas, Osage, Yellowstone, Platt and Milk.
Flora and fauna
The diversity of flora and fauna is rapidly increasing downstream. The most common representatives of the flora on the shores of this aquatic artery were maple, ash, willow, plane tree and poplar. The Missouri River is the habitat of more than 150 species of fish. In addition, there are a large number of species of invertebrates. According to biologists, this is due to the high concentration of sediment dissolved in its waters. More than 300 species of birds live on the shores, as well as otters, beavers, muskrats, minks and raccoons. It should be noted that some of the fauna representatives are not found anywhere else in the world, therefore they are listed as endangered animals in the state register.
Economic value
According to historical data, the Missouri River was first investigated in 1673 by a group of scientists led by Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolye. Since the time of the civil war in the country, it has played an important role in transport communications. There are barges with gravel, fertilizers, wheat, and other materials and products. The reservoir chain built in the twentieth century contributed to the economic development of the region. On the other hand, its construction led to serious environmental problems and deterioration of water quality. Be that as it may, now in the river valley excellent conditions have been created for the development of agriculture and industry.
Tourist attraction and cultural significance
Numerous studies indicate that the first inhabitants in the Missouri Valley appeared about twelve thousand years ago. Throughout history, 10 different Native American tribes lived on local shores . Now there are no undeveloped places in the vicinity of the river, so travelers from all over the world can be found everywhere. They are attracted not only by the excellent infrastructure for outdoor activities, but also by Yellowstone Nature Reserve. Separate words also deserve the Ferry Canyon reservoir, from which water flows from a height of 187 meters. In general, the pool has more than a hundred artificial reservoirs, each of which has its own characteristics.
The water artery is of great cultural importance for the Americans themselves. The most famous work associated with it was the movie "Missouri Bends", directed by Arthur Penn. Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson, who took part in it in 1972 and 1975, were awarded Oscars for best male lead roles.
Entertainment
The first settlers appeared on the banks of the river during the era of French expeditions. Starting from this time, active construction was carried out here. Nowadays, a large number of tourist camps have appeared along the riverbed, each of which offers its own types of outdoor activities. The most popular of them were hiking, fishing, photography and excursion navigation. Guides offer trips to local attractions, which also include visits to North American farms. The inaccessible terrain surrounding the Missouri River is most interesting to overcome on horses, mountain bicycles or ATVs. The most popular among extremals is the rental of paragliders and the descent of the river in inflatable boats.