Is this where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico?
On 23 April 2016, a photograph purportedly showing “where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico” started circulating on Facebook along with the claim that these “two bodies of water never mix.” Subsequent postings of the image included an additional (misspelled) claim, that this lack of mixing is proof of God’s existence:
What causes hypoxia in the Mississippi River?
Seventy percent of nutrient loads that cause hypoxia are a result of agricultural runoff caused by rain washing fertilizer off of the land and into streams and rivers. Additionally, 12 million people live in urban areas that border the Mississippi, and these areas constantly discharge treated sewage into rivers.
What percentage of the US drains into the Mississippi River?
Forty-one percent of the continental United States (1.2 million square miles) drains into the Mississippi River and then out to the Gulf of Mexico. The majority of the land in Mississippi’s watershed is farm land.
How does the Mississippi River affect phytoplankton?
Additionally, 12 million people live in urban areas that border the Mississippi, and these areas constantly discharge treated sewage into rivers. The farm and urban discharge includes nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous that is very important for the growth of phytoplankton.
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Where does the Mississippi river flow into the Gulf of Mexico?
Gulf of MexicoMississippi River / MouthThe Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. Wikipedia
What states do the Mississippi river run through?
There is so much to consider along this great American waterway as it courses through 10 states—Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana—it would seem easy to overlook a few pieces.
Does the Mississippi river run into the Gulf of Mexico?
Length. 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.
What state does the Mississippi river End in?
Where Does the Mississippi River End? New Orleans is the last major city along the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River ends in the Gulf of Mexico. It flows from north to south, starting in Minnesota and eventually forming a delta in the southern portion of Louisiana as it flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
What state does the Mississippi river start in?
northern MinnesotaThe Mississippi River begins as a trickle flowing out of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota. From there the river flows 2,348 miles until it pours into the Gulf of Mexico below New Orleans. The Mississippi River drains 33 states and its watershed covers one-half of the nation.
Where does the Mississippi river begin and where does it end?
The Mississippi River rises in Lake Itasca in Minnesota and ends in the Gulf of Mexico. It covers a total distance of 2,340 miles (3,766 km) from its source. The Mississippi River is the longest river of North America.
Which US state touches the Gulf of Mexico?
Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas are considered Gulf States because they border the Gulf of Mexico.
Where do the Missouri and Mississippi rivers meet?
St. LouisMissouri: America's Longest River The Missouri River will travel more than 2,300 miles before it joins the Mississippi in its namesake state at St. Louis, forming the world's fourth longest river system as it rolls south to the Gulf of Mexico.
What two states does the Mississippi river begin and end?
The river itself begins in Minnesota and ends in the Gulf of Mexico.
Does the Mississippi river flow through Tennessee?
The Mississippi River passes through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. But there is so much more to learn about the Mississippi River!
What percentage of the Mississippi River is farm land?
Forty-one percent of the continental United States (1.2 million square miles) drains into the Mississippi River and then out to the Gulf of Mexico. The majority of the land in Mississippi’s watershed is farm land. Seventy percent of nutrient loads that cause hypoxia are a result of agricultural runoff caused by rain washing fertilizer off ...
What causes hypoxia in Mississippi?
Seventy percent of nutrient loads that cause hypoxia are a result of agricultural runoff caused by rain washing fertilizer off of the land and into streams and rivers . Additionally, 12 million people live in urban areas that border the Mississippi, and these areas constantly discharge treated sewage into rivers.
How many tons of nutrients are delivered into the Gulf of Mexico every year?
About 1.7 million tons of these nutrients are deliverd by rivers into the Gulf of Mexico every year. This huge influx of nutrients causes massive phytoplankton blooms to occur, this in turn leads to a large increase in zooplankton that feed on phytoplankton.
What causes the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico?
This video captured a fluctuating dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, which is caused when high-nutrient water full of nitrogen and phosphorus from the Mississippi River pours into the Gulf. That leads to large algae blooms, altered food chains, and hypoxic (oxygen deficient) waters:
What is hypoxic water?
Hypoxic water supports fewer organisms and has been linked to massive fish kills in the Black Sea and Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is a major source area for the seafood industry. The Gulf supplies 72% of U.S. harvested shrimp, 66% of harvested oysters, and 16% of commercial fish (Potash and Phosphate Institutes of the U.S. and Canada, 1999).
Does the Mississippi River mix with the Gulf of Mexico?
Subsequent postings of the image included an additional (misspelled) claim, that this lack of mixing is proof of God’s existence: The Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. The two bodies of water never mix with each other; allowing the Gulf of Mexico to retain its clear, blue color. Simply amazing!
Is the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico man made?
While the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is man made, a similar aesthetic is achieved naturally in other parts of the world, such as the Gulf of Alaska, where glacial rivers mix with the ocean.