Rivers are important to the United States. They are big and long. Some are the longest rivers in the world. Think about the land of the USA. A lot of it is water. Over 264,000 square miles are water. That is about 7% of the whole country. In this water are many rivers. Some of these rivers are very big. They are like giants on the land.
They change how the land looks. They make plains and valleys. They give water to all kinds of living things. People need them for water to drink and for farms. Rivers are also used for travel. People can use boats on them. Rivers are also for fun. People can swim or fish in rivers. This article is about ten of the longest rivers in the USA. We will learn about each one. We will see how long they are.
We will see why they are important to America. Are you ready to learn about these big rivers? Let’s start to explore the longest rivers in the USA.
1. Missouri River
- Length: 3,768 km
- Elevation: 2,800 m
- Start: Rocky Mountains
- End: Mississippi River
The Missouri River is long. The Missouri tribe lived near this river. They called themselves “People of the Big Canoe” because of it. The river goes through seven states. There are six dams on the river. The river is needed by people who live near it. Its water flows into ten U.S. states and two Canadian areas.
It goes through areas where not many people live. For over 12,000 years, people have used the Missouri River. It is the longest river in the US. They have also used the smaller rivers that flow into it. They used them for food. They used them to move from place to place.
2. Mississippi River
- Length: 3,766 km
- Elevation: 450 m
- Start: Lake Itasca
- End: Gulf of Mexico
The Mississippi River is also very long. It is one of the longest rivers in the USA. People use it for fun. It is also important for nature. Water skiing started on this river. The river goes through ten states. It connects different places and towns in the United States.
This makes it a well-known place. About 25% of all types of fish in North America live in the Mississippi River. This shows there are many kinds of water animals there. It takes a long time for water to go all the way down the river. It takes about three months. This shows how big and strong the river is.
3. Yukon River
- Length: 3,190 km
- Elevation: 669 m
- Start: Atlin Lake
- End: Bering Sea
The name “Yukon” means “great river.” This word comes from the Gwich’in language. A long time ago, only North American Indians lived in this big area. Later, people from Russia came. This was in the middle of the 1800s.
During the Klondike Gold Rush, from 1896 to 1903, the Yukon River was used for travel. Many people used it to find gold. A famous place on the Yukon River is the Whitehorse Fishway. It is at the Whitehorse Dam. It is a long ladder made of wood for fish. It is the longest wooden fish ladder in the world. It is 366 meters (1,200 feet) long.
4. Rio Grande
- Length: 3,034 km
- Elevation: 3,890 m
- Start: San Juan Mountains
- End: Gulf of Mexico
In Mexico, the Rio Grande River is called Rio Bravo. This means “wild river.” It is also one of the longest rivers in the US. People call it “wild” because it is very strong. People have built fifteen dams on this river.
The Rio Grande has over 100 smaller rivers that flow into it. But now there is a problem. The river is getting dry. People have said many times that the river is in danger. This is not good for the animals that live in the river. One fish, the Rio Grande silvery minnow, is now in danger of dying out because of this. It used to be common
5. Colorado River
- Length: 2,334 km
- Elevation: 3,104 m
- Start: La Poudre Pass
- End: Gulf of California
A man from Europe found the Colorado River in 1539. His name was Francisco de Ulloa. This river is very important for water. About 40 million people in the southwest part of North America get water from it.
More than 25 big rivers flow into the Colorado River. The Green River is the biggest one. It is the longest and has the most water. A long time ago, 49 types of fish lived in the rivers of the Colorado area. 42 of these types of fish were special. They only lived in this area.
6. Arkansas River
- Length: 2,364 km
- Elevation: 2,965 m
- Start: Rocky Mountains
- End: Mississippi River
The Arkansas River is another of the longest rivers in the US. It flows into the Mississippi River. It has a long history. In the 1540s, a man named Hernando de Soto found where the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers meet.
He was from Spain. The Spanish people called the river Napeste then. Later, in 1673, Father Jacques Marquette called it “Arkansas.” He wrote this name in his book as “Akansa.” During the American Civil War, the North and South both wanted to stop people from using the Arkansas River. They did not want the other side to use it to move soldiers and supplies.
7. Columbia River
- Length: 2,000 km
- Elevation: 820 m
- Start: Columbia Lake
- End: Pacific Ocean
People have used the Columbia River for thousands of years. It has been important for a very long time. Many things have happened near this river. More than 60 big rivers flow into the Columbia River. This makes it important for nature.
There are 14 dams on the main part of the Columbia River. 11 dams are in the United States. 3 dams are in Canada. The Columbia River makes more electric power from water than any other river in North America. The dams help make electricity for both the United States and Canada.
8. Red River
- Length: 2,189 km
- Elevation: 2,643 m
- Start: Minnesota
- End: Mississippi River
The Red River is also known as the Red River of the South. It is one of the longest rivers in the USA. It is a big river in the Southern United States. It is called the “Red River” because of the red ground in the area around it. There are other rivers named Red River, but this one is important.
In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson sent people to explore the Red River area. They wanted to learn about the land that the US had just bought. The Red River is connected to the Mississippi River. They are linked by a special structure called the Old River Control Structure. This shows how important it is in the area’s water system.
9. Snake River
- Length: 1,735 km
- Elevation: 2,806 m
- Start: Rocky Mountains
- End: Washington Tri-Cities (Columbia River)
The Snake River flows into the Columbia River. It is the biggest river that flows into the Columbia. The Snake River goes through different kinds of land. More than 20 big rivers flow into the Snake River.
These rivers mostly start in the mountains. People have built fifteen dams on the Snake River. Each dam has a different job. They use the river’s water in many ways. In the past, the Snake River was very important for fish to lay eggs. Fish would come from the sea to lay eggs in this river. This shows it is important for nature and for the animals of the area.
10. Ohio River
- Length: 1,579 km
- Elevation: 680 m
- Start: Pittsburgh
- End: Cairo (Mississippi River)
The Ohio River is the largest river that flows into the Mississippi River from the east. It has a long history. A French explorer named René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle was the first European to see it. That was in 1669.
The Ohio River was not deep at first. But people changed it by building dams. The first dam and lock were built in 1885. By 1929, there were 46 locks and dams. These dams made the Ohio River deeper. This made it easier to travel on boats and move goods. It became a very important river for trade.
In Conclusion: Rivers of the USA
To finish, the longest rivers in the USA are very important to the country. They show how different the land is. They are part of the history of the USA. From the well-known Mississippi to the big Colorado, each river is special.
It is important to keep these rivers safe and good. If we do this, these rivers will keep being important for the future. They will give water and be important for history for many years to come.
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