How Many Rivers Are There In The US: Over 250,000
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| The United States of America has over 250,000 rivers - Photo: KnowInsiders.com |
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Rivers provide us with drinking water, irrigation water, transportation, electrical power, drainage, food, and recreation in general. Rivers erode land and transport it downstream to the sea. How many rivers in the US? Is there anything you haven’t known about rivers in the US?
Check out the special article of Knowinsiders.com right below.
How important are rivers?
A river is defined as a moving stream of water with defined banks that flows into a larger body of water, usually an ocean. That's a little hazy, but it should give you an idea of what we're talking about.
Those are benefits that rivers bring us:
Water
Rivers transport water and nutrients all over the world. They are vital to the water cycle because they serve as drainage channels for surface water. Rivers drain nearly 75% of the land surface on the planet.
Habitats
Many of the earth's organisms find excellent habitat and food in rivers.
By rivers, many rare plants and trees grow. Ducks, voles, otters, and beavers live on the river's banks. Along the riverbanks, reeds and other plants such as bulrushes grow.
Other animals feed and drink from the river. Small fish from the river are eaten by birds such as kingfishers. In Africa, animals such as antelopes, lions, and elephants drink from rivers. Other animals, such as bears, fish in rivers.
There are numerous wildlife species in river deltas. Insects, mammals and birds use the delta for their homes and for food.
Transport
Rivers provide travel routes for exploration, commerce and recreation.
Farming
Fertile soils can be found in river valleys and plains. Farmers in arid areas irrigate their crops with water transported by irrigation ditches from nearby rivers.
Energy
Rivers are an important source of energy. Mills, shops, and factories were built near fast-flowing rivers where water could be used to power machines during the early industrial era. Even today, steep rivers are used to power hydroelectric plants and water turbines.
READ MORE: Facts About Nile - The Longest River in the world
How many rivers are there in the US?
The United States of America has over 250,000 rivers totaling approximately 3,500,000 miles. You could circle the globe 140 times and still not have accumulated that many miles! That is a lot of rivers!
READ MORE: 10 Longest and Most Beautiful Rivers in Florida
Top 10 longest rivers in the US
| River Name | Length | Flows Into |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Missouri | 2,540 miles | Mississippi River |
| 2. Mississippi | 2,340 miles | Gulf of Mexico |
| 3. Yukon | 1,980 miles | Bering Sea |
| 4. Rio Grande | 1,900 miles | Gulf of Mexico |
| 4. St. Lawrence | 1,900 miles | Gulf of St. Lawrence |
| 6. Arkansas | 1,460 miles | Mississippi River |
| 7. Colorado | 1,450 miles | Gulf of California |
| 8. Red | 1,290 miles | Mississippi River |
| 9. Brazos | 1,280 miles | Gulf of Mexico |
| 10. Columbia | 1,240 miles | Pacific Ocean |
What is the Longest River in the US?
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| Photo a-z-animals |
The Missouri River is the United States' largest and longest river. Despite being nearly as long as the Mississippi River, the Missouri River comes out on top. The interesting thing about measuring these rivers is that there are numerous disagreements about their lengths. According to some measurements, the two largest rivers are only one mile apart in length!
Read More: Top 10 Deepest Rivers in the United States
What is the second longest river in the US?
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| Photo a-z-animals |
The Mississippi River is the second-longest in the United States (2,320 miles) and one of the most iconic rivers in the country. It is also the fourth-longest river in the world.
The water source for this massive river, which eventually flows into the Gulf of Mexico, is Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota.
You might be surprised to learn that a single drop of water in Mississippi takes approximately 90 days to travel from source to mouth.
| For thousands of years, the Mississippi River has served as a habitat for millions of birds and fish. This river currently supports over 600 different species of fish and birds, as well as nearly 200 different species of amphibians and mammals. |
♦ Top 3 Most Mysterious Legends On Mississippi River
What is the shortest river in the US?
The Roe River in Montana has the smallest recorded river in the United States. In Cascade County, the Roe River flows only 201 feet (61 meters) before joining the Missouri River.
Roe River was unnamed until 1988, when a group of fifth-grade students in Great Falls, Montana, spearheaded a campaign to have the name accepted by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Starting in 1987, the same fifth graders successfully petitioned Guinness to name the river the world's shortest, knocking the D River in Lincoln City, Oregon, out of first place.
| Because the small river is near the State Fish Hatchery, fifth-graders named it Roe River after "roe" for fish eggs. |
Is the Roe River truly the world's shortest river?While the Roe River is the smallest river ever recorded in the United States, there are much smaller rivers all over the world. For example, the Tamborasi River in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, is only 65.6 feet (20 meters) long and is considered Southeast Asia's smallest river. |
What is the oldest river in the US?
The New River in West Virginia is the oldest river in the United States. The only river that is older in the world is the Nile.
What is the most beautiful river in the US?
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| Photo attractionsofamerica |
According to webstie attractionsofamerica, the Kenai River is the msot beautiful in the US.
It runs through the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. The scenic river flows for 82 miles through rocky outcroppings and lush pine tree forests.
Kenai is an excellent fishing destination, as well as a great place to see Alaska's local wildlife. The river is Alaska's most popular sport fishing destination.
Fishermen salivate as they prepare to cast their lines into the Kenai River in search of salmon.
Interesting Facts about rivers in the US
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| Photo Flickr |
-In 2009, after birds flew into the engine, a US Airways pilot successfully landed a passenger plane on the Hudson River. There were no fatalities.
-In the United States, there are approximately 8,100 dams.
-The New Madrid Earthquakes (1811-1812) temporarily reversed the Mississippi River's flow.
Engineers reversed the flow of the Chicago River in the early 1900s. It continues to flow backwards to this day.
 Top 10 Deepest Rivers in the United States In this post, the top 10 of the US' deepest rivers were made according to their maximum depth measured in meters. |
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