Lower Mississippi River | |
---|---|
![]() 35 barges passing under the Vicksburg Bridge by Vicksburg, Miss. | |
Location | |
Country | US |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Cairo, Illinois (confluence of Ohio River and the Middle Mississippi River) |
• elevation | 315 ft (96 m) |
Mouth | |
• location | Gulf of Mexico |
Length | 990 mi (1,600 km) |
The Lower Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River downstream of Cairo, Illinois. From the confluence of the Ohio River and the Middle Mississippi River at Cairo, the Lower flows just under 1000 miles (1600 km) to the Gulf of Mexico.[1] It is the most heavily travelled component of the Mississippi River System.[2]