UpperMiss 2022 endangered

Mississippi is one of America's most endangered rivers

UpperMiss 2022 flooding

Flooding along the Upper Mississippi decreases ecological diversity

UpperMiss 2019 runoff

Farm runoff in the Minnesota River pollutes the Mississippi

UpperMiss 2019 asiancarp

Invasive Asian carp contributes to decline in sport fish

UpperMiss 2016 farmpollution

Farm pollution at an all-time high in the Upper Mississippi

UpperMiss 2014 planstoclose

Plans to close Upper St. Anthony Falls lock and dam due to Asian carp

UpperMiss 2014 ojibwe

Ojibwe children don’t learn anymore

UpperMiss 2008 pollutioncontrol

Mississippi states petition for better pollution control

hist-3129-photo-Great Flood of the Upper Mississippi

Great flood of the Upper Mississippi

UpperMiss 1986 restoration

Upper Mississippi River Restoration–Environmental Management Program established

UpperMiss 1970 asiancarp

Invasive Asian carp introduced

hist-3088-photo-Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954

UpperMiss 1943 strong

"Strong, brown god"

hist-2931-photo-Taming the River

Taming the river

hist-3124-photo-We Used to Have Good Fortune, Anishinaabe Elder Melvin Eagle 

We used to have good fortune

UpperMiss 1930 pollution

Pollution in the upper river

hist-3084-photo-Disastrous Flood  and Subsequent 1928 Flood Control Act

Disastrous Flood and subsequent 1928 Flood Control Act

hist-2930-photo-Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge Established

Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge established

UpperMiss 1923 dontdrain

Don’t drain the river at Winneshiek Bottoms

UpperMiss 1918 endofwater

Eko-biising, "end of water"

hist-3083-photo-Flood Control Act

Flood Control Act

UpperMiss 1901 livedlongago

How the Ojibwe lived long ago

hist-3118-photo-Transport on the Mississippi River

Transport on the Mississippi River

UpperMiss 1882 tamed

The river cannot be tamed

hist-3077-photo-Mississippi River Commission (MRC) Established

Mississippi River Commission (MRC) established

hist-3078-photo-The National Government Must Levee the River, Randall Gibson

The national government must levee the river

hist-3116-photo-The River Must Be Available to All, Minnesota State Grange Convention Preamble

The river must be available to all

UpperMiss 1867 waterclear

The water is no longer clear

UpperMiss 1867 waterplants

Water plants

hist-2917-photo-Upper Mississippi a Grand Beauty, New York Daily Times

Upper Mississippi, a grand beauty

UpperMiss 1842 pigeons

Numberless pigeons

hist-3113-photo-I hate the Mississippi, Frederick Marryat

"I hate the Mississippi"

UpperMiss 1823 nothingmore

Nothing more beautiful

hist-2915-photo-Miners Ship 472 Million Pounds of Lead Down the Mississippi

Miners ship 472 million pounds of lead down the Mississippi

hist-2910-photo-Steamboats Will Open Up a New World on the Mississippi, Zadok Cramer

Steamboats will open up a New World on the Mississippi

UpperMiss 1805 sublime

Most sublime and romantic views

hist-3072-photo- Louisiana Purchase

 Louisiana Purchase

hist-2909-photo-Louis Joillet and Jacques Marquette Claim the Upper River for the French, Jacques Marquette

Louis Joillet and Jacques Marquette claim the Upper River for the French

hist-2908-photo-Abundance of Food on the Upper Mississippi, Louis Hennepin

Abundance of food on the Upper Mississippi

hist-3107-photo-Michi Zeebee

Michi Zeebee, "Great River"

UpperMiss 5000BCE creation

Earth Was Placed on a Turtle's Back, Ojibwa Myth

UpperMiss 16000 meandering

The meandering Mississippi is formed

hist-4043-photo-Upper Mississippi River Overview

Mississippi River, Upper

703 Dams Along the River

channeling, damming, and levee systems have killed the river’s natural flow.

Pollution

2/3 of all pesticides & herbicides used in U.S. agriculture, are applied in the Mississippi River basin, causing algae blooms and the Gulf of Mexico’s “deadzone”.

Losing Silt

Without natural flooding the river is losing it’s silt, overall reduction has been more than 60% & the mouth of the Mississippi in Louisiana is disappearing.

Habitat Loss

Major losses due to agriculture & development.

Water Flow

After dams were constructed, the velocity & flow regime of the river changed. In 1878 flows were much higher in the spring & lower in winter before the dams.

Most Pressing Issues

Mississippi River Collaborative

The Mississippi River Collaborative works cooperatively within the basin by focusing on state & regional water pollution issues & increasing the capacity of local groups.

Restore the Mississippi River Delta

"Restore the Mississippi River Delta’s staff scientists provide the technical expertise and analysis upon which all our campaign efforts and policies are based. We provide technical guidance and partner with the state of Louisiana and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on proposed projects, plans and restoration priorities. We provide decision makers with information on the evolving threats to the delta and feasibility of solutions. We conduct original research, synthesize existing research to provide critical analyses and help guide the academic scientific community to research questions that have an applied purpose in restoration decisions."

Friends of the Mississippi River

Friends of the Mississippi River engages citizens to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region.

Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy works to address some of the river’s most critical threats including habitat loss and incompatible land use.

How You Can Help

Lower Mississippi River Timeline

Upper Mississippi River