Missouri River
Longest North American
The Missouri River is the longest river in North America, flowing about 2,300 miles from western Montana to its confluence with the Mississippi River near St.
Louis.
It drains much of the Great Plains and was the principal route for westward expansion: Lewis and Clark followed the Missouri to its headwaters.
Often called "Big Muddy" for its heavy sediment load.
Meeting point of streams
- tributaryStream entering larger river
- watershedDrainage area boundary
- floodplainFlood-prone riverside lowland
- headwatersRiver's starting point
meander · oxbow · channel · sediment · alluvial · braided · riparian · delta
Early 1800s expedition leaders
- SacagaweaShoshone interpreter for westward expedition
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- westward expansionSpreading in sunset's direction
- frontierEdge of settlement
Meriwether Lewis · fur trade · manifest destiny · pioneers · keelboat · pirogue · trailblazing · mapping
Flat freight vessel
- steamboatEngine-powered watercraft
- shippingTransporting goods to destinations
- cargoTransported goods
- freightGoods being transported
port · dock · navigable · channel · lock · dam · Omaha · Kansas City
River flood barrier
- floodplainFlood-prone riverside lowland
- inundationOverwhelming surge of water
- sandbagWeighted sack for barriers
- flood controlPreventing destructive overflow
dam · reservoir · flood stage · crest · evacuation · bottomland · devastation · mitigation
confluence
Meeting point of streams
- tributaryStream entering larger river
- watershedDrainage area boundary
- floodplainFlood-prone riverside lowland
headwaters · meander · oxbow · channel · sediment · alluvial · braided · riparian · delta · streamflow
Lewis and Clark
Early 1800s expedition leaders
- SacagaweaShoshone interpreter for westward expedition
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- westward expansionSpreading in sunset's direction
Meriwether Lewis · frontier · fur trade · manifest destiny · pioneers · keelboat · pirogue · trailblazing · mapping · uncharted
barge
Flat freight vessel
freight · port · dock · navigable · channel · lock · dam · Omaha · Kansas City · St. Louis
levee
River flood barrier
- floodplainFlood-prone riverside lowland
- inundationOverwhelming surge of water
- sandbagWeighted sack for barriers
flood control · dam · reservoir · flood stage · crest · evacuation · bottomland · devastation · mitigation
- Midwest AttractionsGateway Arch, Mount Rushmore, Mall of America, Mackinac Island, Great Lakes
- Midwest RiversOhio, Illinois, Wabash, Osage, Sandusky
- Missouri RiverBismarck, Pierre, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis
- Montana WatersSwan Lake
- Dakotas RegionNorth Dakota, South Dakota, Bismarck, Pierre, Fargo
- Callaway CountyFulton, Williamsburg, Millersburg, Guthrie
Missouri RiverColumbia River
Major Pacific Northwest river
Colorado River · Rio Grande · St. Lawrence River · Snake River · Yukon River
river, rivers, riverbank, riverbed, riverboat, Missouri, riverbanks, Missourians