Is the Mississippi river really muddy looking? how deep is it?

[saturnine]

I have heard its really murky and muddy looking. Is it very deep? I know its bigger than the snake river here in idaho but its crystal clear water. fast moving. and deep. its beautiful. i would love to see the great mississippi one day.

[MississippiSlim]

Very Muddy Depending on where it is various depths but is dredged to keep it navigable.

[saturnine]

wow. crazy that they dredge it. totally bizarre. i would like to see it one day for sure.

[Gorillamo]

Considering the area of North America that the Mississippi River drains and the fact that is passes over pretty flat land, it is indeed muddy and slow. But extraordinarily powerful!

There are two overlooks in the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on Washington Street north of the two river bridges, where you can sit on the remains of Confederate forts high above the river, and watch the barge traffic as it makes its way past the Gibraltar of the South and around the massive bend at Delta Point.

It is quite a sight to see the tows forcing their way upstream against the current, the roar of their engines audible even at the distance of a half mile or more.

Called Ol' Muddy as a result of the great amount of sediment that it carries, the Mississippi River is about half a mile wide as it passes Vicksburg. The Corps of Engineers maintains a nine foot deep navigation channel, so that's a lot of water passing by. This motion of the water can be very mesmerizing to watch.

Well worth the stop anywhere along the river if you get a chance to travel near ? keep Greenville, Vicksburg, or Natchez in mind if you make it this far south.

Bill Pitts
The New Southern View Ezine

[jpardoe]

You will surely be impressed by its width and eddies and currents. Don't just drive by...find a place to stop and take it all in.

[ScreamSalvation]

If you get a chance to see it then take it. As Gorillamo said the overlooks in Vicksburg are great for looking at the river.

As for your depth question, from the overlooks in Vicksburg you can see the markings on the bridge that indicate river level. So you can see what the level is currently at around the bridge and can see it go up and down depending on rain fall.

I was over there about a month ago but can't remember what level the river was at, next time I go that way I'll let you know.