Yellowstone
Yellowstone Falls | Photo Credit: Scott Catron via WIkimedia Commons | Cover Photo: Paul Hermans

The United States is home to some of the most beautiful rivers in the world. So in honor of the great rivers that flow across this great country, here are a few things you likely don’t know about our rivers.

Related: Washington’s Elwha River Thrives After Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History

10 Facts You Don’t Know About Rivers In The USA

Snake River
The Snake flowing underneath the Tetons | Photo Credit: NPS

10) The longest undammed river in the country is the Yellowstone river (692 miles long)

9) The longest river is the Missouri River (2,540 miles long)

Missouri River
The Missouri River | Photo Credit: aimee castenell

8) There are over 250,000 Rivers in the United States

7) The Mississippi is the deepest and most voluminous river

The Mississippi flowing through the Twin Cities
The Mississippi flowing through the Twin Cities | Photo Credit: Moncrief

6) In 2009, an US Airways pilot successfully landed a passenger plane on the Hudson River after birds flew into the engine. No lives were lost.

5) There are approximately 8,100 dams in the United States

Dams
Dams in the United States

4) The New Madrid Earthquakes (1811-1812) temporarily reversed the flow of the Mississippi River.

3) In the early 1900’s, engineers reversed the flow of the Chicago river. It still flows backwards to this day.

The Chicago River at night | Photo Credit:
The Chicago River at night | Photo Credit: OmidGul

2) 3,500,000 miles of river flow across this country

1) 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. 

The New River, WV | Photo Credit:
The New River, WV | Photo Credit: NKS22

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