Mississippi Facts

The river is about 2,350 miles or 3500 kilometres in length
The narrowest point is about 20 feet just below Lake Itasca
The widest point is about 4 miles (6 kilometres) at Lake Onalaska near La Crosse,Wisconsin
The shallowest point is just below Lake Itasca where it is less than 3 feet deep (although it can drop to less than 6 inches) There are stories of paddlers starting with great fanfare only to have get out and walk within a few metres of the start point. In fact one year a father and son team started at Bemidji, a town 3 days travel down the river because of the lack of water. They made it to New Orleans and it rankled that they had missed the first 80 miles. Next year they returned to Lake Itasca to do the skipped portion!!!
The deepest point is about 200 feet at New Orleans
Elevation above sea level at Lake Itasca is 1475 feet
More than half the total drop of the river occurs in Minnesota
The river drains 41% of continental USA
The river passes through/or forms the boundary of 10 States Minnesota,Wisconsin,Iowa,Illinois.Kentucky,Tennessee,Missouri,Arkansas.Louisiana and Mississippi (Missouri is the only state I haven't previously visited)