The US Geological Survey estimates there are 250,000 rivers across the United States. These rivers travel more than 3.5 million miles through the continental USA, Alaska and Hawaii. More than 80% of Americans live within a mile of these rivers, which are used for irrigation, transportation, drinking water, electrical power, recreation and other purposes. Many of them showcase the diverse natural beauty of the United States and are rich components of the nation’s cultural heritage.
The longest of these rivers is the Missouri River, known as “The Big Muddy” for the enormous amount of silt, sand, and clay sediment it transports along its 2,540 miles before merging with the second longest river, the mighty Mississippi River, known as the “Father of Waters”, which flows north to south for 2,340 miles before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. The confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers shows the striking difference of the opaque brown waters of the Missouri merging into the “cleaner” Mississippi.
Confluence of Missouri (left) and Mississippi (Right) rivers near St. Louis, Missouri and Alton, Illinois. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
Missouri River, the DeSoto cut-off, and Lake DeSoto…The DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is the green area enclosed by the arms of the oxbow. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group)
Natchez riverboat on Mississippi River at sunset, New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
Lewis and Clark’s ‘Decision Point’ at confluence of Marias and Missouri River, upper Missouri river breaks, Lewiston, MT. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
St. Louis, Missouri skyline on Mississippi River from East St. Louis, Illinois. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
Several rivers can stake a claim as having the most natural beauty. The Colorado River’s epic 1,450 mile trip through sandstone caverns and desert rock formations offers breathtaking views throughout its long journey, with perhaps none as awesome as the famous Horseshoe Bend in Arizona. Alaska’s dramatic mountain ranges and thick evergreen forests are on display along the Yukon River’s travels (the Yukon is the third-longest river at 1,980 miles). The scenic Yellowstone River matches its namesake national park in beauty and ecological importance.
America’s rivers facilitate important transportation and shipping industries that link the nation together. These rivers often serve many purposes. The Ohio River, in addition to being an important transportation river, is the primary source of drinking water for more than 5 million people. The environmentally critical Columbia River is known as the “Powerhouse River” because it is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in North America.
View of the Yellowstone River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from Calcite Springs Overlook in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Photo by: Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group)
Aerial view of Suspension Bridges and James Roebling Bridge crossing Ohio River from Covington Kentucky to Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
Snake River and crop circles in The Palouse of Washington. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group)
Horseshoe bend, a horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River, Glen Canyon, Arizona. (Photo by: Nano Calvo/VW Pics/Universal Images Group)
Megler bridge, 1233 feet long, over Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon to Washington State. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
A wind storm blows over the Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park in Texas. Mexico is at right. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group)
Red Cliffs Lodge, along Colorado River in Moab Utah. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
Washington DC, Memorial Bridge at dusk spans Potomac River and features Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
American Buffalo (bison) grazing along the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley area of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Photo by: Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group)
Drone view of Hudson River at dawn near Storm King State Park off 9W North of New York City, Hudson River Valley. (Photo by: Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
The Yukon River at full flood, Canada 2 (Photo by: Planet One Images/Universal Images Group)
Cargo river barge floats down Ohio River, outside of Cincinnati. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
Islands in the Columbia River and cliffs on the Oregon side, Columbia Gorge, Washington-Oregon. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group)
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area shows Multnomah Water Fall, east of Portland, Oregon. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
Great Falls of the Potomac River. Virginia (L) Maryland (R) at Great Falls Park. Bedrock is mostly metagraywacke and schist of the Proterozoic-Cambrian Mather Gorge Formation. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group)
Aerial view of Bear Mountain Bridge (US 6 and 202) crossing Hudson River in Hudson River Valley, New York State. (Photo by: Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group)
Sunrise view Mount Moran, Snake River, Oxbow Bend, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
East of Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. (Photo by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
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American history is closely linked with its rivers. Early explorers traveled northward from New York Harbor up the Hudson River as they learned more about the new world they were discovering. The Potomac River served as a primary dividing line between the Union and the Confederacy during the United States Civil War. The Rio Grande and St. Lawrence rivers provide scenic natural borders between the USA and its neighbors to the south (Mexico) and north (Canada). America’s famous explorers Lewis and Clark traversed the Snake River during their historic expeditions across the northwest.
The UIG collection features many thousands of images covering rivers in the United States and worldwide. Our contributors focus on the ecological and industrial impacts of rivers as well as their natural beauty.
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