Mississippi is an Indian word, meaning "Great River" or "gathering of water". The Mississippi River is one of the world's major rivers in size and habitat diversity. It is the third longest and largest river in the world, the second largest in North America. It flows 3,705 kilometers from its source at Itasca in the Minnesota North Woods, through the mid-continent United States. The Mississippi enters the Gulf of Mexico about 160km downstream from New Orleans, …showed first 75 words of 382 total…

…showed last 75 words of 382 total…been found downstream as a result of sewage flowing into the river. Because the Mississippi is such a large river covering a vast area, there is no comprehensive organization dedicated to the protection of the entire river. No state claims the river as its own responsibility, which adds to the difficulty of keeping it pollutant free. Because of all the features, the Mississippi River is the one of the most important rivers in North America.