Any? Many! Mighty Mo.
at the Ty and Linda Heithoff Borman Tree Top Walk
Any? Many!
Mighty Mo.
Here’s what you may not know. Learn how this river flows and see just how long it goes.
Stretching around about 2,500 miles, the Missouri River is the longest river in North America. We need the river for drinking water, farming, animal habitats and more.
Any? Many! Mighty Move.
What states does the river flow through? Not just Iowa, but Nebraska, too!
The Missouri River forms a natural border between Council Bluffs and Omaha, but it also flows through five other states.
Can you name them all?
The Missouri River flows through Montana, North and South Dakota, Kansas and Missouri. It then joins the Mississippi River at the Illinois border.
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How wide is the river shore-to-shore? It carries a lot of water at its core.
The Missouri River’s width at River’s Edge Park is around half a mile wide.
How many football fields make up half a mile?
A little more than seven football fields are needed to cross the river shore-to-shore.
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Don’t mess with the river’s groove. The river channel has something to prove.
The river channel changes naturally and slightly over time, especially during floods. It can create new paths and leave old bends behind.
Do you know which Iowa city was created after a major flood changed the river’s path?
Carter Lake, Iowa, is a lake just to the west of Eppley Airfield on the Nebraska side of the river. Over 100 years ago, a major flood caused the Missouri River to change its path. The river cut a new channel, leaving an old bend behind filled with water. This became Carter Lake in 1877.
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Sometimes the river breaks. When the river floods, lots of land is at stake.
Flooding happens when too much water enters the river, usually from melting snow, heavy spring rains or a combination of both. If the river can’t carry all that water, it overflows into the land around it, which pushes the river about its “flood stage.”
What does “flood stage” mean?
The “flood stage” is the point at which a river may cause flooding or damage. The flood stage near Omaha and Council Bluffs is 27 feet. This means if the river is more than 27 feet high, flooding will occur. The river was over 36 feet high during the 2011 flood. Floods can’t be completely prevented, but we can reduce their damage by building levees, dams and reservoirs to help control the water. Learn more about flooding in our area, especially two major floods in the summer of 2011 and spring of 2019.
Learn more
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Muddy water isn’t yuck. With lots of mud all around, best to not get stuck.
The river carries a lot of sediment that gives the water its brown, muddy color. The fast-moving water slowly breaks down the banks, washing soil into the Missouri River and causing soil erosion. This erosion adds more sediment to the water, helping build fertile floodplains.
What is “sediment?”
Sediment is made up of tiny bits of sand, clay and soil. It’s full of nutrients that help the land and plants nearby grow strong.
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The more you learn, the more you grow. Thanks for staying in the know!
The Missouri River is more than just a long, muddy river. It’s a powerful force that shapes our land and provides life for animals and people. By understanding the Missouri River, we learn how to protect it and appreciate everything it gives us.
Thank you to our partners.
Information for this story was provided by Pottawattamie Conservation
Author: Pottawattamie Conservation
Published: 2025
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Any? Many! Mighty Mo.
The Missouri River, or “Mighty Mo,” is the longest river in North America. This powerful river shapes the land and provides habitat for countless living things—including people. Be in the know about the Mighty Mo: read this story online and take time to observe its “mighty” current at several viewing spots right here in River’s Edge Park.