The longest rivers of the United States include 38 that have main stems of at least 500 miles (800 km) long. The main stem is "the primary downstream segment of a river, as contrasted to its tributaries".[1] The United States Geological Survey (USGS) defines a main-stem segment by listing coordinates for its two end points, called the source and the mouth. Some well-known rivers like the Atchafalaya,[2] Willamette,[3] and Susquehanna[4] are not included in this list because their main stems are shorter than 500 miles.
Seven rivers in this list cross or form international boundaries. Two—the Yukon and Columbia rivers—begin in Canada and flow into the United States. Three—the Milk and Saint Lawrence rivers and the Red River of the North—begin in the United States and flow into Canada. Of these, only the Milk River crosses the international border twice, leaving and then re-entering the United States.[5] Two rivers, the Colorado and the Rio Grande, begin in the United States and flow into or form a border with Mexico.[5] In addition, the drainage basins of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers extend into Canada,[6][7] and the basin of the Gila River extends into Mexico.[8]
Sources report hydrological quantities with varied precision. Biologist and author Ruth Patrick, describing a table of high-discharge U.S. rivers, wrote that data on discharge, drainage area, and length varied widely among authors whose works she consulted. "It seems," she said, "that the wisest course is to regard data tables such as the present one as showing the general ranks of rivers, and not to place too much importance on minor (10–20%) differences in figures."[9]
The primary source for watershed and discharge data in the table below is Rivers of North America. Conflicting data from other sources, if the difference is greater than 10 percent, is reported in the notes. Discharge refers to the flow at the mouth.[n 1] In the "States, provinces, and image" column, the superscripts "s" and "m" indicate "source" and "mouth". Non-U.S. states appear in italics. Except in the "States, provinces, and image" column, abbreviations are as follows: "km" for "kilometer", "mi" for "mile", "s" for "second", "m" for "meter", and "ft" for "foot".
Key | |||||
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† River is not entirely within the United States. | |||||
‡ Watershed is not entirely within the United States. |
# | Name | Length | States, provinces, and map[5][11] | Source coordinates[11] |
Mouth[5] | Mouth coordinates[11] |
Watershed area[12] |
Discharge[12] | Photo |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Missouri River | 2,341 mi 3,768 km[13] |
Montanas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missourim | 45°55′39″N 111°30′29″W / 45.92750°N 111.50806°W[14] | Mississippi River | 38°48′49″N 90°07′11″W / 38.81361°N 90.11972°W | 529,353 mi2 1,371,017 km2[15] ‡[n 2] |
69,100 ft3/s 1,956 m3/s [n 3] |
|
2 | Mississippi River | 2,340mi 3,766 km[17] [n 4] |
Minnesotas, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisianam | 47°14′22″N 95°12′29″W / 47.23944°N 95.20806°W[18] | Gulf of Mexico | 29°09′04″N 89°15′12″W / 29.15111°N 89.25333°W | 1,260,000 mi2 3,270,000 km2[19] ‡[n 5] |
650,000 ft3/s 18,400 m3/s |
|
3 | Yukon River | 1,979 mi 3,190 km[6] †[n 6] |
British Columbias, Yukon Territory, Alaskam | 59°35′00″N 133°47′00″W / 59.58333°N 133.78333°W[20] | Bering Sea | 62°35′55″N 164°48′00″W / 62.59861°N 164.80000°W[21] | 324,000 mi2 839,200 km2[22] ‡[n 7] |
224,000 ft3/s 6,340 m3/s |
|
4 | Rio Grande | 1,759 mi 2,830 km[23] †[n 8] |
Colorados, New Mexico, Texasm, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipasm | 37°47′52″N 107°32′18″W / 37.79778°N 107.53833°W[25] | Gulf of Mexico | 25°57′22″N 97°08′43″W / 25.95611°N 97.14528°W | 340,000 mi2 870,000 km2[26] ‡[n 9] |
1,300 ft3/s 37 m3/s |
|
5 | Colorado River | 1,450 mi 2,330 km[16] †[n 10] |
Colorados, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Sonoram, Baja Californiam | 40°28′20″N 105°49′34″W / 40.47222°N 105.82611°W[29] | Gulf of California | 31°48′57″N 114°48′22″W / 31.81583°N 114.80611°W[30] | 248,000 mi2 642,000 km2[10] ‡[n 11] |
1,400 ft3/s 40 m3/s |
|
6 | Arkansas River | 1,443 mi 2,322 km [n 12] |
Colorados, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansasm | 39°15′30″N 106°20′38″W / 39.25833°N 106.34389°W[32] | Mississippi River | 33°46′30″N 91°04′15″W / 33.77500°N 91.07083°W | 160,200 mi2 414,910 km2[33] |
35,500 ft3/s 1,004 m3/s |
|
7 | Columbia River | 1,243 mi[6] 2,000 km †[n 13] |
British Columbias, Washingtonm, Oregonm | 50°13′00″N 115°51′00″W / 50.21667°N 115.85000°W[34] | Pacific Ocean | 46°14′39″N 124°03′29″W / 46.24417°N 124.05806°W[35] | 279,548 mi2 724,024 km2[36] ‡[n 14] |
273,000 ft3/s 7,730 m3/s |
|
8 | Red River | 1,125 mi 1,811 km [n 15] |
Oklahomas, Texas, Arkansas, Louisianam | 34°34′35″N 99°57′54″W / 34.57639°N 99.96500°W[40] | Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers | 31°01′10″N 91°44′52″W / 31.01944°N 91.74778°W | 65,590 mi2 169,890 km2[41] [n 16] |
30,100 ft3/s 852 m3/s [n 17] |
|
9 | Snake River | 1,040 mi 1,674 km[16] |
Wyomings, Idaho, Oregon, Washingtonm | 44°07′49″N 110°13′10″W / 44.13028°N 110.21944°W[42] | Columbia River | 46°11′10″N 119°01′43″W / 46.18611°N 119.02861°W | 108,000 mi2 281,000 km2[43] |
55,300 ft3/s 1,565 m3/s |
|
10 | Ohio River | 979 mi 1,575 km[44] |
Pennsylvanias, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentuckym | 40°26′34″N 80°01′02″W / 40.44278°N 80.01722°W[45] | Mississippi River | 36°59′12″N 89°07′50″W / 36.98667°N 89.13056°W | 204,000 mi2 529,000 km2[46] |
308,400 ft3/s 8,733 m3/s |
|
11 | Colorado River of Texas | 970 mi 1,560 km[47] |
Texass, m | 32°40′47″N 101°43′51″W / 32.67972°N 101.73083°W[48] | Gulf of Mexico | 28°35′41″N 95°58′59″W / 28.59472°N 95.98306°W | 39,900 mi2 103,341 km2[49] |
2,600 ft3/s 75 m3/s |
|
12 | Tennessee River | 935 mi 1,504 km[50] |
Tennessees, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentuckym | 35°57′33″N 83°51′01″W / 35.95917°N 83.85028°W[51] | Ohio River | 37°04′02″N 88°33′53″W / 37.06722°N 88.56472°W | 40,880 mi2 105,870 km2[52] |
71,000 ft3/s 2,000 m3/s |
|
13 | Canadian River | 906 mi 1,458 km[16] |
Colorados, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahomam | 37°01′11″N 105°04′33″W / 37.01972°N 105.07583°W[53] | Arkansas River | 35°27′12″N 95°01′58″W / 35.45333°N 95.03278°W | 47,130 mi2 122,070 km2[54] |
6,100 ft3/s 174 m3/s |
|
14 | Brazos River | 860 mi 1,390 km[55] |
Texass, m | 33°16′07″N 100°00′37″W / 33.26861°N 100.01028°W[56] | Gulf of Mexico | 28°52′33″N 95°22′42″W / 28.87583°N 95.37833°W | 44,620 mi2 115,566 km2[57] |
8,800 ft3/s 249 m3/s |
|
15 | Green River | 760 mi 1,230 km[58] |
Wyomings, Colorado, Utahm | 43°09′13″N 109°40′18″W / 43.15361°N 109.67167°W[59] | Colorado River | 38°11′21″N 109°53′07″W / 38.18917°N 109.88528°W | 44,900 mi2 116,200 km2[60] |
6,100 ft3/s 172 m3/s |
|
16 | Pecos River | 730 mi 1,175 km[61] |
New Mexicos, Texasm | 35°58′34″N 105°33′29″W / 35.97611°N 105.55806°W[62] | Rio Grande | 29°41′59″N 101°22′17″W / 29.69972°N 101.37139°W | 44,000 mi2 113,960 km2[63] |
71 ft3/s 2 m3/s |
|
17 | White River (Arkansas) | 720 mi 1,159 km[64] |
Arkansass, m, Missouri | 35°50′20″N 93°36′16″W / 35.83889°N 93.60444°W[65] | Mississippi River | 33°57′05″N 91°04′53″W / 33.95139°N 91.08139°W | 27,872 mi2 72,189 km2[66] |
34,600 ft3/s 979 m3/s |
|
18 | James River [n 18] |
710 mi 1,140 km[67] |
North Dakotas, South Dakotam | 47°28′53″N 99°51′32″W / 47.48139°N 99.85889°W[68] | Missouri River | 42°52′17″N 97°17′26″W / 42.87139°N 97.29056°W | 20,942 mi2 54,240 km2[69] |
854 ft3/s 24.2 m3/s[69] [n 19] |
|
19 | Kuskokwim River | 702 mi 1,130 km[70] |
Alaskas, m | 63°05′16″N 154°38′33″W / 63.08778°N 154.64250°W[71] | Bering Sea | 60°04′59″N 162°20′02″W / 60.08306°N 162.33389°W | 48,000 mi2 124,319 km2[72] |
67,000 ft3s 1,900 m3/s |
|
20 | Cimarron River | 698 mi 1,123 km[73] |
Oklahomas, m, Colorado, Kansas | 36°54′24″N 102°59′12″W / 36.90667°N 102.98667°W[74] | Arkansas River | 36°10′14″N 96°16′19″W / 36.17056°N 96.27194°W | 19,510 mi2 50,540 km2[75] |
1,500 ft3/s 42 m3/s |
|
21 | Cumberland River | 696 mi 1,120 km[76] |
Kentuckys, m, Tennessee | 36°50′42″N 83°19′26″W / 36.84500°N 83.32389°W[77] | Ohio River | 37°08′36″N 88°24′27″W / 37.14333°N 88.40750°W | 17,930 mi2 46,430 km2[78] |
30,400 ft3/s
862 m3/s |
|
22 | Yellowstone River | 678 mi 1,091 km[79] |
Wyomings, Montana, North Dakotam | 43°59′18″N 109°55′45″W / 43.98833°N 109.92917°W[80] | Missouri River | 47°58′42″N 103°58′56″W / 47.97833°N 103.98222°W | 70,400 mi2 182,336 km2[81] |
12,800 ft3/s 362 m3/s |
|
23 | North Platte River | 665 mi 1,070 km[82] |
Colorados, Wyoming, Nebraskam | 40°38′23″N 106°24′19″W / 40.63972°N 106.40528°W[83] | Platte River | 41°06′50″N 100°40′33″W / 41.11389°N 100.67583°W | 34,885 mi2 90,352 km2[82] |
770 ft3/s 21.9 m3/s |
|
24 | Milk River | 625 mi 1,005 km[6]†[n 20] |
Alberta, Montanas, m | 48°51′20″N 113°01′10″W / 48.85556°N 113.01944°W[85] | Missouri River | 48°03′26″N 106°19′07″W / 48.05722°N 106.31861°W | 22,332 mi2 57,839 km2[86] ‡[n 21] |
670 ft3/s 18.9 m3/s |
|
25 | Ouachita River | 605 mi 974 km[87] |
Arkansass, Louisianam | 31°41′56″N 94°19′57″W / 31.69889°N 94.33250°W[88] | Black River | 31°37′53″N 91°48′25″W / 31.63139°N 91.80694°W | 24,886 mi2 64,454 km2[89] |
29,800 ft3/s 843 m3/s |
|
26 | St. Lawrence River | 600 mi 965 km[90] †[n 22] |
New Yorks, Ontarios, Quebecm | 44°05′55″N 76°23′28″W / 44.09861°N 76.39111°W[92] | Gulf of St. Lawrence | 49°40′00″N 64°30′00″W / 49.66667°N 64.50000°W[93] | 620,000 mi2 1,600,000 km2[94] ‡[n 23] |
440,000 ft3/s 12,600 m3/s [n 24] |
|
27 | Gila River | 600 mi 960 km[95] |
New Mexicos, Arizonam | 33°10′47″N 108°12′22″W / 33.17972°N 108.20611°W[96] | Colorado River | 32°43′11″N 114°33′19″W / 32.71972°N 114.55528°W | 57,850 mi2 149,832 km2[97] ‡[n 25] |
210 ft3/s 6 m3/s [n 26] |
|
28 | Sheyenne River | 591 mi 951 km[98] |
North Dakotas, m | 47°41′46″N 100°29′52″W / 47.69611°N 100.49778°W[99] | Red River of the North | 47°01′25″N 96°49′31″W / 47.02361°N 96.82528°W | 8,800 mi2 23,000 km2 [n 27] |
288 ft3/s 8.2 m3/s [n 28] |
|
29 | Tanana River | 584 mi 940 km [n 29] |
Alaskas, m | 63°02′57″N 141°51′52″W / 63.04917°N 141.86444°W[103] | Yukon River | 65°09′38″N 151°57′37″W / 65.16056°N 151.96028°W | 44,000 mi2 114,000 km2[104] |
41,800 ft3/s 1,185 m3/s |
|
30 | Smoky Hill River | 576 mi 927 km[98] |
Colorados, Kansasm | 38°57′01″N 102°34′49″W / 38.95028°N 102.58028°W[105] | Kansas River | 39°03′36″N 96°48′04″W / 39.06000°N 96.80111°W | 19,260 mi2 49,900 km2 [n 30] |
1,542 ft3/s 43.7 m3/s [n 31] |
|
31 | Niobrara River | 568 mi 914 km[98] |
Wyomings, Nebraskam |
42°49′15″N 104°38′50″W / 42.82083°N 104.64722°W[107] | Missouri River | 42°45′58″N 98°02′50″W / 42.76611°N 98.04722°W | 12,600 mi2 32,600 km2[108] |
1,700 ft3/s 49 m3/s |
|
32 | Little Missouri River | 560 mi 900 km[109] |
Wyomings, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakotam | 44°32′25″N 104°59′57″W / 44.54028°N 104.99917°W[110] | Missouri River | 47°36′38″N 102°52′24″W / 47.61056°N 102.87333°W | 8,310 mi2 21,500 km2[111] [n 32] |
450 ft3/s 13 m3/s[111] [n 33] |
|
33 | Sabine River | 553 mi 890 km[112] |
Texass, Louisianam | 32°48′29″N 95°55′14″W / 32.80806°N 95.92056°W[113] | Gulf of Mexico | 29°59′08″N 93°47′26″W / 29.98556°N 93.79056°W | 9,756 mi2 25,268 km2[114] |
8,400 ft3/s 238 m3/s |
|
34 | Red River of the North | 550 mi 890 km[115] †[n 34] |
North Dakotas, Minnesotas, Manitobam | 46°15′52″N 96°35′55″W / 46.26444°N 96.59861°W[117] | Lake Winnipeg | 50°23′47″N 96°48′39″W / 50.39639°N 96.81083°W[118] | 111,000 mi2 287,500 km2[119] ‡[n 35] |
8,300 ft3/s 236 m3/s |
|
35 | Des Moines River | 525 mi 845 km[120] |
Minnesotas, Missouri, Iowam | 44°05′02″N 95°41′17″W / 44.08389°N 95.68806°W[121] | Mississippi River | 41°22′52″N 91°25′21″W / 41.38111°N 91.42250°W | 12,018 mi2 31,127 km2[122] |
6,400 ft3/s 182 m3/s |
|
36 | White River (Missouri River) | 506 mi 815 km[123] |
Nebraskas, South Dakotam | 42°41′10″N 103°50′14″W / 42.68611°N 103.83722°W[124] | Missouri River | 43°42′50″N 99°28′01″W / 43.71389°N 99.46694°W | 10,200 mi2 26,418 km2[125] |
570 ft3/s 16 m3/s |
|
37 | Trinity River | 506 mi 815 km[126] |
Texass, m | 32°47′54″N 96°53′52″W / 32.79833°N 96.89778°W[127] | Galveston Bay | 29°44′35″N 94°42′12″W / 29.74306°N 94.70333°W | 17,970 mi2 46,540 km2[128] |
7,800 ft3/s 222 m3/s |
|
38 | Wabash River | 503 mi 810 km[98] |
Ohios, Indianam, Illinoism | 40°21′07″N 84°45′57″W / 40.35194°N 84.76583°W[129] | Ohio River | 37°47′53″N 88°01′38″W / 37.79806°N 88.02722°W | 32,950 mi2 85,340 km2[130] |
1,001 ft3/s 28 m3/s |