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List of U.S. rivers by discharge facts for kids

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Rivers are amazing natural waterways that flow across the land, carrying water from higher places to lower ones, eventually reaching oceans, lakes, or other rivers. This article is about some of the biggest rivers in the continental United States, ranked by how much water they carry.

What is River Discharge?

When we talk about a river's "discharge," we mean how much water flows through it at a certain point over a specific amount of time. Think of it like this: if you turn on a faucet, the discharge is how much water comes out per second. For rivers, we usually measure this in "cubic feet per second" (cf/s). A cubic foot is about the size of a basketball. So, if a river has a discharge of 100 cf/s, it means 100 basketball-sized amounts of water flow past a spot every second!

Measuring river discharge helps scientists understand how much water is available, how rivers affect the environment, and even how they might change with weather and climate. These numbers are estimates because river flow can change a lot depending on the season, rainfall, and melting snow. Also, not all rivers have special tools called gauging stations that measure their water flow all the time.

The United States' Mightiest Rivers

Here is a list of rivers in the continental United States that have an average discharge of more than 15,000 cubic feet per second. This list shows you which rivers carry the most water, making them truly mighty waterways!

No River Length (km) Length (miles) Average discharge (cf/s) Outflow
1 Mississippi River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".3,730 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,320 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".593,000 Gulf of Mexico
2 Ohio River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,575 &&&&&&&&&&&&0979.&&&&&0979 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".281,500 Mississippi River
3 St. Lawrence River &&&&&&&&&&&&0965.&&&&&0965 &&&&&&&&&&&&0600.&&&&&0600 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".348,000 (275,000 at U.S.-Canada boundary) Gulf of Saint Lawrence
4 Columbia River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,000 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,243 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".273,000 Pacific Ocean
5 Yukon River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".3,185 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,980 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".227,000 Bering Sea
6 Atchafalaya River &&&&&&&&&&&&0220.&&&&&0220 &&&&&&&&&&&&0137.&&&&&0137 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".225,000 Gulf of Mexico
7 Niagara River &&&&&&&&&&&&&058.&&&&&058 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".204,700 Lake Ontario
8 Detroit River &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".188,000 Lake Erie
9 St. Clair River &&&&&&&&&&&&&063.&&&&&063 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".183,000 Lake St. Clair
10 Missouri River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".3,767 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,341 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".86,300 Mississippi River
11 St. Marys River &&&&&&&&&&&&0120.&&&&&0120 &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".75,000 Lake Huron-Lake Michigan
12 Tennessee River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,049 &&&&&&&&&&&&0652.&&&&&0652 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".68,000 Ohio River
13 Mobile River &&&&&&&&&&&&&072.&&&&&072 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".67,000 Gulf of Mexico
14 Kuskokwim River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,130 &&&&&&&&&&&&0702.&&&&&0702 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".67,000 Bering Sea
15 Red River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,190 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,360 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".58,000 Atchafalaya River
16 Copper River &&&&&&&&&&&&0470.&&&&&0470 &&&&&&&&&&&&0290.&&&&&0290 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".57,400 Gulf of Alaska
17 Snake River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,674 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,040 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".55,000 Columbia River
18 Stikine River &&&&&&&&&&&&0610.&&&&&0610 &&&&&&&&&&&&0379.&&&&&0379 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".56,000 Pacific Ocean
19 Susitna River &&&&&&&&&&&&0504.&&&&&0504 &&&&&&&&&&&&0313.&&&&&0313 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".51,000 Gulf of Alaska
20 Arkansas River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,322 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,443 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".44,500 Mississippi River
21 Tanana River &&&&&&&&&&&&0940.&&&&&0940 &&&&&&&&&&&&0584.&&&&&0584 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".41,800 Yukon River
22 Saint John River &&&&&&&&&&&&0673.&&&&&0673 &&&&&&&&&&&&0418.&&&&&0418 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".38,800 Bay of Fundy
23 Susquehanna River &&&&&&&&&&&&0747.&&&&&0747 &&&&&&&&&&&&0464.&&&&&0464 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".38,200 Chesapeake Bay
24 Willamette River &&&&&&&&&&&&0301.&&&&&0301 &&&&&&&&&&&&0187.&&&&&0187 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".37,400 Columbia River
25 Wabash River &&&&&&&&&&&&0810.&&&&&0810 &&&&&&&&&&&&0503.&&&&&0503 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".34,500 Ohio River
26 Alabama River &&&&&&&&&&&&0512.&&&&&0512 &&&&&&&&&&&&0318.&&&&&0318 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".32,500 Mobile River
27 Nushagak River &&&&&&&&&&&&0450.&&&&&0450 &&&&&&&&&&&&0280.&&&&&0280 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".32,000? Bering Sea
28 Alsek River &&&&&&&&&&&&0386.&&&&&0386 &&&&&&&&&&&&0240.&&&&&0240 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".31,000 Gulf of Alaska
29 Cumberland River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,120 &&&&&&&&&&&&0696.&&&&&0696 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".30,000? Ohio River
30 Black River-Ouachita River &&&&&&&&&&&&0974.&&&&&0974 &&&&&&&&&&&&0605.&&&&&0605 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".29,800 Red River
31 White River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,159 &&&&&&&&&&&&0720.&&&&&0720 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".29,500 Mississippi River
32 Pend Oreille River &&&&&&&&&&&&0210.&&&&&0210 &&&&&&&&&&&&0130.&&&&&0130 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".27,000 Columbia River
33 Tombigbee River &&&&&&&&&&&&0320.&&&&&0320 &&&&&&&&&&&&0200.&&&&&0200 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".26,300 Mobile River
34 Koyukuk River &&&&&&&&&&&&0684.&&&&&0684 &&&&&&&&&&&&0425.&&&&&0425 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".25,000? Yukon River
35 Illinois River &&&&&&&&&&&&0439.&&&&&0439 &&&&&&&&&&&&0273.&&&&&0273 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".24,000 Mississippi River
36 Sacramento River &&&&&&&&&&&&0719.&&&&&0719 &&&&&&&&&&&&0447.&&&&&0447 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".23,500 Pacific Ocean
37 Porcupine River &&&&&&&&&&&&0916.&&&&&0916 &&&&&&&&&&&&0569.&&&&&0569 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".23,000 Yukon River
38 Colorado River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,330 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,450 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".22,000 Gulf of California
39 Clark Fork River &&&&&&&&&&&&0500.&&&&&0500 &&&&&&&&&&&&0310.&&&&&0310 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".21,900 Pend Oreille River
40 Hudson River &&&&&&&&&&&&0507.&&&&&0507 &&&&&&&&&&&&0315.&&&&&0315 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".21,900 Atlantic Ocean
41 Yentna River &&&&&&&&&&&&0121.&&&&&0121 &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".21,000? Susitna River
42 Chitina River &&&&&&&&&&&&0180.&&&&&0180 &&&&&&&&&&&&0112.&&&&&0112 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".20,000? Copper River
43 Allegheny River &&&&&&&&&&&&0523.&&&&&0523 &&&&&&&&&&&&0320.&&&&&0320 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".19,900 Ohio River
44 Apalachicola River &&&&&&&&&&&&&080.&&&&&080 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".19,602 Gulf of Mexico
45 Connecticut River &&&&&&&&&&&&0655.&&&&&0655 &&&&&&&&&&&&0407.&&&&&0407 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".18,400 Atlantic Ocean
46 Kvichak River &&&&&&&&&&&&&080.&&&&&080 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".17,900 Bering Sea
47 Klamath River &&&&&&&&&&&&0423.&&&&&0423 &&&&&&&&&&&&0263.&&&&&0263 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".17,300 Pacific Ocean
48 Santee River &&&&&&&&&&&&0230.&&&&&0230 &&&&&&&&&&&&0143.&&&&&0143 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".17,000(approx.) Atlantic Ocean
49 Skagit River &&&&&&&&&&&&0240.&&&&&0240 &&&&&&&&&&&&0150.&&&&&0150 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".16,500 Pacific Ocean
50 Kootenai (Kootenay) River &&&&&&&&&&&&0781.&&&&&0781 &&&&&&&&&&&&0485.&&&&&0485 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".27,600 (approx. 16,000? at U.S.-Canada boundary) Columbia River
51 Coosa River &&&&&&&&&&&&0450.&&&&&0450 &&&&&&&&&&&&0280.&&&&&0280 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".16,000 Alabama River
52 Kanawha River &&&&&&&&&&&&0156.&&&&&0156 &&&&&&&&&&&&&097.&&&&&097 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".16,000 Ohio River
53 Clearwater River &&&&&&&&&&&&0120.&&&&&0120 &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,300 Snake River
54 Kobuk River &&&&&&&&&&&&0451.&&&&&0451 &&&&&&&&&&&&0280.&&&&&0280 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,300 Bering Sea
55 St. Johns River &&&&&&&&&&&&0500.&&&&&0500 &&&&&&&&&&&&0310.&&&&&0310 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,000? Atlantic Ocean
56 Pee Dee River &&&&&&&&&&&&0373.&&&&&0373 &&&&&&&&&&&&0232.&&&&&0232 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,000? Atlantic Ocean

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List of U.S. rivers by discharge Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.