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List of rivers of the United States by discharge facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Have you ever wondered which rivers in the United States carry the most water? This article will introduce you to some of the biggest and most powerful rivers in the country. We'll explore how much water they move and where they flow. Understanding river flow is important for our environment and communities.

Understanding River Flow: What is Discharge?

When we talk about how much water a river carries, we use the term discharge. Discharge is the amount of water flowing past a point in a river over time. Imagine a giant stopwatch measuring water passing by! For rivers, we measure this in 'cubic feet per second' (cuft/s) or 'cubic meters per second' (m3/s). A cubic foot of water is about the size of a basketball. So, a river with 100 cuft/s means 100 basketballs of water flow by every second!

How We Measure River Flow

Measuring river discharge isn't always easy. Scientists use special tools called stream gauges. These gauges are like sensors in rivers. They record water levels and flow speed. However, not every river has a gauge. Also, water flow changes with seasons, rain, or melting snow. This means the numbers in our list are often good estimates.

Rivers with the Most Water Flow

Below is a list of rivers in the continental United States. It shows rivers that carry more than 15,000 cubic feet of water per second. You'll see their length, how much water they discharge, and where they eventually flow.

No River Length Average discharge Outflow
miles km cu ft/s m3/s
1 Mississippi River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,320 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".3,730 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".593,000 16,800 m3/s Gulf of Mexico
2 Ohio River &&&&&&&&&&&&0979.&&&&&0979 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,575 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".281,500 7,970 m3/s Mississippi River
3 St. Lawrence River &&&&&&&&&&&&0600.&&&&&0600 &&&&&&&&&&&&0965.&&&&&0965 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".348,000 (275,000 at U.S.-Canada boundary) 9,900 m3/s (7,800 m3/s at U.S.-Canada boundary) Gulf of Saint Lawrence
4 Columbia River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,243 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,000 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".273,000 7,700 m3/s Pacific Ocean
5 Yukon River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,980 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".3,185 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".227,000 6,400 m3/s Bering Sea
6 Atchafalaya River &&&&&&&&&&&&0137.&&&&&0137 &&&&&&&&&&&&0220.&&&&&0220 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".225,000 6,400 m3/s Gulf of Mexico
7 Niagara River &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&058.&&&&&058 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".204,700 5,800 m3/s Lake Ontario
8 Detroit River &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".188,000 5,300 m3/s Lake Erie
9 St. Clair River &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 &&&&&&&&&&&&&063.&&&&&063 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".183,000 5,200 m3/s Lake St. Clair
10 Missouri River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,341 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".3,767 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".86,300 2,440 m3/s Mississippi River
11 St. Marys River &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 &&&&&&&&&&&&0120.&&&&&0120 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".75,000 2,100 m3/s Lake Huron-Lake Michigan
12 Tennessee River &&&&&&&&&&&&0652.&&&&&0652 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,049 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".68,000 1,900 m3/s Ohio River
13 Mobile River &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045 &&&&&&&&&&&&&072.&&&&&072 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".67,000 1,900 m3/s Gulf of Mexico
14 Kuskokwim River &&&&&&&&&&&&0702.&&&&&0702 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,130 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".67,000 1,900 m3/s Bering Sea
15 Red River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,360 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,190 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".58,000 1,600 m3/s Atchafalaya River
16 Copper River &&&&&&&&&&&&0290.&&&&&0290 &&&&&&&&&&&&0470.&&&&&0470 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".57,400 1,630 m3/s Gulf of Alaska
17 Snake River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,040 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,674 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".55,000 1,600 m3/s Columbia River
18 Stikine River &&&&&&&&&&&&0379.&&&&&0379 &&&&&&&&&&&&0610.&&&&&0610 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".56,000 1,600 m3/s Pacific Ocean
19 Susitna River &&&&&&&&&&&&0313.&&&&&0313 &&&&&&&&&&&&0504.&&&&&0504 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".51,000 1,400 m3/s Gulf of Alaska
20 Arkansas River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,443 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,322 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".44,500 1,260 m3/s Mississippi River
21 Tanana River &&&&&&&&&&&&0584.&&&&&0584 &&&&&&&&&&&&0940.&&&&&0940 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".41,800 1,180 m3/s Yukon River
22 Saint John River &&&&&&&&&&&&0418.&&&&&0418 &&&&&&&&&&&&0673.&&&&&0673 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".38,800 1,100 m3/s Bay of Fundy
23 Susquehanna River &&&&&&&&&&&&0464.&&&&&0464 &&&&&&&&&&&&0747.&&&&&0747 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".38,200 1,080 m3/s Chesapeake Bay
24 Willamette River &&&&&&&&&&&&0187.&&&&&0187 &&&&&&&&&&&&0301.&&&&&0301 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".37,400 1,060 m3/s Columbia River
25 Wabash River &&&&&&&&&&&&0503.&&&&&0503 &&&&&&&&&&&&0810.&&&&&0810 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".34,500 980 m3/s Ohio River
26 Alabama River &&&&&&&&&&&&0318.&&&&&0318 &&&&&&&&&&&&0512.&&&&&0512 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".32,500 920 m3/s Mobile River
27 Nushagak River &&&&&&&&&&&&0280.&&&&&0280 &&&&&&&&&&&&0450.&&&&&0450 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".32,000? 910 m3/s Bering Sea
28 Alsek River &&&&&&&&&&&&0240.&&&&&0240 &&&&&&&&&&&&0386.&&&&&0386 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".31,000 880 m3/s Gulf of Alaska
29 Cumberland River &&&&&&&&&&&&0696.&&&&&0696 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,120 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".30,000? 850 m3/s Ohio River
30 Black River-Ouachita River &&&&&&&&&&&&0605.&&&&&0605 &&&&&&&&&&&&0974.&&&&&0974 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".29,800 840 m3/s Red River
31 White River &&&&&&&&&&&&0720.&&&&&0720 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,159 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".29,500 840 m3/s Mississippi River
32 Pend Oreille River &&&&&&&&&&&&0130.&&&&&0130 &&&&&&&&&&&&0210.&&&&&0210 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".27,000 760 m3/s Columbia River
33 Tombigbee River &&&&&&&&&&&&0200.&&&&&0200 &&&&&&&&&&&&0320.&&&&&0320 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".26,300 740 m3/s Mobile River
34 Koyukuk River &&&&&&&&&&&&0425.&&&&&0425 &&&&&&&&&&&&0684.&&&&&0684 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".25,000? 710 m3/s Yukon River
35 Illinois River &&&&&&&&&&&&0273.&&&&&0273 &&&&&&&&&&&&0439.&&&&&0439 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".24,000 680 m3/s Mississippi River
36 Sacramento River &&&&&&&&&&&&0447.&&&&&0447 &&&&&&&&&&&&0719.&&&&&0719 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".23,500 670 m3/s Pacific Ocean
37 Porcupine River &&&&&&&&&&&&0569.&&&&&0569 &&&&&&&&&&&&0916.&&&&&0916 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".23,000 650 m3/s Yukon River
38 Colorado River 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".1,450 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".2,330 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".22,000 620 m3/s Gulf of California
39 Clark Fork River &&&&&&&&&&&&0310.&&&&&0310 &&&&&&&&&&&&0500.&&&&&0500 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".21,900 620 m3/s Pend Oreille River
40 Hudson River &&&&&&&&&&&&0315.&&&&&0315 &&&&&&&&&&&&0507.&&&&&0507 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".21,900 620 m3/s Atlantic Ocean
41 Yentna River &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 &&&&&&&&&&&&0121.&&&&&0121 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".21,000? 590 m3/s Susitna River
42 Chitina River &&&&&&&&&&&&0112.&&&&&0112 &&&&&&&&&&&&0180.&&&&&0180 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".20,000? 570 m3/s Copper River
43 Allegheny River &&&&&&&&&&&&0320.&&&&&0320 &&&&&&&&&&&&0523.&&&&&0523 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".19,900 560 m3/s Ohio River
44 Apalachicola River &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050 &&&&&&&&&&&&&080.&&&&&080 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".19,602 555.1 m3/s Gulf of Mexico
45 Connecticut River &&&&&&&&&&&&0407.&&&&&0407 &&&&&&&&&&&&0655.&&&&&0655 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".18,400 520 m3/s Atlantic Ocean
46 Kvichak River &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050 &&&&&&&&&&&&&080.&&&&&080 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".17,900 510 m3/s Bering Sea
47 Klamath River &&&&&&&&&&&&0263.&&&&&0263 &&&&&&&&&&&&0423.&&&&&0423 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".17,300 490 m3/s Pacific Ocean
48 Santee River &&&&&&&&&&&&0143.&&&&&0143 &&&&&&&&&&&&0230.&&&&&0230 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".17,000(approx.) 480 m3/s Atlantic Ocean
49 Skagit River &&&&&&&&&&&&0150.&&&&&0150 &&&&&&&&&&&&0240.&&&&&0240 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".16,500 470 m3/s Pacific Ocean
50 Kootenai (Kootenay) River &&&&&&&&&&&&0485.&&&&&0485 &&&&&&&&&&&&0781.&&&&&0781 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".27,600 (approx. 16,000? at U.S.-Canada boundary) 780 m3/s (approx. 450 m3/s? at U.S.-Canada boundary) Columbia River
51 Coosa River &&&&&&&&&&&&0280.&&&&&0280 &&&&&&&&&&&&0450.&&&&&0450 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".16,000 450 m3/s Alabama River
52 Kanawha River &&&&&&&&&&&&&097.&&&&&097 &&&&&&&&&&&&0156.&&&&&0156 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".16,000 450 m3/s Ohio River
53 Clearwater River &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 &&&&&&&&&&&&0120.&&&&&0120 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,300 430 m3/s Snake River
54 Kobuk River &&&&&&&&&&&&0280.&&&&&0280 &&&&&&&&&&&&0451.&&&&&0451 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,300 430 m3/s Bering Sea
55 St. Johns River &&&&&&&&&&&&0310.&&&&&0310 &&&&&&&&&&&&0500.&&&&&0500 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,000? 420 m3/s Atlantic Ocean
56 Pee Dee River &&&&&&&&&&&&0232.&&&&&0232 &&&&&&&&&&&&0373.&&&&&0373 0Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ","..Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character ",".15,000? 420 m3/s Atlantic Ocean

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List of rivers of the United States by discharge Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.