The Rio Grande is almost 1,900 miles long
This photo was taken on a canoe trip down the Rio Grande River in Texas. Ben and I were visiting Big Bend National Park. The left side of the river is Mexico and the right side of the river is the United States. The sandy shore in front on the large boulder is where we stopped for lunch. After a few days of camping in the desert we did not smell good. We took the opportunity here to jump in the Rio and get rid of that smell.
The Rio Grande is almost 1,900 miles long! That makes it the fourth longest river in the United States and 20th longest in the world. The water for this massive river comes from the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. The Rio Grande flows south through New Mexico. It then heads towards the Gulf of Mexico, dividing Texas from Mexico.
The water level of can vary significantly depending on the season and the weather because the San Juan Mountain snow melt fuels the Rio Grande. Additionally, there is a rainy/monsoon season and a dry season. You can even have impacts from El Nino or La Nina. This dynamic environment means that peak flow of the Rio Grande is typically from April to October. In the northern parts of the Rio, the peak flow is earlier (May/June) due to snow melt.
Did you know? In 2001, for the first time recorded, the Rio Grande did not make it to the Gulf of Mexico. The flow was so slow that year it formed a 300-foot sandbar at the mouth of the river separating it from the Gulf. Although the Rio Grande is a large river, it is not frequented by barges and large vessels. The maximum depth of the Rio is around 60 feet deep, however there are also dangerously shallow areas.
In the northern parts of the Rio, the peak flow is earlier (May/June) due to snow melt
Did you know?
- Roughly 20% of the Rio Grande waters make it to the Gulf of Mexico. The remainder is either used in agriculture or consumed by humans.
- The length or Rio Grande that makes up the US-Mexico border is ~889-1,248 miles (depending on how you measure the river).
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