Big rivers are one of nature’s greatest gifts, yet we fundamentally misunderstand them. We see them as a threat when they run high, but otherwise value them mostly for what we can move on top of them. Big rivers are complete systems that move and circulate water and nutrients, creating and sustaining life from the smallest microorganisms to the largest predators. They work because the water, trees, grasses, rocks, and sand provide homes and sustenance for fish, mammals, rodents, insects, birds, and so much more. We need big rivers, for the life they create and sustain, for their beauty, for the sanctuary they offer from the stresses and demands of modern civilization. Big rivers also remind us that we are just one part of a big and complex world, one that we need to take care of for our own survival.

Dean Klinkenberg is a St. Louis-based writer who focuses much of his writing and research on the Mississippi River. He has driven virtually all of the Great River Road, hiked and canoed the river on multi-day expeditions, and cruised on the American Queen steamboat as a guest lecturer. He is the author of the book “The Wild Mississippi: A State-by-State Guide to the River’s Natural Wonders”. Dean is a longtime partner in the Mississippi River Network (MRN), a coalition of organizations advocating for healthy and resilient river ecosystems.