9781422286067

10

Central Mississippi River Basin: Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri

Canoes on a bank of the Buffalo National River. The waterway is one of the few remaining rivers with no man-made dams in the 48 contiguous states. The river flows 135 miles (217 km), often cutting through massive bluffs on its way through the Ozark Mountains to the White River.

(34ºC). It is cooler in the Ozark region, with average January tempera- tures around 46ºF (8ºC) and summer temperatures around 89 (32ºC). Arkansas receives average rainfall of about 49.6 inches (126 cm). Some of the mountain areas receive about 5 inches (13 cm) of snow, but the delta and southern regions rarely see snow. History Approximately 14,000 years ago, the first humans crossed into North America from Asia via the Bering land bridge. These humans migrated south

Mississippi, which forms the eastern border, Arkansas has four other major rivers. The Ouachita River and the Red River each flow southeast into Louisiana. The St. Francis River in northeastern Arkansas flows into the Mississippi River. The White River flows from northwest to southeast Arkansas. Like other southern states, Arkansas has a warm climate. The average January high temperature in Little Rock is around 51º Fahrenheit (10º Celsius), while temperatures in July and August average around 93ºF