It Doesn't Look Significant, But It Is

That little spit of land is the confluence, the point where the Missouri (mid-ground) and Mississippi (foreground) Rivers meet. There is an awful lot of water passing through. You can drive almost to the junction and walk out to that tip unless the rivers are in flood.

The pictures were taken from the top level of the Confluence Tower in bad weather. It's the site of yesterday's picture with Ellie. The deck is 150 feet / 46 meters off the ground. Wish there had been more to see.

Madeleine Monday

One of the stops on our weekend mini-trip was the Confluence Tower. It is an a somewhat desolate spot on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, overlooking the juncture of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The visitor's center has one of the "birthday cakes" left over from the 250th anniversary of St.Louis' founding a few years ago. The words on the base refer to the drainage area of the two rivers and their many tributaries. I can just hear the cry going up: "We're number four! We're number four!"

Madeleine is allowed to choose her own clothing within certain loose parameters. On Saturday she was going for the spots look, including her Nepalese leopard hat. She wants to take dance lessons.    

Land's End

Kind of looks like that but it it's just another point on a map in the Midwest. Again, the Missouri is on the right with all the ice carrying into the stream on the Mississippi from the left. There were a couple of photographers with tripods. I don't see why it was needed unless they were trying to shoot panoramas. The scene was blindingly bright.

The river levels are very low. This area is under water some of the year.         

Ice Water

Yesterday was clear and very cold (for us). The family took a ride to the state park at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The point on the right is literally the tip of land between the two. The view is roughly to the southeast. All the ice is coming in from the Missouri, on the right. 

The Mississippi, on the left, is clear for a reason. The site is just below the massive lock and dam at Alton, Illinois. Ice backs up behind it and only clear water flows through. There hasn't been enough time and space for it to re-freeze. The drop in elevation downstream is so gradual that there are no locks all the way from St. Louis to New Orleans.             

It Doesn't Look Like Much, Does It?

confluence

[kon-floo-uh ns]
noun

1. a flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like:

"the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers."

2. their place of junction:

"St. Louis is at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers."

You wouldn't think it to look at the picture but this is the most important river junction in North America, the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi in the northern part of our area. The Missouri and its swirling ice is in the foreground with the clear Mississippi behind. The view is a bit more dramatic in the old photo of the point of land between the two, taken on the spit in the center of the top picture:

Clearer still on a map. Lotta water,