Atchafalaya River
The Atchafalaya River (/əˌtʃæf.əˈlaɪ.ə/ French: La Rivière Atchafalaya, Spanish: Río Atchafalaya) is a 137-mile-long (220 km) distributary of the Mississippi River and Red River in south central Louisiana in the United States. It flows south, just west of the Mississippi River, and is the fifth largest river in North America, by discharge. The name Atchafalaya comes from Choctaw for 'long river', from hachcha, 'river', and falaya, 'long'.
| Atchafalaya River | |
|---|---|
Atchafalaya River delta on the Gulf of Mexico; view upriver to the northwest. | |
Atchafalaya River | |
| Etymology | Choctaw for "long river" |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parishes | |
| City | Morgan City, Louisiana |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Mississippi River |
| 2nd source | Red River of the South |
| Source confluence | Old River Control Structure |
| Mouth | Atchafalaya Bay, Gulf of Mexico |
• coordinates | 29°28′46″N 91°16′25″W |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Simmesport, Louisiana |
| • average | 218,440 cu/ft. per sec. |
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