Sunflower River
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The Sunflower River is one of the main tributaries of the Yazoo River in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is navigable by barge for 50 miles. It rises in De Soto County, Mississippi near the Tennessee border and flows south for 100 miles to the Yazoo River. It is a very muddy river. It flows through such cities as Clarksdale, Mississippi the birthplace of the blues. At Clarksdale on its banks, the annual Sunflower River Blues and Gospel festival is held.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers has maintained a navigation channel, which is thirty miles in length. The channel was built in 1976, this channel would be for use by barges, and pleasure craft.
[edit] Water Quality
Like the Yazoo, this river is very silt laden. The river gets its mud from the various bayous, and small streams that feed into it. The river has a distinct "Clear-Mud Line" where it meets the Yazoo; this shows that the Big Sunflower is muddier than the Yazoo.