It's a vital artery for life in Minnesota, running 2,350 miles across 10 states — a source for drinking water, plants, animals and recreation — but the mighty Mississippi River is vulnerable.

A Minnesota Boat Club eight-man scull plies the waters of the Mississippi River on a training row in St. Paul early Aug. 19, 2009. (John Doman / Pioneer Press) Wondering how long the Mississippi ...

(Ginger Pinson / Pioneer Press) In 1926, the Minnesota Department of Health declared the stretch of the Mississippi River that ran through St. Paul a threat to the public’s well-being.

The Mississippi River is the nation’s most endangered river ... provides funds for recovery and oversees preparedness efforts, like its flood maps that predict risks in different areas.