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Pearl River Basin
Pearl River
Pearl River Topography
The Pearl River rises in the historic area of the Nanih Waiya Indian Mounds of Winston County where it is formed by the confluence of Nanawaya and Tallahaga Creeks. It flows southwesterly through Neshoba, Leake, Scott, Rankin and Hinds Counties, bringing with it the vast potential of an abundant water supply. Continuing through Mississippi’s capital city of Jackson, the Pearl flows through Copiah, Simpson, Lawrence, Marion, Pearl River and Hancock Counties before it empties into the Gulf of Mexico through Lake Borgne and the Mississippi sound.
The basin of the Pearl River contains seven million acres and drains an area of 8,760 square miles, draining all or parts of 23 counties in Mississippi and 3 parishes in Louisiana. It is the third largest drainage basin in the state, meandering approximately 421 miles through the central portion of Mississippi and a small part of southeastern Louisiana. Over two trillion gallons of water pass along her banks each year.
The Yockanookany River and Lobutcha Creek are the principal headwater tributaries. The Strong River in the middle reach and Bogue Chitto River in the lower reach are the only other large tributaries. Oxbow cutoff lakes occur occasionally in the bottoms of the upper and lower Pearl.
The Pearl is a winding, slow moving river. The further south you travel, the wider it becomes. In almost every bend you find a large sand bar. Sycamore and willow trees line the banks along with stands of mixed hardwood, loblolly and shortleaf pine, oak, hickory and gum. From spring through mid-fall, hundreds of species of wild flowers display their seasonal colors throughout the wooded areas. Deer, beaver, rabbits, squirrel, opossum, racoon and fox can be seen along the banks by the river traveler. The river contains an abundance of small and large mouth bass, catfish, gar, bream and crappie.
Long cherished by local residents for its scenic quality and unblemished beauty, the Pearl River provides the opportunity to travel outdoors, fish, float, and observe the terrain, foliage and wildlife.
