A river system is a way of describing the larger networks of streams, lakes and rivers that are part of a larger river's network of tributaries and distributaries; for example, multiple rivers, including the Ohio, Red and Missouri rivers empty into the Mississippi River, serving as tributaries and are part of the Mississippi River's system. These waterways are interconnected and the health of one of these rivers can have an impact on other waterways in the same river system. Additionally, land can be part of a river system, such as the flood plains and wetlands that are impacted by a main river and its tributaries and distributaries