The Ohio River is fairly shallow on average but has some very deep spots.

Quick Scoop: How deep is the Ohio River?

  • The average depth of the Ohio River is about 20–24 feet (around 6–7 meters).
  • Naturally, it once ranged roughly from 3 to 20 feet deep before dams were built to raise water levels for navigation.
  • The deepest point is about 168 feet (51 meters) on the western side of Louisville, Kentucky, making it one of the deepest inland river spots in the U.S.
  • Many sections today behave like a chain of reservoirs because dams keep the depth high enough for large barges and commercial shipping.

Does the depth change along the river?

Yes, depth varies a lot depending on where you are:

  • From Pittsburgh down toward Cincinnati, typical depths are around 12–20 feet in some upper sections and about 15 feet on average before major damming and channel improvements.
  • Near Cincinnati, “normal” depths are often around 20–32 feet, with higher readings during flood stages.
  • From Louisville down to where it meets the Mississippi at Cairo, Illinois, the river tends to be around 19–20 feet deep in many stretches, though localized pools and channels can be deeper.

A simple way to picture it: most of the Ohio River is roughly the depth of a two‑story building, but near Louisville there’s a trench as deep as a 15‑ to 16‑story building.

TL;DR: The Ohio River is usually around 20–24 feet deep on average, but it reaches a maximum depth of about 168 feet near Louisville, Kentucky.