Below you can find current Ohio River levels posted by the National Weather Service (NWS).
Hover over the colored dots to see river depth and flood stage information about your specific area.
How Deep is the Ohio River?
We are often asked how deep the Ohio River is when people see the size of barges and towboats up close. The answer is, that it depends on where you are on the river. On the Northeastern side of Ohio where we are located, the river depth fluctuates between around 12 feet deep to 20 feet deep with a flood stage of 36 feet.
However, if you travel downstream a few hundred miles to the Cincinnati area, the normal river depth is between 20 feet to 32 feet deep with a flood stage of 52 feet which is a significant difference.
Where Does the Ohio River Start?
The Ohio River starts in Pittsburgh, PA, and flows westward to Cairo, IL, and is the largest tributary to the Mississippi River in cubic feet per second (cfs). The Ohio River is actually much larger than the Mississippi in terms of total water volume. At the bottom of the Ohio River (at Cairo) it is moving around 281,500 cfs compared to 208,200 cfs at Thebes on the Mississippi.
How Long is the Ohio River?
The Ohio River is 981 miles long and borders and/or runs through six states. Its drainage base runs through 15 states and provides drinking water for over 3 million people.