Ohio River Facts • Education • Ohio River Foundation Resources Newsletter: Would you like to receive a newsletter about our efforts to Save the River? Just fill in your email address below. Ohio River Facts The River and Its Watershed The Ohio River is 981 miles long, starting at the confluence of the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and ending in Cairo, Illinois, where it flows into the Mississippi River. The Ohio River flows through or borders six states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In addition, water from parts of New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama drain into tributaries that empty into the Ohio. The Ohio River is the source of drinking water for more than three million people. Over 25 million people, almost 10% of the US population, live in the Ohio River Basin. There are 20 dams on the Ohio River, managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. The dams have greatly changed the flow of the river, creating a series of very slow moving pools rather than a free flowing river. This makes the river muddier, which is harmful to benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms.

In addition, the Corps regularly dredges the river, disrupting wildlife and increasing turbidity. What is Happening to the Ohio River During rainstorms, raw sewage is discharged directly into the river at over 1,350 points along the river. A result is that stretches of the Ohio River near many major cities are closed to swimming. Non-point source pollution from urban runoff and agricultural activities contributes significant amounts of contaminants to the river. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major source of water quality problems for the upper Ohio River and its tributaries. (As water runs through old mines, it becomes contaminated with sulfur and high concentrations of metals.) Many sections of the Ohio River do not meet water quality standards for bacteria and pathogens, PCBs, lead, mercury, metals, organics and other pollutants. Approximately 164 species of fish have been found in the Ohio River. However, the dams have drastically altered the habitat for river organisms, as they prevent fish and other organisms from moving up and down the river in their natural cycles. 80 species of mussels once lived in the Ohio River. Currently only 50 species occur and 5 of those are in danger of extinction.

There are fish consumption advisories in place for the entire length of the river. Carp and catfish should not be eaten at all, and limited consumption advisories are in place for other types of fish including smallmouth buffalo (1 meal/month) white bass, drum, sauger, black bass (1 meal/week). Also of interest: Ohio River | river, United States | Britannica.com river, United States river Ohio River, major river artery of the east-central United States . Formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers at Pittsburgh, it flows northwest out of Pennsylvania , then in a general southwesterly direction to join the Mississippi River at Cairo , Illinois (see photograph ), after a course of 981 miles (1,579 km). It marks several state boundaries: the Ohio–West Virginia , Ohio–Kentucky, Indiana–Kentucky, and Illinois–Kentucky. The Ohio River contributes more water to the Mississippi than does any other tributary and drains an area of 203,900 square miles (528,100 square km).

The river’s valley is narrow, with an average width of less than 0.5 mile (0.8 km) between Pittsburgh and Wheeling (West Virginia), a little more than 1 mile (1.6 km) from Cincinnati (Ohio) to Louisville (Kentucky) and somewhat greater below Louisville. The Ohio is navigable, and, despite seasonal fluctuations that occasionally reach flood proportions, its fairly uniform flow has supported important commerce since settlement first began. Following destructive floods at Johnstown , Pennsylvania, in 1889 and Portsmouth , Ohio, in 1937, the federal government built a series of flood-control dams. While not developed for hydropower in Ohio, the river, kept at a navigable depth of 9 feet (3 metres), carries cargoes of coal , oil, steel, and manufactured articles. It has a total fall of only 429 feet (130 metres), the one major hazard to navigation being the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville, where locks control a descent of about 24 feet (7 metres) within a distance of 2.5 miles (4 km).

The Ohio’s tributaries include the Tennessee , Cumberland , Kanawha , Big Sandy , Licking , Kentucky , and Green rivers from the south and the Muskingum , Miami , Wabash , and Scioto rivers from the north. Chief cities along the river, in addition to Pittsburgh, Cairo, Wheeling, and Louisville, are Steubenville , Marietta , Gallipolis , Portsmouth, and Cincinnati in Ohio; Madison , New Albany , Evansville , and Mount Vernon in Indiana; Parkersburg and Huntington in West Virginia; and Ashland , Covington , Owensboro , and Paducah in Kentucky . Similar Topics What are the three rivers in Pittsburgh? | Reference.com What are the three rivers in Pittsburgh? A: Quick Answer The three rivers in Pittsburgh are the Monongahela River, the Allegheny River and the Ohio River. The Monongahela River and Allegheny River meet in Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River, which travels 981 miles to its ending point in Cairo, Ill. Full Answer The Ohio River flows through or borders Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The Monongahela River forms at the confluence of the West Fork River and the Tygart Valley River in Fairmont, Va., and flows a total length of 130 miles. The Allegheny River begins near the New York border in Potter County, Pa., and flows a total of 325 miles through New York and Pennsylvania. A River Runs Through It: Books About the Ohio River in the Library's Collection A colorful memoir of life on a family-owned showboat. Pilotin’ Comes Natural Frederick Way, Jr. 917.7 W357p Captain Frederick Way, Jr. tells his story of becoming a steamboat pilot. Glossary of steamboat terms included at the end. The River’s in My Blood: Riverboat Pilots Tell Their Stories Jane Curry 386.35 C976 Based on interviews with over fifty pilots, Curry discusses the piloting profession of rivermen on the Ohio, Mississippi, and tributary rivers. Mr. Roosevelt’s Steamboat: The First Steamboat to Travel the Mississippi Mary Helen Dohan An authoritative account of the first steamboat voyage down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Moonlite at 8:30 Alan L.

Bates and Clarke C. Hawley 386.22436 qB329 1994 Two riverboat captains tell the fascinating history of excursion boats and the people who worked on them. Towboat on the Ohio James E. Casto 387.232097 C354 1995 While this newspaperman’s narrative describes an eight-day trip aboard the towboat Paul G. Blazer, it also relates the history of commerce on the Ohio River. King & Queen of the River: The Legendary Paddle-wheel Steamboats Delta King and Delta Queen Stan Garvey 386.22436 qD366Zg 2002 This is the latest edition of a book that details the history of two famous steamboats. Tales of the Mississippi Ray Samuel, Leonard V. Huber and Warren C. Ogden 977 qS193 An informative history of steamboats on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Contains over 300 illustrations. The Keelboat Age on Western Waters Leland D.

Baldwin 977 B181k The history of river boating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers before the invention of the steamboat. River Dwellers: Poems on the Settling of the Ohio River Jeffrey Hillard 811.54 H649r 1992 A collection of stories and poems that range from 1751 to 1862. Through these works a historical and personal sense of the river unfolds. Shantyboat Journal Harlan Hubbard 917.70433 H875 1994 In the mid-1940s, newlyweds Harlan and Anna Hubbard built a “shantyboat” and spent eight years traveling the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Harlan’s journal delves into the “river way of life” as experienced by he and his wife.

A Journey through the West: Thomas Rodney’s 1803 Journal from Delaware to the Mississippi Territory Thomas Rodney 917.7042 R694 1997 Thomas Rodney (newly appointed land commissioner of Mississippi Territory) documents his 1803 journey from the settled East to the untamed West. It provides a glimpse of life along the unsettled and wild Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Pilgrims on the Ohio: The River Journey & Photographs of Reuben Gold Thwaites, 1894 Reuben Gold Thwaites 977.031 qT548Zt 1997 In 1894, Rueben Thwaites and his family traveled in a rowboat down the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. This work combines journal entries and photographs from that trip with contemporary essays about the Thwaites. Panoramic Ohio Thomas R. Schiff 977.10430222 ffS333 2002 Schiff’s panoramic photographs of rural and urban settings in Ohio take the reader on a regional tour of this diverse and beautiful state.

Tall Stacks: A Celebration of America’s Steamboat Heritage J. Miles Wolf A photographic journey through the pageantry and celebration of Tall Stacks. Queen City Heritage: Cincinnati’s Tall Stacks 386.309771 qQ3 1999 Journal of The Cincinnati Historical Society (volume 57, number 2/3), provides articles on Cincinnati river history. Traveling the Ohio River Scenic Route: Through Southern Indiana including Cincinnati, Louisville, and Owensboro Douglas Wissing 917.70433 W816 1998 This book takes the reader on a tour of the Ohio River as it flows through Southern Indiana/Northern Kentucky. Highlighting historic, geological, and general points of interest along the way, this book will appeal to armchair travelers and local history buffs. Thrills of the Historic Ohio River Frank Y Grayson A brave young man helps slaves escaping from Kentucky in pre-Civil War days. Second Bend in the River Ann Rinaldi YA fiction Rebecca Galloway, a young pioneer living in the Ohio territory, meets the famous Shawnee Indian, Tecumseh, and develops a strong friendship with him.

Danger Along the Ohio Patricia Willis YA fiction Lost in the Ohio River Valley in 1793, thirteen-year-old Amos, along with his brother and sister, must survive in the wilderness and avoid capture by the Shawnee Indians. Mark Twain: America’s Humorist, Dreamer, Prophet Clinton Cox 818.409 T969Zcox 1995 Includes quotes from Twain’s letters, journals, and memoirs and illustrated with photographs from the time period, this biography presents the humorist’s personal life, literary accomplishments, and role as a social critic. Mark Twain: A Writer’s Life Milton Meltzer Explores the life of the famous writer, riverboat pilot and humorist. Robert Fulton: Inventor and Steamboat Builder James Flammang Black and white photographs, maps and biographical information about the famous inventor. Part of the Historical American Biographies Little Toot on the Mississippi Hardie Gramatky Easy Little Toot finally finds the old steamboats just in time to urge them out of retirement to save the bayou animals from the flooding Mississippi.

Mike Fink: A Tall Tale Steven Kellogg Easy Relates the extraordinary deeds of the frontiersman who became King of the Keelboatmen on the Mississippi River. Tattie’s River Journey Shirley Murphy Easy When Tattie’s house floats away on a flooded river, she takes in several animals and people and has a wonderful ride. Shanty Boat Charles Temple Easy Relates the life of a happy riverboatman who has since died but can still be seen on the river when the moon is bright. Steamboat Annie and the Thousand-Pound Catfish Catherine Wright Easy An ornery giant catfish that does not like singing causes trouble for the residents of a little town called Pleasant, until Steamboat Annie teaches him a lesson. Down the Mississippi Clyde Robert Bulla j fiction A Minnesota farmboy gets a much desired opportunity to go down the Mississippi on a raft as the cook’s helper. Instead of curing him of his wish to work on the river, as his parents had hoped, it only strengthens his hope to become a riverman. Great Bamboozlement Jane Flory j fiction The Dowells trade their Pennsylvania farm for a Floating Emporium and set off down the Monongahela River in search of a new home.

Riverboat Adventure Series Lois Johnson j fiction In 1857 twelve-year-old Libby joins her father aboard the Christina and proves that she can be trusted to assist in the escape of a fugitive slave. Floating House Scott Sanders j fiction In 1815, the McClures sail their flatboat from Pittsburgh down the Ohio River and settle in what would later become Indiana. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain j fiction A nineteenth-century boy, floating down the Mississippi on a raft with a runaway slave, becomes involved with a feuding family, two scoundrels pretending to be royalty, and Tom Sawyer’s aunt, who mistakes him for Tom. West by Waterway Nicholas Nirgiotis j386.097309 N721 1995 A history of the rivers, canals and boats of many kinds that brought pioneer settlers to the American West. Steamboat in a Cornfield John Hartford j386.22436 qH328 A rhyming text describes an incident on the Ohio River in 1910 in which the steamboat Virginia went aground in a cornfield.

Mississippi Sternwheelers Pam Zeck j386.22436 qZ42 Photographs and text describe the origins of sternwheel paddleboats and how they aided in the settling of the interior of the United States. Also included is a look at today’s sternwheelers. Story of Mississippi Steamboats R. Conrad Stein j386.224360977 qS819 1987 A brief history of the steamboats which plied the Mississippi River from the early 1800s until the beginning of the age of the railroad later in the century. Mississippi Steamboatman Edith McCall j623.82436 1986 A biography of the riverboatman who, among other achievements, designed and built the first steamboat able to navigate the Mississippi River. Mark Twain? What Kind of Name is That? Robert Quackenbush j818.409 qT969 1998 The life of the famous humorist whose numerous occupations included printer’s apprentice, steamboat pilot, gold miner, frontiersman, and reporter.

Mark Twain and the Queens of the Mississippi Cheryl Harness j818.409 qT969 1998 Focuses on this American author’s connection with steamboats on the Mississippi River while also presenting a history of the craft. Journeys on the Mississippi Three Rivers Run Through It - Popular Pittsburgh Popular Pittsburgh Home → Information → Pittsburgh History → Three Rivers Run Through It If cities were alive, rivers would be their arteries. Since time immemorial, rivers have been the lifeblood of civilization. The greatest cities in the world: Rome, London, Paris, Moscow-all are built on rivers. The area around the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia is known as the “Cradle of Civilization” because it is believed that settled society began there. In Pittsburgh, we owe the existence of our own city to its three rivers: The Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio. But what was here before the skyscrapers of glass and steel? Before the last Ice Age, the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers flowed north, emptying into Lake Erie.

When encroaching glaciers blocked the southern shore of Lake Erie, jamming it with ice, the streams and rivers flowing into it backed up. As the glaciers receded and the ice melted, an area accustomed to a harsh freeze-thaw cycle experienced the most intense one ever. Land that was once buried under the weight of tons of ice, thawed, expanded, and rose 350 feet. This ridge of higher land formed just south of Lake Erie causing the streams and rivers south of it to flow toward Pittsburgh. Early Human Habitation Artifacts found at the Meadowcroft Rockshelter, a massive rock overhang in Washington County (used by some of the area’s earliest inhabitants for shelter) provides clues as to what life was like here 16,000 years ago. Meadowcroft is situated on a tributary of the Ohio River and is the oldest known site of human habitation in North America. It was discovered in 1955, but it wasn’t until 1973 that professional excavation began. The Adena culture followed. These ancient ancestors also made their homes near the rivers.

The Adena built huge mounds, which were burial sites, near what is presently McKees Rocks, five miles from the head of the Ohio River. Growing out of the Adena was the Hopewell culture, an ancient Indian civilization. The Hopewell people lived in villages scattered around the Ohio River. By the time Europeans arrived in the New World, Native American cultures were well established. Iroqois, Lenape, Seneca and Shawnee inhabited our region. In the early 1700s European traders followed. In 1717, Michael Bezallion, a trader, was the first to describe the area’s rivers in writing. The Europeans must have liked what he had to say, because by the end of that year, new outposts and settlements were being established. George Washington and the French The French were the first Europeans to settle in any significant size at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. They recognized this area as prime real estate; therefore, this land near the rivers became the focus of battles for domination of the new world. The rivers provided easy transportation and served as trade routes.

Concerned that the French were getting a foothold in the region, the British sent a young officer by the name of George Washington to warn the French to give up the land. In the mid-1700s the French and British battled over control of the area around the three rivers until the British ultimately took permanent control in 1758, establishing Fort Pitt and what later became Pittsburgh. Boat Building and the Port of Pittsburgh Because the Ohio River flows west, Pittsburgh became the debarkation point for pioneers heading for the frontier, earning the city the nickname The Gateway to the West. Consequently, one of the city’s earliest industries was boatbuilding. In 1811 the first steamboat was built in Pittsburgh. In addition to the rivers, Pittsburgh was blessed with an abundance of natural resources. Combine those with our navigable rivers, and the area soon became a manufacturing powerhouse. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Port of Pittsburgh is the second busiest inland port and the 17th busiest port of any kind in the country. Many people erroneously believe that the area’s series of river locks and dams were designed to limit flooding. They were, in fact, designed to keep our rivers navigable.

Before the corps built them, sometimes the depth in spots of our rivers fell to 12 inches, making them unable to support boat traffic. The dams constructed on the rivers act, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, as an “aquatic staircase,” allowing the water level to be controlled. The rivers are maintained at a depth of 9 feet. Practical reasons are not the only reason that Pittsburgh reveres its rivers. Our three rivers provide much beauty and pleasure. River Recreation In the 1800s, Pittsburgh was a major rowing capital; 20 boathouses dotted the river banks. Recently, rowing has been making a comeback. The Three Rivers Rowing Association is one of the largest community-based paddling clubs in the nation. Fifteen high school and five college teams row out of the TRRA’s facilities in Millvale and Washington’s Landing. The TRRA also offers kayaking and dragon boating programs. Perhaps paddling doesn’t float your boat. In that case you’d be welcome aboard The Gateway Clipper fleet. During the 1950s, John E. Connelly had the foresight to realize that Pittsburgh’s lifeblood was its rivers.

He purchased a riverboat, and in 1958, launched the Gateway Clipper, which provided pleasure boat tours of the rivers. The tours became so popular that in 1959 Connelly added two more boats to the fleet, the Gateway Clipper II and the Good Ship Lollipop. In 1987 the largest boat to ever sail the area’s rivers — The Majestic — joined the fleet. More than 25 million passengers have sailed with the fleet during the last 51 years, making the Gateway Clipper Fleet the number one non-sports attraction in the city. If history is any indicator, as long as rivers run through the area, people will keep flocking to them to work, play and live. Written by Janice Palko Riverlorian.com - Ohio River Riverlorian.com The Beautiful Ohio River The Ohio River The Ohio is a beautiful river with amazing scenery. I have traveled the entire 981 miles of the Ohio River several times. I have explored it by canoe, cabin cruiser, deck boat, steamboat and towboat. Some are wary of going out on the Ohio River. The following three factors come up in conversations as to why.

One is the very size of the river, two is commercial river traffic and the third is the system of locks & dams. Yes, the Ohio is a big river and nearly a mile wide in some places, but so are many lakes that people boat on. I don't see the size really being a "fear factor". Sure, the wind can create some chop, especially in the lower, straighter sections but, again, the same thing happens on lakes. The towboats with their huge barges are intimidating but can be dealt with safely, mostly using common sense. Towboats create a mild rolling wake that is easy to handle. Wakes from large cruisers are more difficult to manage than towboat wakes. The locks are not as scary as they seem to some people. Every vessel has the right to pass through them. If one follows the rules and has patience, locking is quite fun. I have canoed through locks with no problem. The Ohio River provides boaters and floaters a mostly remote river with an abundance of wildlife, forests, islands and places of refuge. With the exception of the cities, it is a natural setting with the advantage of many access sites. Most of the cities and towns are ?user friendly?

with regard to the river. Many of the Ohio River towns embrace their river heritage and try to make it easy for traveling boaters to visit. If you know where to find them there are plenty of places for supplies, food, lodging and fuel. For those who want to really get away from it all, the many islands and tributaries offer great anchorage and camping opportunities. Following is a brief tour of the Ohio River. Most rivers begin as a tiny stream and grow in size as tributaries pour into it. The Ohio River starts out as a big river at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (shown at right). Pittsburgh, as has many Ohio River cities, has done great things to improve their riverfront. For those wanting to experience the Ohio River from beginning to end, the journey must begin here or on the Allegheny or Monongahela Rivers. There are many public access ramps on all three rivers and also plenty of marinas. There are twenty locks on the entire Ohio River. In the upper reaches of the river they are fairly close together (some only a few miles) but as the river continues downstream the locks are farther apart.

As with most rivers, there are industrial areas that do not provide the beautiful scenery that most of us seek but many of them are interesting. The huge barge loading facilities and other industry is usually clustered in areas and use relatively little of the 981 miles of the river shoreline. The most noticeable industry are the occasional electric power plants, but once again, these sightings are brief and once past them the upper river is an island studded natural waterway. There are tributaries, coves and island chutes that provide good anchorage on landings for the night. It is a good idea to find these rather than anchor or land along the busy main channel. This is mainly because towboat traffic is noisy and the rolling wakes will rock the boat, plus a landed boat can be driven onto the beach and become grounded. There are also many fleeting areas along the shore where the towboats transfer barges. Check the charts and guidebooks for the best locations to spend the night. Of course there are also many marinas located in quite coves (like the one at left) for those preferring to rent a slip for the night. Getting fuel is never a problem on the upper river with the number of marinas and fuel docks that are normally well marked.

Even in the vicinity of the riverside cities there are often remote and scenic places to enjoy. One example is Wheeling, West Virginia. It has a busy riverport with a great deal of industry but if one takes the chute of Wheeling Island, he or she will find a remote and natural setting with only the noise from nearby highways as a reminder that civilization is close by. The aerial photo at right shows some of the things discussed above in one image. Notice the up-bound tow, the islands and the roads running along each side of the river. The Ohio River Scenic Byway is a popular group of roads that run mostly along the river for those who want to enjoy the beauty of the Ohio by car. It is interesting that while those roads and often railroad tracks are present along a great deal of the shoreline of the upper Ohio River, they are mostly not in view from the river below. In fact there are many homes, farm fields and industrial sites near the river but are blocked from view by the corridor of trees along the banks, giving one a sense of remoteness and natural beauty. The Middle Ohio River Valley has its own charm with many small towns that are friendly, accessible and charming.

Since the river has many high bluffs along the bank, some communities are built on the narrow section of flat land between the river and the bluffs, This means that rather than spread out in all directions, the town grew in along the bank with some only being one or two streets wide, like Pomeroy, Ohio shown at left. Some towns are hidden behind floodwalls which is unfortunate for those living there who would enjoy seeing the river but necessary to keep the town from being flooded. The great flood of 1937 caused many of these giant walls to be built. The towns are not completely cut off from the river, as they have openings leading to parks, ramps and other helpful things for boaters. Those opening can be closed during flooding with gates or slide-in timbers. Some cities like Portsmouth, Ohio, Maysville, Kentucky and Paducah, Kentucky have these walls painted on the inside with images depicting the history and other interesting features about the area. The mouth of the Great Miami River marks the halfway mark of the Ohio River and the border of Indiana and Ohio along the right descending bank, with the left bank being Kentucky.

It is interesting to note that even though the Ohio River is a state border, the border runs along the right bank and not in the middle of the river. That means that once the Ohio River leaves Pennsylvania, it is entirely within the states of West Virginia then Kentucky along the left descending bank. There are some places where this varies due to slight river course changes and damming. This has no real affect on those boating the river since the states on both sides of the river have agreements that allow boating regulations and fishing license to be honored by authorities from either state, while on the river on along the shore. This does not cover tributaries going into the river. Once past Louisville, Kentucky area the river becomes even more remote with much greater distances between the locks. The Distance between the McAlpine Lock at Louisville and the Cannelton Lock is 114 miles. This area is also particularly beautiful with plenty of high bluffs alternating between the Indiana and Kentucky shores. There is also greater distances between fueling opportunities so those traveling the lower Ohio River in powerboats must plan wisely considering their fuel range. A river guidebook will provide the information needed to help with this.

The towns are also farther apart on the lower river but most of them have good access for supplies. Huge islands and big bends are encountered on the lower Ohio River. Fewer recreational boaters will be seen due to the remoteness. Barge traffic will be present but there is plenty of room to share the river with them. Many Large tributaries enter the Ohio River on the lower section. Those include the Wabash River , Cumberland River and Tennessee River . The Wabash is a non-navigable river but that designation means that it cannot carry commercial traffic. It can be used by those in pleasure craft but caution must be used if taking a side trip, as it can be swift and shallow in places. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers are navigable. Information about all these rivers is available on this web site. The photo at left shows the Cumberland River flowing into the Ohio River. The Cumberland is to the right of the point. A nice side trip from the Ohio River is to go up the Cumberland and lock through to Lake Barkley, then take a short canal to Kentucky Lake, which is the Tennessee River.

Then lock though Kentucky Dam and go down the Tennessee River to Paducah, Kentucky where the Tennessee River flows into the Ohio River. Plenty of marinas can be found on Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Once past Paducah the shoreline flattens out as the river approaches its end. The Ohio River ends at the confluence with the Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois. This confluence borders Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Even though the Ohio River is much wider and carries more water than the Mississippi where they meet, the Ohio is considered the tributary to the Mississippi. Where the rivers meet, the muddy brown water of the Mississippi and the most often blue waters of the Ohio River run next along each side of the river for several miles before mixing to one color. Look closely at the photo at right to see the color differences. This was taken from the point at the confluence with the Ohio on the left and the Mississippi on the right. Want to explore the Ohio River? There are many printed materials and electronic devices that are an aid to navigation of the Ohio River. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers provides chart books; however, they are designed primarily for commercial traffic.

The chart books do not show m ost of the adjacent roads, nor do they show supply information, interesting and historic sights or marina information. These books are large and it requires three of them for the entire length of the Ohio River. For large craft, one can purchase these charts on CD and use a laptop computer; however, this will give you little more information than the paper charts. There are inland cruising guides that provides marina information but little else. Cruising guides cover many waterways in one book, so there is limited information about a specific river. There are maps, charts, GPS systems and other devices to help navigate the Ohio River, but until the Ohio River Guidebook was published there was no single portable source for all of the detailed information about the river for the true voyager. Many people want to do more than travel on the river. They want to explore it, learn about the history and be able to find on-shore facilities and places of interest.

Ohio River Maps: (the river maps include insets of many small town maps - larger towns have their own maps and are shown in the 2nd list below) Part XVI (7.4 mb) Indian Spring, Sweet Wine, Hohnsonville, California, East Columbia, Mt.

Pleasant, Pmedleton, Dayton, Bellevue, Newport, Covington, Cincinnati Part XXV (6.3 mb) Neville, Foster, New Richmond, Carthage, Moscow, East Columbia, Johnsonville, Motier, Judds Landing, Kennedys Landing, Point Pleasant, Bellmont, Clermontville, California, Sarvers Landing, Painters Landing, Whites Landing, New Palestine Part XXIV (6.7 mb) Higginsport, Augusta, Utopia, Smith Landing, Rural, Tietzville, Wellsburg, Chilo, Bradford Part XXIII (6.2 mb) Aberdeen, Levana, Chester, Woodville, Maysville, Charleston Bottom, Logans Gap, Hestoria, Ripley, Western Mills, Dover Part XXII (6.3 mb) Manchester, Wrightsville, Concord, Stouts Landing, Carr, Stouts Bottom, Brush Creek Island, Stevensons Landing, Vineyard Hill, Diols Bottom, Norris Landing, Manchester Island, Wilsons Ferry, Sand Hill, Elm Landing, Kirkers Landing, Springdale Part XXI (5.7 mb) Vanceburg, Rome (Stouts P.O.), Quincy, Pond Run, Buena Vista, Red Fox Landing

, Rockville, Commercial Town, Fairview Landing, Samples Landing, Irish Bottom, Kenyon's Ferry Landing, Harris Landing, Sulphur Spring, Ransom's Bottom Part XX (7.1 mb) Sciotoville, Portsmouth, East Portsmouth, Springville, Friendship, Pond Run, Wheelersburg Part XIX (7.0 mb) Hanging Rock, Greenupsburg, Riverton, Union and Fulton Landing, Haverhill, Junior Landing, Franklin Furnace, Darolls Landing, Wheelersburg Part XVIII (6.9 mb) Ceredo, Big Sandy River, Hampton City, Sandy City, Arigo City, Catlettsburg, Russell, Ashland, Ironton, Hanging Rock, South Point, Petersburg Part XVII (6.7 mb) Huntington, Guyandotte, Millersport, St.

Cloud, Burlington, Rockwood, Bradricksville, Granttown, Proctersville (Quakerbottom), Haskelville, Athalia, Lesage, Gardners Landing, Bowens Landing, Cox Landing Part XVI (6.2 mb) Bay Bottom, Green Bottom, Crown City, Blakes Landing, Glenwwod, Bush Mills, Mercers Bottom, Apple Grove, Bladensburg, Chambersburg, Neale Landing, Racoon Island Part XV (5.3 mb) Gallipolis, Sheppard City, Elenipsco, Cheshire, Clipper Mills, Bailey Landing, Point Pleasant, Addison, Mackers Landing Part XIV (3.3 mb) Minersville, Racine, Graham Station, Condorville, West Columbia, Middleport, Clifton, Minerstown, Pomeroy, Mason City, Carletonville, Brownsville, Hartford City, Syracuse, New Haven, Elliott Landing Part XIII (6.7 mb) Antiquity, Plant, LeTart, Letartsville, Mt.

Alto, Apple Grove, Ripley Landing, Goose Island, Willow Grove, Great Bend, Pleasantview, Ravenswood, Buffington Island Part XII (6.6 mb) Portland, Belleville, Hockingport, Murraysville, Reedville, Muses Bottom, Morgan Landing, Coleman and Roberts Landing, Shade River, Long Bottom, Lone Cedar, Cedar Point Landing, Pond Creek, Belleville Island, Randolph Ferry Landing, Harris Ferry, Hockingport, Hockhocking River, Leoritts Landing, Mustaha Island, New England, Newburry Island Part XI (7.1 mb) Lauchport, Cedarville, Newport, Newbury Island, Guthrie's and Walker's Landing, Sawyers Run, Little Hocking, Little Hocking River, Centre Belpre, Blennerhassett's Island, Belpre, Parkersburgh, Little Kanawha, Neale's Island, Bell's and Wallace's Landing, Spencer's Landing, Vienna Island, Briscoe Run, Constitution, Gravel Bank, Muskingum Island, Scotts Landing, Henderson's Landing Part X (7.2 mb) Williamstown, Newport, St.

Marys, Marietta, Muskingum River, Harmar, Duck Creek, Kerrs Island, Davis and Comptons Landing, Little Muskingum River, Bull Creek, James Lane Landing, Lower Newport, Cow Creek Landing, Willow Island, Three Brothers Island, Newells Run, Littles Landing, Ferguson Landing, Middle Island Part IX (6.2 mb) Sistersville, Matamoras, Cochransville, Centerview, Grandview, Wade, Grape Island, Long Reach, Mill Creek Island, Wells Island, Tuells Ferry, Hays and Parkers Landing, Wells and Riggs Landing, Independence and Brouse's Landing, Bailey's Landing, Taylors and Hammonds Landing Part VIII (6.7 mb) Baresville, Sardis, New Martinsville, Wittens, Wiiliamson's Island, Paden Island and Landing, Livly Landing, Texas, Fishing Creek, Buckhill Bottom, Proctor, Martin's and Gamble's Landing, Clarington (Sunfish) Part VII (6.4 mb) Clarington (Sunfish), Steinersville, Moundsville, Still House Run, Ward's and Walton's Landing, Yost's, Franklin and Suter Landing

, Woodlands, Fish Creek and Fish Creek Island, Krebs and Little Run Landing, Powhattan, Industry, Captina Island, Round Bottom, Dillys Bottom, Pipe Creek and Lockwood Landing, Wegee Landing Part VI (8.6 mb) West Wheeling, Wheeling, Wheeling Island, Benwood, Tiltonville, Bellaire, Booges Island, Benson's Ferry, Bridgeport, Martin's Ferry, Twins Islands, Pine Island, Deep Run, Warrenton, Short Creek Part V (7.6 mb) Warrenton, Portland Station, Short Creek, Rush Run, Beech Bottom Bar, LaGrange, Wellsburg, Mingo Junction, Mingo Island, Jeffersonville, Fisherville, Steubenville, Clarks Ferry Landing, Inglebrights Landing, Edgington, Mill Vale, Cables Landing, Hollidays Cove Part IV (7.8 mb) New Cumberland, Newburgh, Sloan's Station, McCoys Station, Cable's Landing, Hollidays Cove, Brown's Island, Jeddo, Freeman's Landing, Saltzman Landing, Anderson Landing, Black Horse Landing, Elliotsville, Calumet, Blacks Island, New Lexington, Port Homer, Nesley's

 Island, Linton, Yellow Station, Baker's Island, Hamilton, Wellsville Part III (6.9 mb) Howard Landing, McDonalds Landing, Walker's Station, Jethro, East Liverpool, Bare's Island, Dry Run, Line Island, Smiths Ferry, Glasgow (Glasgowboro), Industry, Georgetown, Georgetown Island, Rogers Ferry, Shippingport, Montgomery Island, Green Valley, Phillis Island Part II (6.2 mb) Leetsdale, Economy, Baden, Vanport, Bellowsville, Beaver, Bridgewater, Rochester, Phillipburg, Freedom, St.

Clair, Conway Station, Remington Station, Hog Island, Crew Island, Linmore Station, Legion Station, Fairoak Station, Shousetown, Deadman Island, Shields Station, Edgeworth Station, Quaker Station, Sewickley, Osburn Station, Middletown, Vancefort Part I (6.5 mb) Middletown, Haysville, Ellanova Spring Station, Glenfield, Emsworth, Agnew Station, Hogs Back Island, Neville Island, Davis Island, Dixmont Station, Laurel Station, Birmingham Station, West Bellevue, Bellevue, Jacks Run Station, Verner Station, Woods Run Station, McKees Rocks, Brunot's Island, Riverside, Temperanceville, Pittsburgh and Allegheny City Wards 1889 photo of the Katie Stockdale taken near Reedsville, Ohio - note all the buggies and wagons - click on the image above for full view (1.3 mb) Town, City and Borough Maps: (detail shows lots, dwellings and names) Pittsburgh & Allegheny City - 40 additional maps (landowner names on separate ward maps) Including Boroughs of Temperanceville, Birmingham, Saint Clair, Monong

ahela, Chartiers, Union, Sharpsburg, Ormsby, Millvale, Allentown, Mt.

Washington and Etna Note: this set is on another web page These maps identify wards, districts and townships and also include landowner and street names. Save these to your computer and print any selected area at any scale by using the Adobe Reader camera icon. For help in using the Adobe Reader toolbar click here Choose a version of Adobe Acrobat Reader (download it here) Many early settlers came down the Ohio river from Pennsylvania. I've found the web site Footnote extremely helpful. New material from the Pennsylvania Archives has just been added which is now free. After the Revolutionary War many families settled in the new frontier along the Ohio River. Individuals, as well as their descendants, claimed their service pensions in the form of land grants in the new territories in the Ohio River Valley. . . . some documents are free . . . others are by membership . . . and the original records are excellent quality . . . What river flows just south of Cincinnati, Ohio? | Reference.com What river flows just south of Cincinnati, Ohio? A: Quick Answer The Ohio River flows south of Cincinnati, Ohio. This river separates the city from Covington, Kentucky.

Cincinnati became the first major inland city in the United States due to its rapid population growth in the 19th century. Full Answer Cincinnati is the third-largest city in Ohio, based on the 2010 U.S. Census. Approximately 297,517 people live in Cincinnati, based on 2013 estimates. The city is located on 79.54 square miles along the north bank of the Ohio River, with the downtown area located on the shore of the river. It is in Hamilton County, the most southwestern county of Ohio. Cincinnati was settled in 1788 and was incorporated as a city in 1819. Map of Ohio River - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki Top rankings for Ohio River 2nd Mississippi_River ">Top rivers of Indiana: Mississippi River Wikipedia article: Map showing all locations mentioned on Wikipedia article: The Ohio River is the largest tributary , by volume, of the Mississippi River . It is approximately 981 miles (1,579 km) long and is located in the eastern United States . The river had great significance in the history of the Native Americans , as numerous civilizations formed along its valley.

In the last five centuries prior to European contact, the Mississippian culture built numerous regional chiefdoms and major earthwork mounds in the Ohio Valley, such as Angel Mounds near Evansville, Indiana . For thousands of years, Native Americans, like the European explorers and settlers who followed them, used the river as a major transportation and trading route. About 1200 CE , the area of Kentucky was the site of longterm wars between the Iroquois , invading from present-day New York, and the Osage and other Ohio River tribes. Over centuries, the Osage, Omaha , Ponca and Kaw migrated west of the Mississippi River , settling by the mid-17th century in their historic grounds in Missouri , and nearby states. After European-American settlement, the river served at times as a border between present-day Kentucky and Indian Territories . It was a primary transportation route during the westward expansion of the early U.S. The Ohio flows through or along the border of six states , and its drainage basin encompasses 14 states. Through its largest tributary, the Tennessee River , the basin includes many of the states of the southeastern U.S.

During the nineteenth century, the river was the southern boundary of the Northwest Territory , thus serving as the border between free and slave territory. It is sometimes referred to as the " Mason-Dixon line ". It is commonly acknowledged as the western natural extension of the original Mason-Dixon line that divided Pennsylvania and West Virginia (then a part of Virginia .) It was thus the unofficial and, at times disputed, border between the Northern United States and the American South or Upper South . The Ohio River is a climatic transition area, as its water runs along the periphery of the humid subtropical climate and humid continental climate. It is inhabited by fauna and flora of both climates. In his Notes on the State of Virginia published in 1781-82, Thomas Jefferson stated: "The Ohio is the most beautiful river on earth. Its current gentle, waters clear, and bosom smooth and unbroken by rocks and rapids, a single instance only excepted." Geography and hydrography ). From there, it forms the border between West Virginia and Ohio, upstream of Wheeling, West Virginia . The river then follows a roughly southwest and then west-northwest course until Cincinnati , before bending to a west-southwest course for most of its length.

It flows along the borders of West Virginia, Ohio , until it joins the Mississippi near the city of Cairo, Illinois . Cache River — Illinois Drainage basin The Ohio's drainage basin covers 189,422 square miles (490,603 km²), including the easternmost regions of the Mississippi Basin . States drained by the Ohio include: (all but a small part in the extreme west of the state drained directly by the Mississippi River ), (the northeast corner of the state). Geology From a geologic standpoint, the Ohio River is young. The river formed on a piecemeal basis beginning between 2.5 and 3 million years ago. The earliest Ice Ages occurred at this time and dammed portions of north-flowing rivers. The Teays River was the largest of these rivers. The modern Ohio River flows within segments of the ancient Teays. The ancient rivers were rearranged or consumed by glaciers and lakes. Upper Ohio River The upper Ohio River formed when one of the glacial lakes overflowed into a south-flowing tributary of the Teays River . Prior to that event, the north-flowing Steubenville River (no longer in existence) ended between New Martinsville , West Virginia.

Likewise, the south-flowing Marietta River (no longer in existence) ended between the present-day cities. The overflowing lake carved through the separating hill and connected the rivers. The resulting floodwaters enlarged the small Marietta valley to a size more typical of a large river. The new large river subsequently drained glacial lakes and melting glaciers at the end of several Ice Ages . The valley grew with each major Ice Age . Many small rivers were altered or abandoned after the upper Ohio River formed. Valleys of some abandoned rivers can still be seen on satellite and aerial images of the hills of Ohio . As testimony to the major changes that occurred, such valleys are found on hilltops. Middle Ohio River The middle Ohio River formed in a manner similar to formation of the upper Ohio River. A north-flowing river was temporarily dammed southwest of present-day Louisville, Kentucky , creating a large lake until the dam burst. A new route was carved to the Mississippi River . Eventually the upper and middle sections combined to form what is essentially the modern Ohio River.

History Since it was considered by pre-Columbian inhabitants of eastern North America to be part of a single river continuing on through the lower Mississippi, it is perhaps an understatement to characterize the Ohio as a tributary of the Mississippi River. The river is 981 miles (1,579 km) long and carries the largest volume of water of any tributary of the Mississippi. The Indians and early explorers and settlers of the region often considered the Allegheny to be part of the Ohio. The forks (the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers at what is now Pittsburgh) was considered a strategic military location. In 1669 René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle , led an expedition of French traders who became the first Europeans to see the river. He traveled from Canada and entered the headwaters of the Ohio, traveling as far as the Falls of Ohio before turning back. He returned to explore the river again in other expeditions. An Italian cartographer traveling with him created the first map of the Ohio River.

France claimed ownership of the river until its territory in North America was ceded to Great Britain in 1763, following the Seven Years War (aka the French and Indian War .) On May 19, 1749, King George II of Great Britain granted the Ohio Company a charter of land around the forks. Exploration of the territory and trade with the Indians in the region near the Forks by British colonials from Pennsylvania and Virginia—both of which claimed the territory—led to conflict with French forces that also claimed the region and had built forts along the Allegheny River. This directly led to the French and Indian War in North America. The French and Indian War was part of a more global conflict, the Seven Years' War between England and France. After several initial defeats, the British eventually gained sovereignty over the Ohio Valley. The 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix opened Kentucky to colonial settlement and established the Ohio River as a southern boundary for American Indian territory. In 1774, the Quebec Act restored the land east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River to Quebec, appeasing the French-speaking British subjects, but angering the Thirteen Colonies .

They listed it as one of the Intolerable Acts which precipitated the American Revolution . Louisville, Kentucky was founded at the only major natural navigational barrier on the river, the Falls of the Ohio . The Falls were a series of rapids where the river dropped in a stretch of about . In this area, the river flowed over hard, fossil-rich beds of limestone . The first locks on the river were built in 1825 at Louisville to circumnavigate the falls. Today it is the site of McAlpine Locks and Dam . Because the Ohio River flowed westwardly, it became a convenient means of westward movement by pioneers traveling from western Pennsylvania. After reaching the mouth of the Ohio, settlers would travel north on the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri . There, some continued on up the Missouri River , some up the Mississippi, and some further west over land routes. In the early 19th century, pirates such as Samuel Mason , settled at Cave-In-Rock, Illinois , waylaid travelers on their way down the river. They killed travelers, stealing their goods and scuttling their boats. The folktales about Mike Fink recall the keelboats used for commerce in the early days of European settlement.

The Ohio River boatmen were the inspiration for performer Dan Emmett , who in 1843 wrote the song " The Boatman's Dance ". Trading boats and ships traveled south on the Mississippi to New Orleans , and sometimes beyond to the Gulf of Mexico and other ports in the Americas and Europe. This provided a much-needed export route for goods from the west, since the trek east over the Appalachian Mountains was long and arduous. The need for access to the port of New Orleans by settlers in the Ohio Valley led to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Because the river is the southern border of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, it was part of the border between free tates and slave states in the years before the American Civil War . The expression "sold down the river" originated as a lament of Upper South slaves , especially from Kentucky, who were separated from their families and sold in Louisville and other Kentucky locations to be shipped via the Ohio River and Mississippi down to New Orleans. There they were sold to owners of cotton and sugar field plantations in the Deep South, which were notoriously hard on laborers.

Before and during the Civil War, the Ohio River was called the "River Jordan" by slaves' crossing it to escape to freedom in the North via the Underground Railroad . Such escapes were depicted in contemporary anti-slavery novels, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe 's Uncle Tom's Cabin . The times have also been portrayed by late 20th century novelists such as Toni Morrison . More escaping slaves made their perilous journey north to freedom across the Ohio River than anywhere else across the north-south frontier. Today, the Ohio River is considered to separate Midwestern Great Lakes states from Southern states which were historically border states in the Civil War. Mouth of the Ohio, as it feeds into the Mississippi The charter for Virginia went to the far shore of the Ohio River, so that the entire river was included in the lands "owned" by Virginia. Where the river serves as a boundary between states today, the entire river belongs to the states on the east and south, i.e., West Virginia and Kentucky, that were divided from Virginia. Thus Wheeling Island , the largest inhabited island in the Ohio River, belongs to West Virginia, even though it is closer to the Ohio shore than to the West Virginia shore.

Kentucky brought suit against Indiana in the early 1980s because of the building of the Marble Hill nuclear power plant in Indiana, which would have discharged its waste water into the river. Supreme Court held that Kentucky's jurisdiction (and, implicitly, that of West Virginia) extended only to the low-water mark of 1793 (important because the river has been extensively dammed for navigation, so that the present river bank is north of the old low-water mark.) Similarly, in the 1990s, Kentucky challenged Illinois' right to collect taxes on a riverboat casino docked in Metropolis , citing its own control of the entire river. A private casino riverboat that docked in Evansville, Indiana on the Ohio River opened about the same time. Although such boats cruised on the Ohio River in an oval pattern up and down, the state of Kentucky soon protested. Other states had to limit their cruises to going forwards then reversing and going backwards on the Indiana shore only. In the early 1980s, the Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area was established at Clarksville, Indiana . River depth The Ohio River is a naturally shallow river that was artificially deepened by series of dams .

The dams raise the water level and have turned the river largely into a series of reservoirs , eliminating shallow stretches and allowing for commercial navigation. Near its origin at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers , the Ohio remains fairly shallow, never rising above around deep all the way past Cincinnati. From its origin to Cincinnati, the average depth is approximately . However, once past Cincinnati, the river deepens substantially. Due to the damming, along with glacier formations and migrations in the latter part of the second Ice Age , the river's depth increases nearly fivefold over about , coming to a maximum depth of just west of Louisville, Kentucky . The around Louisville represent the deepest area of the river with an average depth of approximately , allowing for much larger vessels to traverse the river. From Louisville, the river loses its depth very gradually until its confluence with the Mississippi at Cairo, Illinois , where it has an approximate depth of , because it is more free flowing. The natural depth of the river varies from about 3 feet to 40 feet. Water levels for the Ohio River are predicted daily by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 's Ohio River Forecast Center .

The water depth predictions are relative to each local flood plain based upon predicted rainfall in the Ohio River basin in five reports as follows:

Question: Which river runs through the cities of Cincinnati and Pittsburgh?
Answer: Ohio