The Ohio River is naturally shallow, with depths varying from about 3 to 20 feet (1 to 6 meters) in its natural state. However, due to a series of dams that raised the water level, the river now has an average depth of around 24 feet. The average depth from the river's origin to Cincinnati is approximately 15 feet (5 meters), while the deepest point is near Louisville, Kentucky, where it reaches a maximum depth of 168 feet (51 meters). Beyond Louisville, the river gradually loses depth until it reaches about 19-20 feet (6 meters) near its confluence with the Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois.