2 U.S. Rivers Deeper Than the Mighty Mississippi River

Written by Kyle Glatz
Updated: June 19, 2023
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Many rivers flow throughout the United States, including some of the deepest rivers in the world. The Mississippi River snakes its way through about 2,320 miles of the United States from its headwaters in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico where it lets out. Aside from being one of the longest rivers in the United States, it is also one of the deepest. In this article, though, we are going to show you two of the U.S. rivers deeper than the mighty Mississippi River.

To be fair, the main portion of one of these rivers is not in the U.S., so it is not considered the deepest river in the United States. Without further ado, let us look at these incredibly deep rivers.  

How Deep is the Mississippi River?

Drone view of the Mississippi River flowing past the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station

Most of the Mississippi River is only between 9 and 12 feet deep!

©Justin Wilkens/Shutterstock.com

Before we look at U.S. rivers deeper than the Mississippi River, it is necessary to consider the depth of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is roughly 200 feet deep at Algiers Point in New Orleans, Louisiana. This location is rather close to the end of the river. Algiers Point is located across from Canal Street and the French Quarter in New Orleans.

The Mississippi River is not that deep for its entire length, averaging just between 9 and 12 feet for the majority of its run. Nevertheless, it has many deep sections. The river served as an important mode of transportation in the past and continues to be a significant contributor to industries throughout its course.

Still, though, the river’s depth is not the greatest in the United States. One of the deeper rivers is entirely in the United States and another is not.

What Are 2 U.S. Rivers Deeper Than the Mississippi River?

Prettiest Rivers in the United States - Hudson River

Portions of the Hudson River offer beautiful views during the autumn months.

©Songquan Deng/Shutterstock.com

The Hudson River and St. Lawrence River are U.S. rivers that are deeper than the Mississippi River. The entire length of the Hudson River flows through the United States, but that is not the case with the St. Lawrence River. Take a closer look at each of the rivers that has a greater depth than the Mississippi River in the U.S.

1. Hudson River – 216 Feet

The New Tappan Zee Bridge (The Governor M. Cuomo) spanning the Hudson River in New York.

The Hudson River runs past the west side of New York City.

©Felix Lipov/Shutterstock.com

The Hudson River is the deepest river in the U.S. At least, it’s the deepest river that has all of its flow within the country. The river is 216 feet deep at its greatest depth. The Hudson River flows for about 315 miles. The river’s source is found at Lake Tear of the Clouds in northern New York State.

The river flows south through the state of New York before emptying into the New York Harbor, a body of water that forms a boundary between New York and New Jersey.

The deepest part of the river is between 202 and 216 feet deep. Also, the deepest portion of the river is near its end. The part of the river known as World’s End is located near Constitutional Island and Gee’s Point. That’s where the river plunges to its maximum depth. Interestingly, Gee’s Point is located near the United States Military Academy.

The Hudson River is often considered the deepest river in the United States. However, another deeper river has a portion of its flow in the country.

2.  St. Lawrence River – 250 Feet

A view of the St. Lawrence River from Wellesley Island State Park

A view of the St. Lawrence River from Wellesley Island State Park.

©iStock.com/Eric Bardo

The St. Lawrence River is 250 deep at its deepest point. That makes it one of two U.S. rivers deeper than the Mississippi River. The St. Lawrence River acts as a border between the United States and Canada, and a part of the river flows through New York.  

However, the majority of the river flows through Canada. As a result, most people do not consider the river the deepest in the United States since it’s a shared river with another country. If it was considered a United States river, then it would be the deepest in the country by a significant margin.

After all, the Mississippi River is only about 200 feet deep and the Hudson River is about 216 feet deep. The St. Lawrence River is far deeper by 34 additional feet. The St. Lawrence River is the second-deepest river in North America, with only the Ottawa River ahead of it.

The deepest part of the St. Lawrence River is located in a portion of the river that is called the American Narrows within the Thousand Islands region. The deepest part of the river is treacherous, and it has an unfortunate past. The NEPCO-140 oil barge ran aground and dumped 300,000 gallons of oil in the river in 1976.

How Deep Are the World’s Deepest Rivers?

The Congo River is the deepest river in the world at 720 feet!

©iStock.com/Fanny Salmon

The U.S. rivers deeper than the Mississippi River are very deep, at least relative to others in North America. However, the deepest rivers in the world are far deeper. For example, the Congo River is the deepest in the entire world.

This river runs for 2,920 miles and reaches 720 feet deep at one portion of its run. This river is known for being the only river that crosses the equator twice throughout the entirety of its course.

All told, there are two U.S. rivers deeper than the Mississippi River. That is true if one considers that a part of the St. Lawrence River runs through New York in the United States and serves as a border with Canada. These rivers all have a depth within 50 feet of one another in the U.S. Yet, far deeper rivers run throughout the world, including the Congo River which is about three times as deep as the St. Lawrence River.

Summary of U.S. Rivers Deeper than the Mississippi River

RiverDepth
Hudson River, New York/ New Jersey216 Feet
St. Lawrence River, Canada/U.S. (New York)250 Feet

The photo featured at the top of this post is © pisaphotography/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Kyle Glatz is a writer at A-Z-Animals where his primary focus is on geography and mammals. Kyle has been writing for researching and writing about animals and numerous other topics for 10 years, and he holds a Bachelor's Degree in English and Education from Rowan University. A resident of New Jersey, Kyle enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games.

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