Old River: depth, boat ramps and water quality
Boat: 2 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Holiday Harbor Marina.
The estuary
Old River covers 1,136 acres in Alabama, across Escambia County. It is an estuary: the deepest point measured is 18.7 feet (5.7 m). Our records hold 11 species for this water. 42% of the water lies in Florida. The water crosses into Georgia.
Depth: down to 18.7 ft at the deepest measured point
Deepest measured point: 18.7 ft (5.7 m). We hold 1 depth contour for this water, drawn from 26,855 soundings.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 2.4–8 feet on our readings, averaging 4.7 feet, from 90 readings. Water temperature averages 73°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 32°F and the warmest is 93°F; the warmest monthly average is 84°F. pH averages 8. These readings span 2016–2024.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 56°F · Feb 65°F · Mar 67°F · Apr 71°F · May 79°F · Jun 81°F · Jul 83°F · Aug 84°F · Sep 81°F · Oct 72°F · Nov 62°F · Dec 58°F
2 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 1 boat ramp and 1 hand launch.
- Holiday Harbor Marina 14050 Canal A Way · phone +1-850-492-0555 · website myholidayharbor.com
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- River Road North Park Kayak Access — hand launch, dock, parking for 10 cars, no fee, dock. On Perdido Bay, Pensacola, Escambia County. River Road, Pensacola 32507 · website myescambia.com/our-services/natural-resources-management/marine-resources/boating-information
Only one of the 2 places listed has both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
What is hard here
Clarity swings from 2.4 to 8 feet between our readings — the water you meet is not the water someone photographed. Only 2 public ramps are on file, so the launch decides where you fish. Winter water drops to 56°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Summer water sits at 84°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- NOAA Digital Coast — NOAA Digital Coast bathymetric lidar: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA NOS Hydro — NOAA NOS hydrographic survey archive: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA BlueTopo: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA National Bathymetric Source (S-102 ed3.0.0) — NOAA S-102 bathymetric surfaces: contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
