Bristol Channel at a glance
- 57 maverage depth
- 59 mmedian depth
- 134 mmaximum depth
- 20,036 km²water area
Bristol Channel is a channel. Inside its outline the GEBCO grid has about 20,036 km² of water, with an average depth of about 57 m (the middle value is 59 m) and a maximum of 134 m, found at 51.71° N, 5.79° W.
Open the map at the deepest cell and tap to read the depth.
How deep is each part of the Bristol Channel?
The bar splits the Bristol Channel's water by depth. Each colour is a depth band, and the shares add up to 100%.
- 0 to 200 m: 100%
- 200 to 1,000 m: 0%
- 1,000 to 4,000 m: 0%
- 4,000 to 6,000 m: 0%
- below 6,000 m: 0%
Named features near the deepest point: Hurd's Deep (315 km), Beaufort's Dyke (342 km), The Well (447 km), Whittard Canyon (515 km).
The Bristol Channel if sea level dropped
The slider on the map lowers the sea in steps. This table shows how much of the Bristol Channel's water would be land at each step.
| Sea level lowered by | Becomes land | Share of its water |
|---|---|---|
| 10 m | 1,004 km² | 5% |
| 20 m | 2,178 km² | 10.9% |
| 50 m | 7,738 km² | 38.6% |
| 80 m | 15,785 km² | 78.8% |
| 120 m | 20,016 km² | 99.9% |
| 200 m | 20,036 km² | 100% |
| 500 m | 20,036 km² | 100% |
| 1,000 m | 20,036 km² | 100% |
| 2,000 m | 20,036 km² | 100% |
| 3,000 m | 20,036 km² | 100% |
| 4,000 m | 20,036 km² | 100% |
| 6,000 m | 20,036 km² | 100% |
A simple bathtub model: it lowers the sea everywhere by the same amount and does not simulate how water would really drain.
Nearby seas
- Irish Sea average depth about 52 m
- Bay of Biscay average depth about 1,919 m
- Inner Seas average depth about 80 m
- North Sea average depth about 78 m
- Kattegat average depth about 27 m
- Balearic Sea average depth about 899 m
Nearest by the centre of each outline. All oceans and seas
Frequently asked questions
How deep is the Bristol Channel?
On average about 57 m in the GEBCO grid (the middle value is 59 m). The deepest cell inside its outline is 134 m, at 51.71° N, 5.79° W.
How big is the Bristol Channel?
About 20,036 km² of water inside its Natural Earth outline, counted from the grid cells that are below sea level.
How much of the Bristol Channel would be land if sea level dropped?
With the sea 10 m lower, about 1,004 km² (5%) of its water would be land. At 6,000 m lower, 100% would be. This is a simple bathtub model that lowers the sea evenly everywhere.
Data: depths from the GEBCO_2026 grid, statistics worked out inside the Natural Earth outline of the channel. See data sources and licences. The GEBCO Grid should NOT be used for navigation or for any other purpose involving safety at sea.