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Olympic pool size
An Olympic pool is 50 meters long and 25 meters wide (164 × 82 ft), with 10 lanes. How much water it holds depends on the depth, which ranges from 2 to 3 meters.
How many gallons?
| Depth | Liters | US gallons |
|---|---|---|
| 2 m (6.6 ft) | 2,500,000 | 660,430 |
| 2.5 m (8.2 ft) | 3,125,000 | 825,538 |
| 3 m (9.8 ft) | 3,750,000 | 990,645 |
The often-quoted "2.5 million liters" assumes a 2 m depth, which is about 660,000 US gallons. Sources differ on the current minimum depth: some say 2 m for competition, and others 2.5 m for the Games. A depth of 3 m is often quoted for pools that also host other sports.
Compared with a backyard pool
A 16 × 32 ft pool with a 3 to 6 ft floor holds about 17,235 gallons. An Olympic pool at 2 m holds about 38 times that.
Other race pools
Short-course pools are 25 m long. Many US high school and college pools are 25 yards (75 ft).