Oakhanger Stream

Last updated

Oakhanger Stream
Field near Oakhanger - geograph.org.uk - 1032226.jpg
Footbridge over the Oakhanger Stream near the village of Oakhanger
Location
Country England
Counties Hampshire
Districts / Boroughs East Hampshire
Towns Selborne
Physical characteristics
SourceWell Head
  locationNoar Hill, Selborne
  coordinates 51°05′21″N0°56′24″W / 51.089140°N 0.94002732°W / 51.089140; -0.94002732
  elevation126 m (415 ft)
Mouth River Slea
  location
Kingsley
  coordinates
51°07′57″N0°52′52″W / 51.132491°N 0.88098100°W / 51.132491; -0.88098100
  elevation
72 m (235 ft)
Length8.343 km (5.184 mi)
Basin size18.703 km2 (7.221 sq mi)
Basin features
River system Wey catchment
Tributaries 
  leftGracious Street Stream

Oakhanger Stream is a tributary of the River Slea that lies in Hampshire, England.

Contents

Course

The source is at Well Head, at the foot of Noar Hill, to the south of Selborne. The initial section towards Selborne is known as the Well Head Stream, the route was diverted in 1894 to provide a supply of water to the village in memory of Gilbert White. At Dorton, on the north side of Selborne, it is joined by the Gracious Street Stream. [1] From Selborne, now known as the Oakhanger Stream, it passes through the village of Oakhanger then skirts the east side of Shortheath Common and on towards Kingsley Mill where it joins with the Kingsley Stream to form the River Slea. [2]

Watermills

There were, at least, two corn mills on the Oakhanger Stream, the Old Mill in Selborne, a Grade II listed building now used as a private residence, [3] and Dorton Mill, midway between Selborne and Oakhanger, of which no trace is now visible. [4]

Water quality

The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of invertebrates, angiosperms and fish. Chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations, is rated good or fail. [5]

The water quality of the Oakhanger Stream was as follows in 2019:

SectionEcological
Status
Chemical
Status
Overall
Status
LengthCatchmentChannel
Oakhanger Stream [6] Poor Fail Poor 8.343 km (5.184 mi)18.703 km2 (7.221 sq mi)

The reasons for not reaching good status is due to agricultural and waste water pollution.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Test</span> River in Hampshire, England

The River Test is a chalk stream in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises at Ashe near Basingstoke and flows southwards for 40 miles (64 km) to Southampton Water. Settlements on the Test include the towns of Stockbridge and Romsey. The river's valley gives its name to the local government district of Test Valley. Below the village of Longparish, the river is broadly followed by the Test Way, a long-distance footpath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Churn</span> River in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, England

The River Churn is a tributary of the River Thames in central England. It rises at Seven Springs in Gloucestershire and flows south for approximately 37.3 km (23.2 mi) to meet the Thames at Cricklade in Wiltshire. Its length from its source to the confluence with the Thames is greater than that of the Thames from Thames Head, but the Churn is regarded as a tributary, rather than the main river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Itchen, Hampshire</span> River in Hampshire, England

The River Itchen in Hampshire, England, rises to the south of New Alresford and flows 26 miles (42 km) to meet Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge. The Itchen Navigation was constructed in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to enable barges to reach Winchester from Southampton Docks, but ceased to operate in the mid-19th century and is largely abandoned today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Meon</span> River in Hampshire, England

The River Meon is a chalk stream in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises at East Meon then flows 34 km (21 mi) in a generally southerly direction to empty into the Solent at Hill Head near Stubbington. Above Wickham, the river runs through the South Downs National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaulieu River</span> River in Hampshire, England

The Beaulieu River, formerly known as the River Exe, is a small river draining much of the central New Forest in Hampshire, southern England. The river has many small upper branches and its farthest source is 8 miles (13 km) from its 4 miles (6 km)-long tidal estuary. Unusually, the river, including its bed, is owned by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Allen, Dorset</span> River in Dorset, England

The River Allen is a river in the county of Dorset in South West England. It flows for 14 miles (23 km) to its confluence with the River Stour immediately south of Wimborne Minster, between that town and the village of Oakley. It has two main tributaries, the Gussage Stream and the Crichel Stream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Wylye</span> River in Wiltshire, England

The River Wylye is a chalk stream in the south of England, with clear water flowing over gravel. It is popular with anglers for fly fishing. A half-mile stretch of the river and three lakes in Warminster are a local nature reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rye (brook)</span> Stream in Surrey, England

The Rye is a stream rising east of Ashtead and flowing into the River Mole near Leatherhead, Surrey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Blackwater (River Test)</span> River in Hampshire and Wiltshire, England

This River Blackwater drains small parts of the English counties of Hampshire and Wiltshire. It is a tributary of the River Test.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Anton</span> River in Hampshire, England

The River Anton is a chalk stream in Hampshire in south east England. It rises in Andover and flows southwards for approximately 8 miles (13 km) to meet the River Test near Chilbolton. The principal tributary of the Anton, the Pillhill Brook, joins the river at Upper Clatford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Dever</span> River in Hampshire, England

The River Dever is a chalk stream in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises at West Stratton near Micheldever and flows westwards for 11 mi (18 km) to meet the River Test at Wherwell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Ock, Surrey</span> River in Surrey, England

The River Ock is a tributary of the River Wey in Surrey, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Wey</span> River in southern England

The River Wey is a main tributary of the River Thames in south east England. Its two branches, one of which rises near Alton in Hampshire and the other in West Sussex to the south of Haslemere, join at Tilford in Surrey. Once combined, the flow is eastwards then northwards via Godalming and Guildford to meet the Thames at Weybridge. Downstream the river forms the backdrop to Newark Priory and Brooklands. The Wey and Godalming Navigations were built in the 17th and 18th centuries, to create a navigable route from Godalming to the Thames.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Till, Wiltshire</span> River in Wiltshire, England

The River Till rises near Tilshead on Salisbury Plain in the English county of Wiltshire. It flows for about 14 km south and south-east, through Orcheston, Maddington, Shrewton, Winterbourne Stoke, Berwick St James and Stapleford, to join the River Wylye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Dove, Barnsley</span> River in South Yorkshire, England

The River Dove is a river that extends through the Low Valley in Barnsley, England. It flows from Worsbrough Reservoir to its confluence with the River Dearne.

Kingsley Stream is a tributary of the River Slea that lies in Hampshire, England. It joins the Oakhanger Stream by Kingsley Mill, south of the village. It is regarded by the Environment Agency as the headwaters of the Slea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Slea, Hampshire</span> River in Hampshire, England

The River Slea is a tributary of the south branch of the River Wey in Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pillhill Brook</span> River in Hampshire, England

Pilhill Brook is a 9.9-kilometre-long (6.2 mi) tributary of the River Anton in Hampshire, England. It is a chalk stream, known for its trout fishing.

The River Sem is a natural waterway that flows through the ceremonial county of Wiltshire in England. It flows approximately 4+14 miles (7 km) from its source near East Knoyle to join the River Nadder near Wardour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleet Brook</span> River in northern Hampshire, England

Fleet Brook is a small river in northern Hampshire, England and tributary of the River Hart.

References

  1. White, Gilbert. "17 October 1790". The Natural History of Selborne. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  2. 'The parish of Selborne', in A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London, 1908), pp. 4-16. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol3/pp4-16 [accessed 7 July 2020].
  3. Historic England. "The Old Mill (1174787)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  4. "Dorton Mill, Selborne". The Mills Archive. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  5. "Glossary (see Biological quality element; Chemical status; and Ecological status)". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. 17 February 2016. UKOpenGovernmentLicence.svg Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  6. "Oakhanger Stream". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency.