The Small River Lea is a minor tributary of the River Lea, which flows through the Lee Valley Park between Cheshunt and Enfield Lock. It forms part of the Turnford and Cheshunt Pits Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as it flows through the River Lee Country Park. [1]
The river leaves the Old River Lea below Kings Weir to flow through an aqueduct under the River Lee Navigation at Aqueduct Lock. It is joined by Turnford Brook TL3624703866 at Turnford before meandering in a southerly direction past various lakes including the North Metropolitan and Cheshunt Lake and parallel with the West Anglia Main Line railway line. The river forms a boundary with the Lee Valley youth hostel at Cheshunt before flowing under Windmill Lane close to Cheshunt railway station. It flows close to the Lea Valley railway line and then between Bowyers Water and the River Lee Navigation before passing under the A121 road close to Waltham Cross to the west and Waltham Abbey to the east. The river passes under the M25 motorway into Rammey Marsh to merge with Turkey Brook below Enfield Lock close to the A1055 road.
The river flows mostly hidden in a deep channel. Shallow and prone to pollution, it is not known as a fishery. [2] It is however a valuable spawning/nursery area for fish. [3]
Cheshunt is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, England, 13 miles (21 km) north of Central London on the River Lea and Lee Navigation and directly south of Broxbourne. It contains a section of the Lee Valley Park, including much of the River Lee Country Park. To the north lies Broxbourne and Wormley, Waltham Abbey to the east, Waltham Cross and Enfield to the south, and Cuffley to the west.
Lee Valley Regional Park is a 10,000-acre (40 km2) 26 miles (42 km) long linear park, much of it green spaces, running through the northeast of Greater London, Essex and Hertfordshire. The park follows the course of the River Lea (Lee) along the Lea Valley from Ware in Hertfordshire through Essex and the north east of Greater London, through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to East India Docks Basin on the River Thames. The park is managed by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and is made up of a diverse mix of countryside areas, urban green spaces, heritage sites, country parks, nature reserves and lakes and riverside trails, as well as leading sports centres covering an area of over 10,000 acres (40 km2). It is crossed by a number of roads and railways.
Enfield Lock is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, north London. It is approximately located east of the Hertford Road between Turkey Street and the Holmesdale Tunnel overpass, and extends to the River Lee Navigation, including the Enfield Island Village. The locality gains its name from the lock on the River Lee Navigation. Today's Enfield Lock was rebuilt in 1922. The area forms part of the Lee Valley Park and the Enfield Lock Conservation Area. On its eastern boundary Enfield Lock has marshland formerly used as a testing site between the Royal Small Arms Factory and the Gunpowder Mills, beyond this is the village of Sewardstone and the Epping forest boundary. To the south is Brimsdown, the north Waltham Cross and to the west Bullsmoor and Freezywater. Enfield Lock forms part of the London boundary.
The Lea Valley, the valley of the River Lea, has been used as a transport corridor, a source of sand and gravel, an industrial area, a water supply for London, and a recreational area. The London 2012 Summer Olympics were based in Stratford, in the Lower Lea Valley. It is important for London's water supply, as the source of the water transported by the New River aqueduct, but also as the location for the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain, stretching from Enfield through Tottenham and Walthamstow.
Forty Hill is a largely residential suburb in the north of the London Borough of Enfield, England. To the north is Bulls Cross, to the south Enfield Town, to the west Clay Hill, and to the east Enfield Highway. Prior to 1965 it was in the historic county of Middlesex.
Turkey Brook is a river in the northern outskirts of London. It rises in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, and flows broadly eastwards to merge with the River Lea Navigation near Enfield Lock.
The Lea Valley Walk is a 50-mile (80 km) long-distance path located between Leagrave, the source of the River Lea near Luton, and the Thames, at Limehouse Basin, Limehouse, east London. From its source much of the walk is rural. At Hertford the path follows the towpath of the River Lee Navigation, and it becomes increasingly urbanised as it approaches London. The walk was opened in 1993 and is waymarked throughout using a swan logo.
Turnford Brook is a minor tributary of the River Lea. The brook flows through the Borough of Broxbourne for approximately 3 miles (5 km).
The Lee Flood Relief Channel (FRC) is located in the Lea Valley and flows between Ware, Hertfordshire, and Stratford, east London. Work started on the channel in 1947 following major flooding and it was fully operational by 1976. The channel incorporates existing watercourses, lakes, and new channels. Water from the channel feeds the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain.
Cuffley Brook is a tributary of Turkey Brook. It runs through parts of Hertfordshire and the London Borough of Enfield, England. After the confluence of the two streams in Whitewebbs Park, the watercourse continues eastwards as Turkey Brook to join the River Lea near Enfield Lock.
Fishers Green is a settlement in the parish of Waltham Abbey in Essex, England, lying 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north of the main built-up area. It lies on the flood plain of the River Lea.
The River Lee Diversion is located in the Lea Valley, close to Enfield Lock and to the north east corner of the King George V Reservoir.
Waltham Common Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation at Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, England. The lock is located in the River Lee Country Park and stands close to the Broxbourne White Water Canoe Centre. At the tail of the lock is the Powdermill Cut dug in 1806 to connect the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills directly to the then-new navigation.
Cheshunt Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation at Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, for which it is named. Unlike some other locks on the River Lee, it has not, in turn, given its name to more local the surrounding area.
The River Lee Country Park is located in the Lee Valley Park and is managed by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. Covering 1,000 acres (400 ha) on either side of the River Lee Navigation between Waltham Abbey and Broxbourne, it is an area of lakes, watercourses, open spaces and three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) linked by footpaths and cycle tracks.
Aqueduct Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation close to Turnford.
The Turnford and Cheshunt Pits is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Cheshunt in Hertfordshire and Essex and covers a total of 428.17 acres. It is part of the Lee Valley Special Protection Area.
Deephams Sewage Treatment Works is a sewage treatment facility close to Picketts Lock, Edmonton, England. The outflow discharges via Pymmes Brook into the River Lee Navigation at Tottenham Lock. The treatment works was upgraded in 2012/13.
Rammey Marsh is located in the Lee Valley Park at Enfield Lock, Enfield, England, and covers approximately 42 hectares. The site is owned and managed by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.
Turnford is a village in the Borough of Broxbourne, in Hertfordshire, England, in an area generally known as the Lee Valley. It is bounded by Wormley to the north, Cheshunt to the south and west, and its eastern boundary is formed largely by the Lee Navigation. Central London at Charing Cross is approximately 18 miles (29 km) south. At the 2001 census, together with Wormley, the village had a population of 8,146 in 3,399 households.
51°41′10″N0°01′04″W / 51.686°N 0.0179°W