Small River Lea

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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]

River Lea River in southern England

The River Lea originates in the Chiltern Hills, England, and flows southeast through east London where it meets the River Thames, the last looping section being known as Bow Creek. It is one of the largest rivers in London and the easternmost major tributary of the Thames. Its valley creates a long chain of marshy ground along its lower length, much of which has been used for gravel and mineral extraction, reservoirs and industry. Much of the river has been canalised to provide a navigable route for boats into eastern Hertfordshire, known as the Lee Navigation. While the lower Lea remains somewhat polluted, its upper stretch and tributaries, classified as chalk streams, are a major source of drinking water for London. A diversion known as the New River, opened in 1613, abstracts clean water away from the lower stretch of the river for drinking. Its origins in the Chilterns contribute to the extreme hardness of London tap water.

Lee Valley Park park in the Lee Valley

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 from the River Thames to Ware, through areas such as Stratford, Clapton, Tottenham, Enfield, Walthamstow, Cheshunt, Broxbourne and Hoddesdon in an area generally known as the Lea Valley. Greater London's largest park, Lee Valley Park is more than four times the size of Richmond Park, extending beyond Greater London's borders into the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Essex.

Cheshunt town in Hertfordshire, England

Cheshunt is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, lying entirely within the London Metropolitan Area and Greater London Urban Area. It is 12 miles (19 km) north of central London and has a population of around 52,000 according to the United Kingdom's 2001 Census.

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The Small River Lea at Cheshunt spanned by a Bailey bridge Small River Lea.jpg
The Small River Lea at Cheshunt spanned by a Bailey bridge
The river at Aqueduct Lock The Aqueduct.JPG
The river at Aqueduct Lock

Course

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.

Kings Weir

Kings Weir is a weir on the River Lea near Turnford and Nazeing.

Navigable aqueduct bridge structure carrying a navigable waterway over an obstacle

Navigable aqueducts are bridge structures that carry navigable waterway canals over other rivers, valleys, railways or roads. They are primarily distinguished by their size, carrying a larger cross-section of water than most water-supply aqueducts. Although Roman aqueducts were sometimes used for transport, aqueducts were not generally used until the 17th century when the problems of summit level canals had been solved and modern canal systems were developed. The 662-metre long steel Briare aqueduct carrying the Canal latéral à la Loire over the River Loire was built in 1896. It was ranked as the longest navigable aqueduct in the world for more than a century, until the Magdeburg Water Bridge in Germany took the title in the early 21st century.

Aqueduct Lock

Aqueduct Lock (No8) is a lock on the River Lee Navigation close to Turnford.

Turnford Brook at Turnford Turnford Brook.JPG
Turnford Brook at Turnford

Ecology

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]

Related Research Articles

Lee Navigation

The Lee Navigation is a canalised river incorporating the River Lea. It flows from Hertford Castle Weir to the River Thames at Bow Creek; its first lock is Hertford Lock and its last Bow Locks.

Enfield Lock human settlement in United Kingdom

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. 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 very 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.

Locks and Weirs on the River Lea

This article contains a complete list of locks and weirs on the River Lea/River Lee Navigation.

Lea Valley Walk

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 river in the United Kingdom

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 River 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.

Fishers Green

Fishers Green is a settlement 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north of the town of Waltham Abbey, Essex, England, in the parish of Waltham Abbey. It lies on the flood plain of the River Lea.

River Lee Diversion

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

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 which is part of the Lee Valley Park and stands close to the Showground site now known as the Broxbourne White Water Canoe Centre - venue of the 2012 Olympics canoeing event. 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

Cheshunt Lock is a lock on the River Lee Navigation at Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

River Lee Country Park

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) acres on either side of the River Lee Navigation between Waltham Abbey and Broxbourne. An area of lakes, watercourses, open spaces and three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) linked by footpaths and cycle tracks.

Turnford and Cheshunt Pits

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.

51.5976°N 0.0704°W

Rammey Marsh

Rammey Marsh is located in the Lee Valley Park at Enfield Lock, Enfield, London and covers approximately 42 hectares. The site is owned and managed by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Turnford, Hertfordshire village in the Borough of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England

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.

References

  1. ↑ Turnford and Cheshunt Pits
  2. ↑ Thames Water pollutes river 2 August 2008
  3. ↑ Small River Lea Archived 15 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 2 August 2008

Coordinates: 51°41′10″N0°01′04″W / 51.686°N 0.0179°W / 51.686; -0.0179

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.


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