Coombe and the River Thames

By Gerald Frank


Coombe is a small area of South London situated in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. Noted for its sizable period properties and bordering both Richmond Park and the river Thames makes this a very desirable place to live. Here are a few interesting facts about the river Thames.

The Thames is the longest of England's rivers and stretches a total of 215 miles from Thames Head in Gloucestershire to the North Sea in Essex. Flowing to the east from the Cotswolds, the Thames passes through several cities and major towns.

From the Thames Estuary to Teddington Lock the river is tidal with the difference in height between tides measuring as much as 23 feet. Heading west from Teddington there are 44 more locks to be navigated before finally reaching Thames Head.

The Thames Catchment or Thames River Basin, the area of land draining into the river, covers an area of 4,994 square miles. There are 18 more major river catchments that feed the River Thames and in addition, there are 38 main tributaries and numerous smaller tributaries consisting of brooks, small streams and canals that flow into the main river.

Along the length of the River Thames there are around 190 islands called Aits or Eyots. The majority of these are formed by silt deposits and sedimentation but there are a number of them that are inhabited.

It is possible to cross over the Thames via one of its 214 bridges. Many of these are popular landmarks including the famous London Bridge. The river can also be traversed via one of the 17 tunnels that pass under the flowing waters.

The tidal stretch of the Thames plays a big part in the economy of the South East with many shipping companies based there. Some of the older wharves and quays are not longer in use but have been developed to provide modern housing and retail developments.

Away from the busy port areas, the Thames provides a host of water related leisure facilities. The river is popular with sailors of pleasure craft but the main sport on the Thames is rowing with more than 200 clubs to be found along its banks.

Maintaining the natural environment throughout the Thames River Basin is essential and there are 46 Sites of Special Interest and internationally designated Special Protected Areas dedicated to conservation.

It is possible to see voles and otters along some stretches of the Thames and seals are frequently seen in the Thames Estuary. Dolphins and porpoises are regular visitors to the Thames, particularly during the summer months, and a 2012 fish survey found short-snouted seahorses living in the river.

There are more than 125 different species of fish as well as over 350 varieties of benthic invertebrates (organisms without backbones) that occupy the waters of the Thames. It is also the source of many of the eels that go into the making of Jellied Eels, a traditional east London dish.




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