Tributaries of the River Thames

This first lists the tributaries of the River Thames from the sea to the source, in England. The secondary lists are of backwaters of the river itself and the waterways branching off.

Note: the River Medway shares the saline lower Thames Estuary.

Tributaries

Name	Confluence	Average discharge (m³/s)[1]	Source	Length	Tributaries	Catchment	Notes
Mardyke	Purfleet 51.4856°N 0.2278°E	0.48	Holden's Wood between Great Warley and Little Warley[2]	11 miles (18 km)		35 square miles (91 km^2)
River Darent	Dartford 51.4802°N 0.2176°E	0.72	Westerham	21 miles (34 km)	River Cray	154 square miles (400 km^2)[3]	Tidal reach: Dartford Creek
River Ingrebourne or Ingrebourne	Rainham, Essex 51.5075°N 0.1733°E	0.33	Brentwood	27 miles (43 km)			Tidal reach: Rainham Creek
River Beam and/or Rom and Bourne Brook	Dagenham 51.5118°N 0.1587°E	0.34	Stapleford Abbots Golf Club, Watton's Green	13 miles (21 km)	The Ravensbourne		Rom upstream of inflow of Ravensbourne
River Roding	Creekmouth 51.5145°N 0.0987°E	1.85	Molehill Green, near Dunmow	31 miles (50 km)[4]	Cripsey Brook Cran Brook Alders Brook Seven Kings Water Mayes Brook	132 square miles (340 km^2)[5]	tidal reach: Barking Creek
River Lea	Leamouth 51.5071°N 0.0092°E	5.48	Leagrave	42 miles (68 km)	River Moselle The Hackney Brook River Stort Turkey Brook River Beane River Mimram	550 square miles (1,400 km^2)[5]	tidal reach: Bow Creek
River Ravensbourne or Ravensbourne	Deptford 51.4835°N 0.0185°W	0.43	Keston	11 miles (18 km)	Spring Brook River Pool River Quaggy	69 square miles (180 km^2)	tidal reach: Deptford Creek
River Neckinger or the Neckinger Channel	Shad Thames 51.5024°N 0.0708°W		north Southwark	0.8 miles (1.3 km) (about; longer old catchment drains to other surface and combined water conduits)			mainly diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
River Walbrook or Walbrook	Finsbury 51.5094°N 0.0928°W		north walls of City of London (trad.)	0 miles (0 km)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
River Fleet or Fleet stream	Bazelgette's Mid and Lower Northern Interceptor Sewers (previously a stream/field ditch ending at Blackfriars, London) 51.5108°N 0.1048°W		Hampstead Heath	1 mile (1.6 km) (as to connecting lengths of ponds)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains. Was also known as the Holbourne/Holborn
River Effra	Vauxhall 51.4873°N 0.1258°W		west and east limits of Gypsy Hill, London	0 miles (0 km)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
River Tyburn, the Tyburn or the Ty Bourne	north and south of Vauxhall Bridge, and small forked mouth around Horseguards Avenue, Westminster (4 mouths) 51.4880°N 0.1287°W		South Hampstead	0 miles (0 km)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
Falconbrook	Battersea 51.4680°N 0.1808°W		Tooting Graveney Common, Tooting and east end of Poynder's Road, Clapham[6][7]	0 miles (0 km)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
River Westbourne	Chelsea 51.4850°N 0.1537°W		Grange Gardens, Hampstead, West Hampstead and two sources in east Willesden (today's Brondesbury Park)	0 miles (0 km)	Tyburn Brook		diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
Counter's Creek	west Chelsea/east Fulham 51.4778°N 0.1794°W		Kensal Green	0 miles (0 km)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
River Wandle	Wandsworth 51.4629°N 0.1952°W	1.7	Waddon	9 miles (14 km)	River Graveney	78 square miles (200 km^2)[5]
Beverley Brook	Putney 51.4718°N 0.2229°W		Worcester Park	9 miles (14 km)[5]	Pyl Brook	25 square miles (65 km^2)[5]
Stamford Brook	Hammersmith 51.4903°N 0.2341°W		Acton	0 miles (0 km)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains – old tidal mouth: Hammersmith Creek
Bollo or Bollar Brook	Chiswick 51.4794°N 0.2512°W		Acton	0 miles (0 km)			diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
River Brent	Brentford 51.4830°N 0.3000°W	1.32	Barnet	18 miles (29 km)	Dollis Brook Folly Brook Mutton Brook	58 square miles (150 km^2)[5]
Duke of Northumberland's River (west) and (east)	Isleworth 51.4704°N 0.3212°W		River Crane & River Colne	9.3 miles (15.0 km) (includes eastern 2.5 miles)			Artificial distributary of the Colne and Crane
River Crane	Isleworth 51.4654°N 0.3215°W	0.54	Hayes, Hillingdon	9 miles (14 km)	Yeading Brook	42 square miles (110 km^2)[5]
Sudbrook	Petersham 51.4487°N 0.3058°W		Dann's Pond, Richmond Park	2 miles (3.2 km)	Latchmere Stream		culverted
Hogsmill River	Kingston upon Thames 51.4093°N 0.3085°W	0.98	Ewell	6 miles (9.7 km)	Bonesgate Stream	28 square miles (73 km^2)
The Rythe	Thames Ditton 51.3911°N 0.3260°W		north Oxshott	4.2 miles (6.8 km)
River Mole	Molesey 51.4012°N 0.3393°W	5.43	Rusper	50 miles (80 km)	Ifield Brook Gatwick Stream Earlswood Brook Pipp Brook The Rye	198 square miles (510 km^2)
Longford River	Hampton Court Palace 51.4013°N 0.3383°W		River Colne	12 miles (19 km)			Artificial distributary of the Colne
River Ash	southwest corner of Sunbury-on-Thames 51.3977°N 0.4173°W		River Colne	6.2 miles (10.0 km)[8]			Distributary of the Colne
River Wey (and Caker Stream)	Weybridge 51.3804°N 0.4570°W	6.95	Hartley Mauditt and Upper Farringdon, Hampshire (main, north or west branch); parishes of Fernhurst/Lurgashall in South Downs National Park (south branch)	53 miles (85 km)	River Ock, Surrey Cranleigh Waters River Tillingbourne Hoe Stream (fed by the Hodge Brook and Stanford Brook) Of south branch: River Slea, Hampshire Dead Water Cooper's Stream	350 square miles (910 km^2)	Source of south branch about 52 miles to/from mouth.
River Bourne, Chertsey	Weybridge 51.3785°N 0.4638°W		Windsor Great Park, Ascot and Swinley Forest	13.2 miles (21.2 km)	River Bourne, Addlestone
River Colne	Staines 51.4329°N 0.5152°W	4.05 (before all distributaries)	North Mymms	36 miles (58 km)	River Pinn River Misbourne River Chess River Gade River Ver
Colne Brook	Hythe End, Wraysbury 51.4379°N 0.5352°W		River Colne	9.2 miles (14.8 km)			Distributary of the Colne
The Cut	Bray 51.4991°N 0.6815°W		North Ascot	14 miles (23 km)	Bull Brook, The Bourne
River Wye	Bourne End 51.5704°N 0.7111°W	1.00	Bradenham	9 miles (14 km)
Hamble Brook	Hambleden Marina 51.3328°N 00.5208°E						Sourced by an aquifer in the Hambleden Valley, occasionally dry.
River Loddon	Wargrave 51.5017°N 0.8800°W	2.16	Basingstoke	28 miles (45 km)	St Patrick's Stream River Broadwater Emm Brook River Blackwater	400 square miles (1,000 km^2)
Berry Brook	Hallsmead Ait, near Shiplake 51.4913°N 0.8953°W		street (Surface Water) drains of South View Avenue, Caversham	4 miles (6.4 km)
River Kennet	Reading 51.4590°N 0.9495°W	9.75	Swallowhead spring and others near Silbury Hill	45 miles (72 km)	Foudry Brook Clayhill Brook River Enborne River Lambourn River Dun River Og	450 square miles (1,200 km^2)[9]
River Pang	Pangbourne 51.4858°N 1.0880°W	0.62	Compton	14 miles (23 km)	River Bourne, Berkshire River Roden	66 square miles (170 km^2)[10]
River Thame	Dorchester 51.6348°N 1.1660°W	3.90	Rowsham / Cheddington, Vale of Aylesbury	40 miles (64 km)		310 square miles (800 km^2)[11]
River Ock	Abingdon 51.6665°N 1.2838°W	1.52	Cock Well, Little Coxwell	21 miles (34 km)	Holywell Brook (rising in same parish) Stutfield Brook
River Cherwell	Oxford 51.7421°N 1.2483°W	7.2	Hellidon	40 miles (64 km)	River Ray River Swere	364 square miles (940 km^2)[12]
River Evenlode	Above King's Lock 51.7849°N 1.3378°W	3.7	Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire	10 miles (16 km)	River Glyme Rollright Brook
River Windrush	Newbridge 51.7100°N 1.4173°W	3.27	Taddington, Gloucestershire	40 miles (64 km)	River Dikler River Eye, Gloucestershire	140 square miles (360 km^2)[13]
River Cole	Above Buscot Lock 51.6887°N 1.6772°W	1.20	Burderop Park, Hodson, Wiltshire	17 miles (27 km)	Dorcan Stream (has subsumed original Cole sources) Pennyhooks Brook
River Leach	Lechlade 51.6891°N 1.6772°W	0.75	Hampnett, Gloucestershire	18 miles (29 km)
River Coln	Lechlade 51.6881°N 1.7052°W	2.06	Brockhampton, Gloucestershire	30 miles (48 km)
River Ray, Wiltshire	Cricklade 51.6442°N 1.8252°W	1.28	Markham Hill, Wroughton, Wiltshire	12 miles (19 km)
River Key	Cricklade 51.6424°N 1.8461°W		West of Battle Lake, Braydon	6.5 miles (10.5 km)
River Churn	Cricklade 51.6450°N 1.8533°W	0.86	Seven Springs, Gloucestershire	16 miles (26 km)

The average discharge is taken from the lowest point at which measurements are taken, which may be upstream of the confluence.

Backwaters and cuts

This list comprises the principal instances; longest ex-mill races (leats), with own articles are included; the main weirstream/river stream of each Thames lock is omitted and the smallest such associated instances but the Sheepwash Channel is included for its importance in Oxford.

Name (ordered lowest to highest elevation)	Re-convergence	Length	Effluence
The Creek, Sunbury	Wheatley's Ait (North), Sunbury-on-Thames 51.401°N 0.413°W	0.654 miles (1.053 km)	Tumbling Bay weir, east Shepperton (traditionally) (& storm weir)
Desborough Cut	southwest Walton-on-Thames 51.389°N 0.436°W	0.682 miles (1.098 km)	northeast Weybridge
Abbey River	Chertsey Lock 51.397°N 0.488°W	2 miles (3.2 km)	Penton Hook Island, Thorpe
Jubilee River	Black Potts Ait, Datchet 51.491°N 0.593°W	7.2 miles (11.6 km)	Boulter's Lock, Taplow
Clewer Mill Stream	Queen Elizabeth Bridge, Windsor 51.487°N 0.624°W	1.5 miles (2.4 km)	Bush Ait, Clewer, Windsor, Berkshire
Hennerton Backwater	opposite Ferry Eyot 51.522°N 0.878°W	1.25 miles (2.01 km)	above Camps Puddle, by foot of Wargrave Hill
Swift Ditch	Culham Bridge 51.658°N 1.278°W	1.5 miles (2.4 km)	Abingdon Lock
Seacourt Stream and Hinksey Stream	Kennington Railway Bridge, Oxford 51.721°N 1.243°W	6 miles (9.7 km)	north Wytham
Castle Mill Stream	Gasworks Bridge, Oxford 51.746°N 1.264°W	0.66 miles (1.06 km)	Port Meadow, Oxford
Bulstake Stream	Osney Rail Bridge51.747°N 1.267°W	1.7 miles (2.7 km)	Four Rivers, Oxford
Sheepwash Channel	Four Rivers, Oxford 51.755°N 1.272°W	0.1 miles (0.16 km)	Castle Mill Stream at Isis Lock
Kingsbridge Brook/ Wolvercote Mill Stream	above Godstow Lock and weir 51.779°N 1.297°W	1.3 miles (2.1 km)	Oxey Mead, south Yarnton, Oxfordshire

Linked waterways

Name	Confluence	Length	Destination	Notes
Regent's Canal	Limehouse Basin south exit 51.5120°N 0.0367°W		Little Venice junction with Paddington Arm of Grand Union Canal (to Paddington Basin, or Hayes for Brentford riverside or main course to the Midlands)
Lee Navigation, via lower River Lea	Bow, London 51.5071°N 0.0092°E		Hertford Castle Weir, Hertford, Hertfordshire
Grand Union Canal via lower River Brent	Brentford 51.4830°N 0.3000°W		Birmingham
Wey and Godalming Navigations via lower River Wey	Weybridge 51.3804°N 0.4570°W	20 miles (32 km)	Godalming, Surrey, via Guildford
Maidenhead Waterways	Bray 51.4991°N 0.6815°W			unnavigable
Kennet and Avon Canal via River Kennet	Reading 51.4590°N 0.9495°W	87 miles (140 km)	Bristol and via Avonmouth the Bristol Channel, Atlantic Ocean
Wilts & Berks Canal	Abingdon 51.6510°N 1.2827°W	52 miles (84 km)	Kennet and Avon Canal at Semington near Melksham, west Wiltshire	abandoned 1914, under restoration
Oxford Canal via Sheepwash Channel, Oxford via Dukes Cut	Oxford 51.7463°N 1.2636°W King's Lock 51.7896°N 1.3085°W	78 miles (126 km)	Coventry, Warwickshire and the Grand Union Canal
Thames and Severn Canal via River Coln	Lechlade 51.6881°N 1.7052°W		Stroud, Gloucestershire and Gloucester and the Severn valley	closed 1933, under restoration

See also

• Locks and weirs on the River Thames
• Islands in the River Thames

References

1. Marsh, T; Hannaford, J, eds. (2008). UK Hydrometric Register (PDF). Hydrological data UK series. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. ISBN 978-0-9557672-2-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2013.
2. Thurrock Flood Risk Assessment Archived 16 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
3. Maltby E. "River Darent". SuRCaSE project. University of Liverpool. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
4. River Roding fluvial/tidal flood defence project - National Environmental Research Council, 1992
5. "HA16 Rivers and Streams" (PDF). Gateway to WildPRO. Wildlife Information Network. 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=51.44967&lon=-0.15014&layers=6&b=7
7. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/LondonBeforeHouses.jpg
8. http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/18090/Other-sites Spelthorne Borough Council: Biodiversity and Conservation: Other Sites
9. Maltby E. "River Kennett". SuRCaSE project. University of Liverpool. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
10. Neal C (2000). "The water quality of a tributary of the Thames, the Pang, southern England". Science of the Total Environment. Elsevier. 251–252: 459–475. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(00)00399-5. PMID 10847178.
11. Neal C (2006). "The water quality of the River Thame in the Thames Basin of south/south-eastern England". Science of the Total Environment. Elsevier. 360 (1–3): 254–271. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.08.039. PMID 16253309.
12. Neal C (2006). "River water quality of the River Cherwell: An agricultural clay-dominated catchment in the upper Thames Basin, southeastern England". Science of the Total Environment. Elsevier. 360 (1–3): 272–289. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.08.040. PMID 16253306.
13. Johnes PJ (1991). "Water Quality Trends in the Windrush Catchment: Nitrogen Speciation and Sediment Interactions" (PDF). Sediment and Stream Water Quality in a Changing Environment: Trends and Explanation. International Association of Hydrological Sciences. 203: 349–357. Retrieved 21 December 2010.

• Cove-Smith, Chris (2006). The River Thames Book. Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson. ISBN 0-85288-892-9.
• Fred. S. Thacker The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs, 1920. Republished by David & Charles, 1968.

External links

• Map of 'Tributaries of the River Thames' compiled from this list, includes tributaries and confluences