Tributaries of the River Thames

This article lists the tributaries of the River Thames from the sea to the source, in England. It includes significant backwaters and waterways that have confluences with the main stream of the River Thames. Most of the tributaries are natural, but a few were man-made.

In addition to those listed, the River Medway shares the Thames Estuary, and near Oxford the River Thames is also named The Isis.

Tributaries

Name	Confluence	Average discharge (m³/s)[1]	Source	Length	Tributaries	Catchment	Notes
River Darent	Dartford 51°28′49″N 0°13′03″E / 51.4802°N 0.2176°E	0.72	Westerham	21 miles (34 km)	River Cray	154 square miles (400 km^2)[2]	Tidal reach Dartford Creek
Mardyke	Purfleet 51°29′08″N 0°13′40″E / 51.4856°N 0.2278°E	0.48	Holden's Wood between Great Warley and Little Warley[3]	11 miles (18 km)		35 square miles (91 km^2)
River Ingrebourne	Rainham, London 51°30′27″N 0°10′24″E / 51.5075°N 0.1733°E	0.33	Brentwood	27 miles (43 km)			Tidal reach Rainham Creek
River Beam	Dagenham 51°30′42″N 0°09′31″E / 51.5118°N 0.1587°E	0.34	Romford		The Ravensbourne		downstream name for River Rom
River Roding	Creekmouth 51°30′52″N 0°05′55″E / 51.5145°N 0.0987°E	1.85	Dunmow	11 miles (18 km)[4]		132 square miles (340 km^2)[4]	tidal reach Barking Creek
River Lea	Bow, London 51°30′26″N 0°00′33″E / 51.5071°N 0.0092°E	5.48	Leagrave	42 miles (68 km)	River Moselle The Hackney Brook River Stort Turkey Brook New River River Beane River Mimram	550 square miles (1,400 km^2)[4]	tidal reach Bow Creek
River Ravensbourne	Deptford 51°29′01″N 0°01′07″W / 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	Shad Thames 51°30′09″N 0°04′15″W / 51.5024°N 0.0708°W		Southwark				subterranean
Walbrook	Finsbury 51°30′34″N 0°05′34″W / 51.5094°N 0.0928°W		City of London				subterranean
River Fleet	Blackfriars, London 51°30′39″N 0°06′17″W / 51.5108°N 0.1048°W		Hampstead Heath				subterranean also known as the Holbourne
River Effra	Vauxhall 51°29′14″N 0°07′33″W / 51.4873°N 0.1258°W		Crystal Palace, London				subterranean
River Tyburn	Pimlico 51°29′17″N 0°07′43″W / 51.4880°N 0.1287°W		Hampstead				subterranean
Falconbrook	Battersea 51°28′05″N 0°10′51″W / 51.4680°N 0.1808°W		Tooting Bec Common				subterranean
River Westbourne	Chelsea 51°29′06″N 0°09′13″W / 51.4850°N 0.1537°W		Hampstead		Tyburn Brook		subterranean
Counter's Creek	Chelsea 51°28′40″N 0°10′46″W / 51.4778°N 0.1794°W		Kensal Green				subterranean
River Wandle	Wandsworth 51°27′46″N 0°11′43″W / 51.4629°N 0.1952°W	1.7	Waddon	9 miles (14 km)	River Graveney Caterham Bourne Coulsdon Bourne	78 square miles (200 km^2)[4]
Beverley Brook	Putney 51°28′18″N 0°13′22″W / 51.4718°N 0.2229°W		Worcester Park	9 miles (14 km)[4]	Pyl Brook	25 square miles (65 km^2)[4]
Stamford Brook	Hammersmith 51°29′25″N 0°14′03″W / 51.4903°N 0.2341°W		Acton				subterranean - tidal reach Hammersmith Creek
Bollar or Bollo Brook	Chiswick 51°28′46″N 0°15′04″W / 51.4794°N 0.2512°W		Acton				subterranean
River Brent	Brentford 51°28′59″N 0°18′00″W / 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)[4]
Duke of Northumberland's River	Isleworth 51°28′13″N 0°19′16″W / 51.4704°N 0.3212°W		River Crane				Artificial
River Crane	Isleworth 51°27′55″N 0°19′17″W / 51.4654°N 0.3215°W	0.54	Hayes, Hillingdon	9 miles (14 km)	Yeading Brook	42 square miles (110 km^2)[4]
Sudbrook	Petersham 51°26′55″N 0°18′21″W / 51.4487°N 0.3058°W		Dann's Pond, Richmond Park	2 miles (3.2 km)	Latchmere Stream		subterranean
Hogsmill River	Kingston upon Thames 51°24′33″N 0°18′31″W / 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°23′28″N 0°19′34″W / 51.3911°N 0.3260°W		Oxshott
River Ember	51°24′04″N 0°20′21″W / 51.4012°N 0.3393°W						Distributary of Mole
River Mole	Molesey 51°24′04″N 0°20′21″W / 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°24′05″N 0°20′18″W / 51.4013°N 0.3383°W		River Colne	12 miles (19 km)			Artificial
River Ash	Lower Sunbury 51°23′52″N 0°25′02″W / 51.3977°N 0.4173°W		River Colne	7 miles (11 km)
River Wey	Weybridge 51°22′49″N 0°27′25″W / 51.3804°N 0.4570°W	6.95	Farringdon, Hampshire Alton	87 miles (140 km)	River Tillingbourne River Ock, Surrey	350 square miles (910 km^2)	Wey has north and south branches
River Bourne, north branch	Weybridge 51°22′43″N 0°27′50″W / 51.3785°N 0.4638°W		Windsor Great Park
River Bourne, south branch	Weybridge 51°22′43″N 0°27′50″W / 51.3785°N 0.4638°W	0.88	West End, Woking
River Colne	Staines 51°25′58″N 0°30′55″W / 51.4329°N 0.5152°W	4.05	North Mymms		Wraysbury River Frays River River Misbourne River Chess River Gade River Ver
Colne Brook	Hythe End 51°26′16″N 0°32′07″W / 51.4379°N 0.5352°W		River Colne				Distributary of Colne
The Cut	Bray 51°29′57″N 0°40′53″W / 51.4991°N 0.6815°W		North Ascot	14 miles (23 km)	Bull Brook
River Wye	Bourne End 51°34′13″N 0°42′40″W / 51.5704°N 0.7111°W	1.00	Bradenham	9 miles (14 km)
River Loddon	Wargrave 51°30′06″N 0°52′48″W / 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°29′29″N 0°53′43″W / 51.4913°N 0.8953°W		Redgrave-Pinsent Rowing Lake, Caversham
River Kennet	Reading 51°27′32″N 0°56′58″W / 51.4590°N 0.9495°W	9.75	Swallowhead Spring	45 miles (72 km)	Foudry Brook Clayhill Brook River Enborne River Lambourn River Dun River Og	450 square miles (1,200 km^2)[5]
River Pang	Pangbourne 51°29′09″N 1°05′17″W / 51.4858°N 1.0880°W	0.62	Compton	14 miles (23 km)	River Bourne, Berkshire River Roden	66 square miles (170 km^2)[6]
River Thame	Dorchester 51°38′05″N 1°09′58″W / 51.6348°N 1.1660°W	3.90	Rowsham / Cheddington, Vale of Aylesbury	40 miles (64 km)		310 square miles (800 km^2)[7]
River Ock	Abingdon 51°39′59″N 1°17′02″W / 51.6665°N 1.2838°W	1.52	Little Coxwell
River Cherwell	Oxford 51°44′32″N 1°14′54″W / 51.7421°N 1.2483°W	7.2	Hellidon	40 miles (64 km)	River Ray, Oxfordshire River Swere	364 square miles (940 km^2)[8]
River Evenlode	Above King's Lock 51°47′06″N 1°20′16″W / 51.7849°N 1.3378°W	3.7	Moreton-in-Marsh		River Glyme
River Windrush	Newbridge 51°42′36″N 1°25′02″W / 51.7100°N 1.4173°W	3.27		40 miles (64 km)	River Dikler	140 square miles (360 km^2)[9]
River Cole	Above Buscot Lock 51°41′19″N 1°40′38″W / 51.6887°N 1.6772°W	1.20	Wanborough, Wiltshire
River Leach	Lechlade 51°41′21″N 1°40′38″W / 51.6891°N 1.6772°W	0.75	Hampnett	18 miles (29 km)
River Coln	Lechlade 51°41′17″N 1°42′19″W / 51.6881°N 1.7052°W	2.06	Brockhampton, Gloucestershire
River Ray, Wiltshire	Cricklade 51°38′39″N 1°49′31″W / 51.6442°N 1.8252°W	1.28	Wroughton, Wiltshire
River Key	Cricklade 51°38′33″N 1°50′46″W / 51.6424°N 1.8461°W		Purton
River Churn	Cricklade 51°38′42″N 1°51′12″W / 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

Name	Confluence	Length	Effluence	Notes
Desborough Cut	Walton-on-Thames 51°23′02″N 0°26′09″W / 51.3839°N 0.4359°W	0.75 miles (1.21 km)	Weybridge	Artificial
Abbey River	Chertsey Lock 51°23′33″N 0°29′16″W / 51.3926°N 0.4878°W		Penton Hook Island
Jubilee River	Black Potts Ait 51°29′26″N 0°35′35″W / 51.4906°N 0.5931°W	7.2 miles (11.6 km)	Boulter's Lock	Artificial
Clewer Mill Stream	Queen Elizabeth Bridge 51°29′12″N 0°37′26″W / 51.4867°N 0.6239°W		Bush Ait
Hennerton Backwater	Ferry Eyot 51°31′21″N 0°52′40″W / 51.5224°N 0.8777°W	1.25 miles (2.01 km)	Unnamed Eyot
Swift Ditch	Culham Bridge 51°39′29″N 1°16′40″W / 51.6580°N 1.2777°W		Abingdon Lock
Seacourt Stream and Hinksey Stream	Kennington Railway Bridge 51°43′17″N 1°14′34″W / 51.7215°N 1.2428°W		Wytham
Castle Mill Stream	Gasworks Bridge, Oxford 51°44′47″N 1°15′49″W / 51.7463°N 1.2636°W		Port Meadow
Bulstake Stream	Osney Rail Bridge51°44′49″N 1°16′03″W / 51.7469°N 1.2674°W		Four Rivers, Oxford
Sheepwash Channel	Four Rivers, Oxford 51°45′20″N 1°16′19″W / 51.7555°N 1.2719°W		Castle Mill Stream at Isis Lock
Kingsbridge Brook	Godstow Lock51°46′44″N 1°17′50″W / 51.7788°N 1.2972°W		Wolvercote Mill Stream

Linked waterways

Name	Confluence	Length	Destination	Notes
Regent's Canal	Limehouse Basin 51°30′43″N 0°02′12″W / 51.5120°N 0.0367°W		Paddington Basin
Lee Navigation via River Lea	Bow, London 51°30′26″N 0°00′33″E / 51.5071°N 0.0092°E		Hertford Castle Weir
Grand Union Canal via River Brent	Brentford 51°28′59″N 0°18′00″W / 51.4830°N 0.3000°W		Birmingham
Wey and Godalming Navigations	Weybridge 51°22′49″N 0°27′25″W / 51.3804°N 0.4570°W	20 miles (32 km)	Godalming
Maidenhead Waterways	Bray 51°29′57″N 0°40′53″W / 51.4991°N 0.6815°W			unnavigable
Kennet and Avon Canal via River Kennet	Reading 51°27′32″N 0°56′58″W / 51.4590°N 0.9495°W	87 miles (140 km)	Bristol
Wilts & Berks Canal	Abingdon 51°39′04″N 1°16′58″W / 51.6510°N 1.2827°W	52 miles (84 km)	Melksham	abandoned 1914, under restoration
Oxford Canal via Sheepwash Channel, Oxford via Dukes Cut	Oxford 51°44′47″N 1°15′49″W / 51.7463°N 1.2636°W King's Lock 51°47′23″N 1°18′31″W / 51.7896°N 1.3085°W	78 miles (126 km)	Coventry
Thames and Severn Canal via River Coln	Lechlade 51°41′17″N 1°42′19″W / 51.6881°N 1.7052°W		Stroud	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 Hydrographic Register (PDF). Hydrological data UK series. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. ISBN 978-0-9557672-2-7.
2. Maltby E. "River Darent". SuRCaSE project. University of Liverpool. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
3. Thurrock Flood Risk Assessment
4. "HA16 Rivers and Streams" (PDF). Gateway to WildPRO. Wildlife Information Network. 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
5. Maltby E. "River Kennett". SuRCaSE project. University of Liverpool. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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. line feed character in |title= at position 60 (help);
9. 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