All About RiversAll About Rivers

This narrowboat is going under a road bridge on the River Severn in Worcester.This narrowboat is going under a road bridge on the River Severn in Worcester.

In this pack you will find out about rivers and canals, features

of a river and why rivers are important for transport

and power.

All About RiversAll About Rivers

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The differences between canalscanals and riversriversThere are lots of different types of waterway in Britain, There are lots of different types of waterway in Britain, not just canals! You might be more familiar with rivers.not just canals! You might be more familiar with rivers.

All rivers are naturalnatural (they are created when rain falls in the hills and flows down to the sea.)

Canals are man mademan made, and were built to carry goods from one place to another by boat.

However, some rivers have been adapted and made wider or deeper so that boats can travel up and down them. These are navigable rivers or ‘navigationsnavigations’.

Which of these are rivers? Can you spot the odd one out?Which of these are rivers? Can you spot the odd one out?

There are many different types of river.There are many different types of river.

Answer:It is the number 6 is the odd one out. Answer:It is the number 6 is the odd one out. Birmingham Canal Navigation Birmingham Canal Navigation

The River Avon is a well known river. Did you know that the word ‘Avon’ comes from ‘afon’ – the Welsh for ‘river’?

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What is a river?What is a river?

When rain falls on land, some water seeps into the ground, and some runs downhill. A river is a natural flow of fresh water that starts in the hills and eventually flows down to the sea. Where rivers begin is called the sourcesource. Some rivers flow into the seasea – this is called the estuaryestuary or mouthmouth. Rivers often become wider and deeper as they flow.

There are three sections to a river as it flows along: the upper, middle, and lower courses. The upper courseupper course of a river is usually fast flowing, with a strong current. There might be rapids and waterfalls. The river is fastest here because it has the most energy.

The middle coursemiddle course is lower down the river. Here, the water flows more slowly. This is because it has less energy. The lower courselower course of the river is when it gets closer to the sea. Here it has a lot less energy, and the water will be smoother, with no rapids or waterfalls.

Smaller streams sometimes flow together to form larger rivers, and these small streams are called tributariestributaries. An area can have lots of rivers which are joined together, making a river systemriver system. The water will be smooth, with no rapids or waterfalls. It also becomes more bendy – the bends are called meandersmeanders.

Rivers always flow downhill because

of gravitygravity.

middle coursemiddle course

estuary or mouthestuary or mouth

upper courseupper course

tributariestributaries

sourcesource

lower courselower coursemeandermeander

seasea

FactsFacts about riversStructures like locks and weirs had to be built on some rivers so that boats could use them for transporting cargo.

The River Wye has been travelled by boats since Roman times. Fishing boats, coracles (small boats for one person) and even a steam tug have travelled down the river.

The navigable River Weaver is home to the Anderton Boat Lift, which lifts boats from the river all the way up to the Trent & Mersey Canal.

Boats are lifted 50 feet up in the air, (more

than 15 metres)!

This is the Anderton Boat Lift near Northwich. This is the Anderton Boat Lift near Northwich. Boats enter at the bottom and are lifted up to the top.Boats enter at the bottom and are lifted up to the top.

The River Lee runs through the site of the 2012 The River Lee runs through the site of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

Image courtesy of Mike PeelImage courtesy of Mike Peel

Image courtesy of the Olympic Delivery AuthorityImage courtesy of the Olympic Delivery AuthorityThe River Lee has an

important part to play in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the building of the park, 1.75 million tonnes of building materials were carried along

the river by boat.

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The Severn, Thames and Trent are the three longest rivers in Britain.

The River Severn is the longest and passes through many different areas. It flows past Worcester Cathedral, and under the Iron Bridge in Shropshire. This was built in 1779.

MoreMore river facts

This is the Iron Bridge today. It was not just men This is the Iron Bridge today. It was not just men and women who worked in the ironworks where it and women who worked in the ironworks where it was built. Children as young as twelve would help was built. Children as young as twelve would help to carry water and coal.to carry water and coal.

This is a notice showing what you would This is a notice showing what you would have paid if you wanted to cross the have paid if you wanted to cross the bridge when it was built. Nowadays, bridge when it was built. Nowadays, people can cross for free.people can cross for free.

Did you know that the Iron Bridge in Shropshire was the world’s first iron bridge?

When the Iron Bridge was built, even the royal family had to pay to go across!

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SettlementsSettlements such as towns and cities have always developed near rivers. Rivers provided drinking water, food, transport and protection for the people living there.

People who made their living from rivers widened and deepened them to make navigations suitable for bigger barges.

Water transport was much cheaper than road transport, as a horse could tow up to thirty tons on a navigable river – much more than could be carried by wagon or packhorse on roads. Rivers were often used for the carriage of heavy loose goods, or cargo, such as sand, gravel, or coal.

Why are rivers importantimportant?

This picture shows boats on the busy Weaver Navigation. This picture shows boats on the busy Weaver Navigation. Would you like to work on a boat like this?Would you like to work on a boat like this?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of carrying cargo by river

instead of by road?

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The Victorian River Weaver boatman

River workers

Carrying goods along the river in barges provided a living for entire families. However, river boatmen often travelled without their families and were on their own for long periods of time.

This is Tewkesbury Abbey Mill on the River Avon.This is Tewkesbury Abbey Mill on the River Avon.

Can you see the weir? A weir is a structure built to manage the flow of a river. Small dams are built across the river to change the level or direction of the water.

River Weaver boatmen operating River Weaver boatmen operating the boats in Northwich.the boats in Northwich.

How would you feel about living on your

own during the week?

It was not just the boatmen who earned a living from the river. People who owned the wharves where the cargo was unloaded could also make money from river trade, as could the owners of the pubs and alehouses where boat crews stopped for a rest along the way. Water was also diverted from the rivers to power flour mills and blacksmiths’ forges.

The men who operated the boats on the River Weaver used to go to work on a Sunday night and then stay away all week until Friday night.

Boatmen took their own clothes, bedding, soap and towels. They wore clothes suitable for working: a dark jacket and trousers with a high waist held up with a belt or braces. In cold weather they might add a cap and a neckerchief.

Their wives packed up food for the week in wicker baskets. They would include half a dozen eggs, a piece of cured bacon, cheese, butter, sugar and a can of condensed milk (fresh milk would have gone off as they had no fridges). They also might take a packet of tea, some tinned meat and a pot of jam. If they were lucky they had a fruit cake or some small pies.

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River usesA river barge on the River Trent. These cooling towers are part A river barge on the River Trent. These cooling towers are part of a coal fired power station in Nottinghamshire.of a coal fired power station in Nottinghamshire.

In ruralrural (countryside) areas, rivers are also used as drinking water for livestock, such as cattle and sheep.

Rivers are used for water supplywater supply. Water is pumped out of the river, and then cleaned (purified) for use in homes and industries.

In urbanurban (city) areas, rivers are used for cooling in manufacturing processesmanufacturing processes. This is why large cooling towers can be seen along rivers like the River Trent.

The energy in rivers is often harnessed through the use of HEP (hydro-electric powerhydro-electric power) stations. This works best in mountainous areas where the river is flowing very quickly.

Kinetic (movementmovement) energy is produced by the river as it rushes along, and this is turned into electrical energy in the power stations.

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Why do rivers need to be maintained?

More flooding?Canals and navigations used to be maintained by separate companies, which would charge people tolls to carry goods on the different waterways. In 1962, British Waterways was set up to run and maintain many of the river navigations and canals in Britain.

Many navigations are now more than 200 years old, and so need constant maintenance. Banks need to be repaired to prevent flooding, and silt and mud need to be cleared out of the waterways so that they are deep enough for boats to travel. As we manage about 2,200 miles of waterways, this is a big job!

Our new charity name is Canal & River TrustCanal & River Trust

A river bank is repaired on the River Avon near Saltford. A river bank is repaired on the River Avon near Saltford. The bank is strengthened with rocks and logs, and then covered The bank is strengthened with rocks and logs, and then covered in a hessian material, which plants can grow through.in a hessian material, which plants can grow through.

In the future, climate change may have an effect on our rivers. Scientists expect there will be an increase in precipitation (rainfall). This will have an effect on the flow of rivers, and may increase flooding. This means that it is very important for our rivers to be well maintained.

In April 2012 British Waterways will have

a new name. It will be called the Canal & River Trust which will look

after many canals and rivers in England and Wales.

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If you want to find out more, why not visit some of the rivers that we look after?

Always remember to stay SAFESAFE near water – SStay AAway FFrom the EEdge.

• The River Weaver, home to the famous Anderton Boat Lift.

• Shardlow on the River Trent is an 18th-century shipment town with its own heritage centre.

• Torksey Lock is situated where the River Trent meets the Fossdyke Navigation. The Torksey Lock interpretation centre is a great place to take part in hands-on interactive activities, and learn how a lock works.

Anderton Boat Lift, Anderton Boat Lift, CheshireCheshire

Torksey Lock Interpretation Centre,Torksey Lock Interpretation Centre,LincolnshireLincolnshire

If you liked this resource, why not look for more on www.canalriverexplorers.org.ukwww.canalriverexplorers.org.uk

Shardlow Heritage Centre, Shardlow Heritage Centre, DerbyshireDerbyshire

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