Bow Back Rivers
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The Bow Back Rivers are part of the River Lee in the London Borough of Newham, East London, and form a complex system of waterways. The River Lee was originally tidal as far as Hackney Wick, man-made changes to the River had changed this dramatically in the 9th century, and in 1110 a bridge was put in place at Bow. Over the ensuing centuries, the causeway that lead to the bridge was cut by a number of man-made channels made to power water driven tidal mills, such as those at Abbey Mills, and the still surviving Three Mills. Further improvements to the channels were carried out in 1930 by the River Lee (Flood Relief) Act.
Bow Creek, and the connecting waterways, Prescott Channel, Channelsea River, Abbey Creek, Three Mills River, City Mill River and Waterworks River are all tidal. St Thomas Creek and the Old River Lee are not (being maintained at the same level as the Limehouse Cut). The Navigation along these latter rivers has been maintained since 1424.
From 1613, extraction of water for the canals linking with the network, and the artificial New River, supplying fresh water to the city from Hertfordshire, has caused water levels to fall in the non-navigable channels, and traditional water milling to cease.
As part of the preparations for the 2012 Summer Olympics, some of the Bow Back Rivers are planned to be temporarily dammed. This will allow barges to deliver material, and remove spoil from the site, reducing pressure on the local road network. As the rivers cross the Olympic site, they will be restored before 2012, although their current condition may be quite changed.
Also in the area and crossing the Back Rivers by a series of bridges is the Northern Outfall Sewer. It and Abbey Mill Pumping Station were, both designed by Joseph Bazalgette in the 1860s. Today, the route of the embankment that encloses the sewer from Bow to Beckton is followed by a public footpath, The Greenway.
