River Loddon

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The River Loddon is a river in the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Thames, rising within the urban area of Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of Wargrave. The river has a total length of 28 miles (45 km) and, together with its tributaries, drains an area of 1036 km².^[1]

The River Loddon rises at West Ham Farm in Basingstoke, and in its first mile flows under the Festival Place shopping centre that forms the main part of the central area of that town. The river then passes close by the village of Old Basing and the ruined palace of Basing House. Leaving the environs of Basingstoke behind, the river flows north through open north Hampshire countryside and passes near by the village of Sherfield on Loddon. North of Sherfield the river passes through the ornamental grounds of Stratfield Saye House, the home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817.^[2]

Entering Berkshire, the river passes the village of Swallowfield. Just north of Swallowfield the River Loddon is joined by the River Blackwater which adds substantially to its flow. The river then flows close to the east of the Berkshire suburbs of Earley and Woodley, to the west of Winnersh, and through Dinton Pastures Country Park. Shortly after this, near the village of Hurst it is joined by the Emm Brook. The river then flows close to the village of Twyford and is joined by the St Patricks Stream, a backwater of the River Thames. About a mile further on it flows into the main channel of the Thames, just downstream of Shiplake Lock and close to the village of Wargrave. ^[3]

Whilst chalk underlies much of the River Loddon's catchment area, it only appears at the surface at either end of the river, near Wargrave and Basingstoke. For the rest of its course the chalk lies beneath the Reading Beds and London Clay. The terrace gravels of the Loddon valley have been extracted in a number of places, including the lakes within Dinton Pastures Country Park.^[1]

The catchment area of the River Loddon encompasses urban populations in Basingstoke and eastern Reading, whilst the urban areas of Aldershot, Fleet, Camberley and Farnborough all lie within the catchment area of the tributary River Blackwater. As a consequence the Loddon receives treated sewage effluent at nine locations, one just downstream of Basingstoke, a second at Wargrave, and seven indirectly via the Blackwater.^[1]

[edit] See also

Rivers of the United Kingdom

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c The River Loddon and the Emm Brook. Wokingham District Council. Retrieved on March 30, 2006.
^ Explorer Map 144 - Basingstoke, Alton & Whitchurch. Ordnance Survey (2005). ISBN 0-319-23606-4.
^ Explorer Map 159 - Reading. Ordnance Survey (2006). ISBN 0-319-23730-3.