River Worth

River Worth
Bridge over River Worth – Coney Lane, Keighley
Origin	Watersheddles Reservoir, Lancashire 53°50′17″N 2°2′49″W / 53.83806°N 2.04694°W / 53.83806; -2.04694 (Source of River Worth)
Mouth	River Aire, Keighley 53°52′31″N 1°53′7″W / 53.87528°N 1.88528°W / 53.87528; -1.88528 (Mouth of River Worth)
Basin countries	England
Length	15.2 kilometres (9.4 mi)
Source elevation	329 metres (1,079 ft)
Mouth elevation	88 metres (289 ft)
Basin area	7001873000000000000♠87.3 km2 54.2 sq miles

The River Worth is a river in West Yorkshire, England. It flows from minor tributaries on the moors above Watersheddles Reservoir down the Worth Valley to Haworth, where it is joined by Bridgehouse Beck which flows from Oxenhope. The River Worth is itself a tributary of the River Aire, which it joins at the end of the Worth Valley in Keighley.

Course

There are many small streams that feed Watersheddles Reservoir (yards over the border in Lancashire) from which the River Worth is fed. From the reservoir, the river flows east into Ponden Reservoir into the town of Haworth where it is joined by Bridgehouse Beck. It then flows east north-east through the suburbs of Keighley into the town centre where north beck flows into it, it then continues down towards Stockbridge where it joins the River Aire. The typical river level range where it joins the River Aire is between 0.22 metres and 1.00 metres.^[1]

Natural history

The river was once very polluted, but the lack of local industry nowadays has seen the river become much cleaner and it supports many forms of wildlife throughout its course. Herons, kingfishers and dippers are now a common sight. The river currently has a population of small brown trout and grayling, but they are restricted to certain parts due to a number of high weirs which have been left behind from its industrial past.^[2]

History

The river provided power for the wool and clothing mills. Woollen and worsted manufacture was introduced here with the first cotton-mill erected in 1780.

Leisure

The river valley is home to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Bradford City Council have marked out a short/middle (circular) distance walk along the valley called The Worth Way.^[3] Angling is also allowed by permit at certain places along the river.

Lists

Gallery

River Worth Images
Small brown trout from the River Worth  Footbridge over the River Worth near Lumbfoot  Bronte Way footbridge over the infant River Worth  Keighley - footpath alongside River Worth  River Worth - Coney Lane, Keighley  River Worth and Weir

Sources

Ordnance Survey Open Data

References