River Loddon

Loddon
River Loddon near Stratfield Saye
River Loddon is located in Berkshire
River Loddon
Inflow to the Thames, south of Wargrave
Location
CountryEngland
CountiesHampshire (ceremonial and administrative), Berkshire (ceremonial only)
Districts / BoroughsBasingstoke and Deane (Borough), Hart District (brief border), Wokingham Borough, West Berkshire (brief border)
Town, suburban towns and small townBasingstoke, Earley, Woodley, Twyford
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationBasingstoke, Hampshire, United Kingdom
 • coordinates51°15′53″N 1°06′57″W / 51.264614°N 1.115713°W / 51.264614; -1.115713
 • elevation100 m (330 ft)
MouthRiver Thames
 • location
Wargrave, Berkshire, United Kingdom
 • coordinates
51°30′06″N 0°52′48″W / 51.50169°N 0.880001°W / 51.50169; -0.880001
 • elevation
33 m (108 ft)
Length45 km (28 mi)
Basin size1,036 km2 (400 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationSheepbridge
 • average2.16 m3/s (76 cu ft/s)
 • minimum0.52 m3/s (18 cu ft/s)26 August 1976
 • maximum26.4 m3/s (930 cu ft/s)16 September 1986
Basin features
ProgressionLoddon, Thames
River systemThames Basin
Tributaries 
 • leftBow Brook, St Patrick's Stream
 • rightLyde River, River Blackwater, Barkham Brook, Emm Brook, Twyford Brook
River Loddon
River Thames, Shiplake Lock
St Patrick's Stream
Wargrave STW
 A4  road bridges
 A3032  road bridges
Twyford Brook
Twyford Flour Mill
Culverts under Weaver Way
Henley branch line
Loddon Nature Reserve
Twyford railway station
Great Western Main Line
Gravel Pits
Twyford Brook
site of Whistley Mill
Old River
Emm Brook
Sandford Mill
Sandford Lane bridges
Dinton Pastures Country Park
 A3290  road +  A329(M) 
 B3030  road bridge
 M4 
Winnersh railway stations
Waterloo–Reading line
 A329  Loddon Bridge
Emm Brook
Sindlesham Mill
Mill Lane bridges
 M4  bridge
Barkham Brook
Arborfield Mill
 A327  Arborfield Bridge
River Blackwater
Swallowfield
Sheepbridge Mill
 B3349  Sheep Bridge
 A33  road bridge
Stanfordend Mill
Stanfordend Bridge
Broadford Bridge
Bow Brook
Sherfield on Loddon
 A33  Long Bridge
Longbridge Mill
Lyde River
Hartley Mill
Lyde River
Petty's Brook
Basingstoke STW
Lower Mill
Pyotts Hill Bridge
Bartons Mill
Basingstoke railway station
South West Main Line
 A339  road bridge
Basingstoke corn mill
Culvert under Festival Place
Upper Mill
Springs

The River Loddon is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. It rises at Basingstoke in Hampshire and flows northwards for 28 miles (45 km) to meet the Thames at Wargrave in Berkshire. Together, the Loddon and its tributaries drain an area of 400 square miles (1,036 km2).[1]

The river had many active mills, and has many remnants of flow modifications by the building up of mill pond reaches with weirs and sluices and the adjacent mill races (also called leats). Most of these used wheels to generate their power – two used water turbines. One was a silk mill for a short period, and one a paper mill, with the rest milling corn or producing flour. Several have been converted to become homes or hotels, but Longbridge Mill has been restored and still operates occasionally. The river has been used for recreational and possibly minor commercial navigation and in drier spells it can be safely canoed in some places.[citation needed]

The Loddon is a habitat for diverse wildlife. Former gravel workings have become Loddon Nature Reserve and Dinton Pastures Country Park. A section of it is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest due to rare populations of bulbs and pondweed. Improvements made to the river under the Water Framework Directive, have included the installation of a fish bypass at Arborfield Mill for migratory species including salmon.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference wokdc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).