Cod Beck, North Yorkshire

Cod Beck
A lake surrounded by trees and fields at sunrise
Cod Beck Reservoir at sunrise
Map
Location
CountryEngland
CountiesNorth Yorkshire
DistrictHambleton
Physical characteristics
MouthRiver Swale, Yorkshire
 • location
Leckby Grange, North Yorkshire
Discharge 
 • locationRiver Swale
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftOakdale Beck, Howl Beck, Broad Beck, Spital Beck, Whitelass Beck, Moor Stell, Paradise Beck, Willow Beck
 • rightGreat Pasture Beck

Cod Beck is a river in North Yorkshire, England. It has a catchment area of 209 km2 (81 sq mi).

The river extends for 20 miles (32 km) from above Cod Beck Reservoir at Osmotherley on the edge of the North York Moors through Thirsk and on to join the River Swale at Topcliffe.[1]

Cod Beck has a long history of flooding Thirsk and a feasibility study completed in April 2005 recommended additional flood defences and upstream storage. In 2011, a proposed flood defence scheme in Thirsk was cancelled due to the Environment Agency having its budget cut by 41%.[2]

The name Cod Beck is a derivative of Cold Beck,[3] where beck is smaller than a river; the stream runs deep between banks, so is always fairly cool. Cod fish are not found in fresh water.

  1. ^ Ekwall, Eilert (1968). English river-names (1 ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 85. ISBN 0-19-869119-X.
  2. ^ "Flood protection schemes dropped as region's budget slashed by 41pc". Yorkshire Post. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Speculation over unusual village name". Darlington and Stockton Times. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2015.