22 River Lea Facts: Is It The Oldest River In History?

Do you know that River Lea is designated as the Ramsar site of England?

The origin of this river is in Bedfordshire. Then the river crosses the Essex border and subsequently enters Great London.

The River Lea flows east and then south from its origins in Luton to enter the River Thames in London. The place where it meets the River Thames is called Bow Creek.

Thus the River Lee forms a major tributary of the River Thames too. The river runs through many cities. The river began to get affected by increased human interference.

The tidal head of the river is the most affected area. The river is named with both the spellings, Lea and Lee. Though, the spelling Lea is more popular west of Hertford.

At Hertford, it is joined by the River Mimram and transforms from a shallow river to a deep canal at Hertford Castle Weir. Other important destinations that Lea feeds fresh water to are Leagrave Park, Hackney Wick, and Waltham Abbey.

Read on to know more about the Lea Valley and its extensive tidal estuary. Afterward, also check River Wye facts and River Tweed facts.

Environmental Issues: River Lea

The environmental concerns about the water bodies that put the water resource, marine life, and human life at stake are rising over the years. Be it climate change or cruel human activities against the surroundings the ultimate bearer of the harmful effects is nature.

Recently an incident happened on March 27, 2019. A member of the public noticed an orange substance was filling the surface of the River Lea.

After notifying the Environment authorities about this the officers partnered with the River Thames to find the origin of the pollutant and mitigate the pollution. After doing a chemical analysis of the River Lea water it was concluded that the substance was used cooking oil.

The oil filled up the surface of the River Lea stretching for around 1,980 ft (600 m) of the river. The environment officers deployed special skimming equipment and a tanker to collect and clear the substance from the river.

This led to the cleaning of the drainage systems and pipelines to avoid further contamination of the water and prevent river pollution.

The most striking fact was that no wildlife or fish were found to be affected due to the pollution. The origin of the pollutant was also successfully traced.

The concerned authorities had investigated further to take proper action and avoid such circumstances in the future.

When the London Olympics was held it took a heavy toll on the local surroundings. There was a dispute between the River Lea Conservation Authorities that a huge part of the land would be lost for developing the Olympic ground and would threaten the River Lea and the biodiversity it holds within the conservation reserve.

River History: River Lea

The River Lea is believed to be the second shallowest river of East London after the River Thames. The River Lea is also one of the rivals of the River Thames in terms of length and meandering pattern.

The River Lea was the earliest and fastest flowing river that was navigated in ancient European times and has existed since then even before the age of canals.

The River Lea also has a unique history about its origin and existence. Evidence was found belonging to the Bronze Age.

A canoe and its remains were found during excavations by the archeologists that show how humans had used the River Lea during the evolution period. The recovery of the artifacts helped to recreate the similar lifestyle of humans back then.

The freshwater of the river was then eventually used for transporting food, trade goods, and transporting huge stones for construction purposes.

There is early evidence of mills and brickmaking industries in Tottenham. The nearby marshy fields and pastureland created perfect conditions for agriculture.

This played an important role in the economic and social development of the River Lea and the nearby areas of Tottenham. Later crops were transported through the River Lea.

Along with this the horses fed on the marsh farm alongside the River Lea. The original route of the River Lea has also changed the course of shallows and pools. The meandering pattern of the River Lea causes difficulties in navigation as it was a pre-Roman route.

During the Canal Age, a series of deep canals were constructed to bypass the route and access the less navigated routes of the small shallow river. Hence the canals that exist today are very ancient.

War And Conflict: River Lea

Back in 895 AD, there was a battle between the English and the Danes which was known as the Battle of  River Lea. The Danes were further aggravating along the coasts of River Thames and the River Lea.

They even built a fortress as a crossing point on the River Lea. This caused distress to the local inhabitants. Therefore the local military force marched down the Danes. The Danes under King Alfred then routed back and this saved the inhabitants of their local ships and harvest.

Later the Danes decided to abandon Lea River and capture the entire area which left no choice for the inhabitants but to surrender. They also took away all the ships owned by localities and transported the ones in better conditions to London.

They broke the ships and damaged the transport equipment so that the local inhabitants could not flee. This led to the beginning of the Battle of River Lea.

The evidence was the Vikings' sword that was excavated and belonged to the ninth century. The Battle of River Lea was preceded by the Battle of Essex in 893 AD. The encounter was between the Danish ships and King Alfred’s ships on the southern coast of the River Lea.

Wildlife: River Lea

The lower Lea valley is usually referred to as the green lung for London. The middle Lea flows in between the valley. The valley holds a primary place of importance in the life of the localities, the wildlife, and other species.

This valley is home to many biodiversities. It is found that kingfishers use this site as their breeding place.

Lower Lea is also the most loved migratory route in London. This route is amongst the top four migratory routes preferred by the birds and migratory species. Some of the commonly found species of migratory birds are geese, thrushes, ducks, and marbles.

Along with them, there are also herons and kestrels who use the oasis. This valley has been the oldest traditional route for centuries. It is a resting space for the birds.

However, the construction of watermills and polluting industries further locks the flow of rivers and affects the wildlife. The river flows through the valley and meanders through the mountains that form the middle Lea. Later the river passes through many regions thus incorporating many species within the habitat.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for River Lea facts then why not take a look at River Jordan facts, or River Clyde facts.