Dawlish Water facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dawlish Water |
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Dawlish Water in Dawlish
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| Country | England |
| Counties | Devon |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Dawlish 50°34′48″N 3°27′54″W / 50.5801°N 3.465°W |
Dawlish Water is a minor coastal stream which flows through Devon, England.
It and its tributary streams rise on the eastern slopes of Haldon Forest in the Haldon Hills by the A380 road and the B3192, (largely heathland and conifer forest) and then flows southeast through Ashcombe, Dawlish Water and on to Dawlish town, flowing over a series of weirs, through the centre of the town under the A379 road and the London to Penzance railway line by Dawlish railway station before terminating in the English Channel. The urban part of Dawlish Water is prone to flooding in certain situations, particularly with winds between south and east, when moisture-laden air is forced up the slopes of Haldon Hills. It is a relatively quick-response watercourse, so is susceptible to intense rainstorms, however river levels also fall fairly quickly afterwards too.
Water quality is sometimes affected after heavy rainfall due to upstream farm effluent, and combined sewer outfalls in the river as it passes through the town. This in turn can affect the bathing water quality on the beach immediately next to the river, after heavy rain. Several initiatives have improved the situation recently, with the EA liaising with local farmers and water companies to improve water quality.
The water level of the stream has been measured in Dawlish since 2012, normal levels are between 0.12 metres (4.7 in) and 0.33 metres (1 ft 1 in). The maximum recorded level was 1.32 metres (4 ft 4 in) in November 2012.
