River Tame, West Midlands
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The River Tame rises in Wolverhampton, flows from the Black Country, through north Birmingham, past Tamworth (which takes its name from the river), and into the River Trent near Alrewas. The name derives from the Celtic language, and is usually thought to mean "dark" or "slow moving", although the precise meaning is uncertain.
The river is susceptible to spectacular flooding at the village of Hopwas between Tamworth and Lichfield during periods of heavy autumnal rain, attested by the Anglo-Saxon meaning of the village's name:- hop - nook of land, was - watery.
There is also a substantial bend in the course of the river between Hopwas and Elford, giving rise to the name of the area of Tamhorn.
The river is non-navigable. However clean-up operations in a notoriously polluted stretch of the river in the Witton area of Birmingham have meant that aquatic wildfowl such as ducks and swans have settled on that stretch of the river. The river basin is the most urbanised basin in the United Kingdom with approximately 42% of the basin being urbanised.[1]
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[edit] Flood prevention
Flood prevention work was carried out on Sandwell Valley in the 1980s.
In 2005, the river's alignment through Perry Hall Park in Perry Barr, Birmingham, just downstream of Sandwell Valley, was remodelled to slow the flow, alleviate flooding and create improved habitats for wildlife, as part of the SMURF (Sustainable Management of Urban Rivers and Floodplains) project.
Nonetheless, in June 2007, after heavy rain, the river burst its banks in the Witton area of Birmingham (just downstream of Perry Barr)[1] and at Kingsbury Water Park.
[edit] Features
The Tame passes several nature reserves and other open spaces, including (moving downstream):
- RSPB Sandwell Valley
- Perry Hall Park
- the West Midland Bird Club's Ladywalk Reserve
- Whitemoor Haye
- Croxall Lakes (Staffordshire Wildlife Trust)
- The National Memorial Arboretum
[edit] Bridges
The river is crossed by many bridges, including, at Perry Barr the Zig Zag bridge of 1711 and its 1932, art deco, replacement, carrying the Aldridge Road.
[edit] Tributaries
- See tributary
- River Blythe
- River Rea
- River Anker
- Darlaston Brook
[edit] See also
- Brookvale Park Lake
- Witton Lakes
- Tame Valley
- Tame Valley Canal
- River Tame, Yorkshire
- Rivers of the United Kingdom
[edit] References
- ^ John S. Rowan; R. W. Duck, A. Werritty (2006). Sediment Dynamics and the Hydromorphology of Fluvial Systems. IAHS, 98. ISBN 1901502686.
[edit] External links
Ceremonial county of West Midlands | |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan districts | City of Birmingham • City of Coventry • City of Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough of Dudley • Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell • Metropolitan Borough of Solihull • Metropolitan Borough of Walsall |
| Cities and towns | Aldridge • Amblecote • Bilston • Birmingham • Blackheath • Bloxwich • Brierley Hill • Brownhills • Coseley • Coventry • Darlaston • Dudley • Halesowen • Hampton-in-Arden • Oldbury • Rowley Regis • Sedgley • Smethwick • Solihull • Stourbridge • Sutton Coldfield • Tipton • Walsall • Wednesbury • Wednesfield • West Bromwich • Willenhall • Wolverhampton See also: List of civil parishes in West Midlands |
| Rivers | River Blythe • River Cole • River Penk • River Rea • River Sherbourne • River Sowe • River Stour • River Tame |
| Topics | Birmingham Canal Navigations • Black Country • Centro • History of West Midlands County |
| West Midlands conurbation • Coventry/Bedworth Urban Area • Category:West Midlands | |
fr:Tame (rivière)
