Essex Rivers Hub

Fairly narrow, steep sided channel with meanders and occasional small bank collapses, these are creating shelves and berms within the channel which is a great feature. 

The area (land use)

The dominant land use for this stretch of river is pasture.

Horses were the main livestock recorded.

Channel characteristics

The river channel consists of mainly silt, and riffles are present.

At the time of recording the flow of water was medium and the channel was 1-2m / 2-5m wide and <0.5m / 0.5-1m in depth.

For most of this stretch the channel profile is steep.

Bankside trees were occasional, marginal plants and in-channel plants are frequent. Woody debris was noted to be dominant.

Engineering

The channel has not been straightened and man-made enhancements are absent along this stretch of river.

Field drains were recorded as present and barriers / culverts are present.

Condition

Areas of trampling / poaching were absent and areas of erosion were absent at the time of the survey.

Additional Comments

There is little in channel or marginal vegetation. The downstream part of section runs through Harold Wood Park in a recently dredged channel, through private gardens and public open space with horse grazing. In channel vegetation is at a minimum in this section and Himalayan Balsam is found on the banks.

• < River Ingrebourne walkover map
• < River Ingrebourne walkover list

RBD/catchment/river/tributary

River Ingrebourne

Date completed

10-11/04/14

Upstream Grid ref

TQ5554089570

Downstream Grid ref

TQ5526090100