The River Thames Fieldwork - Case Study Example

University> Thames Fieldwork By Introduction and setting (London Eye) The flow of River Thames across London from the South has enhanced consistent water supply across London. This has provided numerous benefits in terms of ensuring there is water for industrial as well as home use. The setting of the London eye brings out the London developments in 21st century. The river has provided stable water supply to the residents in the towns that it has passed through. The benefis of the river in providing water to the towns is very essential. The river has experienced floods threats hence it has been essential to create canals so as to curb the issue of floods. The modern London authorities have come up with measures to ensure that thecontrol of the water and the prevention from pollution supported. The formation of an agency to facilitate water monitoring has been a vital development in containing other influences (Oliver, 2010, p. 168). Physical setting, early settlement of the Thames Tideway (South Bank) The physical setting of River Thames includes its flow from Southern England. The river is said to be the longest river in England. It is also the second longest river in the entire United Kingdom. The river also flows through other small towns. They include Oxford, Reading and Windsor. The river has been used to name some of the Emgland’s places. These include; the Thames Valley, Thames Gateway as well as Thames Estuary. The river is under the administrative powers of the Thames Conservancy. The conservancy has taken up environmental agency powers and it has the sole responsibility of ensuring that the river is not polluted. The river is liked by two canals. The canals feed the other major basins that get water from Thames. There are two other canals that are currently not used but they are under construction. The area has plenty of rowing and sailing teams. With navigable vessels such as canoe, annual events are held in the river. It is noted that the river has been in the past used to hold the Summer Olympic Games (Oliver, 2010, p. 174). There is organized swimming taking part in the river whereby the water is safe and highly guarded. This area spans to Central London. River Thames in deep near London and a high percentage of the water is drained in Greater London. The catchment area of the river is based on Western England. It has 33 tributaries which supply it with water. There are more than 80 Islands in the River. The water type is not constant since the river has both freshwater and sea water. Further, the river supports wild life. The human activity around the river has a long history which is traceable back in the Pre-Roman Britain period. The activities are noticeable in areas across the river. The activities are marked by various structures around the river. The springs of the river flow throughout the year. The river cuts across the urbanized and the rural areas of England. With the 38 tributaries, the tide of the river is expected to rise above the head level. The river has a non-tidal section which is controlled and managed by the Environment Agency. The agency ensures that the flow of the water is controlled to minimize the chances of flooding. Further the speed of the water is adjusted. When the floods are increasing unable to be controlled the Environmental Agency ensures that it issues a flooding alert to the people along the river. The banks of the Thames Estuary and Thames valley have enjoyed a wide coverage of the marshland while extends to the adjoining lower valley. The marshland has streams which include River Lea, Tyburn Brook and Bollo Brook. The streams and the rivers form the main drainage system of River Thames. Most of the local rivers that form part of the river Thames boundaries have been covered by marshland. The land is a part of the marshland and it has often used as a farmland. This was built at the period preceding the Industrial Revolution. The rivers are covered by marshland and it has experienced exceptional tides. The inhabitation of the land has been since the times of Roman Empire. Canvey Island is also part of the marshland and still remains unclaimed by the Thames Island. Drainage of marshland, narrowing and embankments (Waterloo bridge) The drainage of river Thames is traceable from the many tributaries of the river. The canalization of the river is one of the main drainage systems of the river. The discharge of the water to a canal forms drainage. The use of the canal has ensured that the navigation takes place. The navigation of the river and the drainage has been facilitated by the use of the canals. The canals and the narrowing of the river as it flows South of England have facilitated the drainage of the river. The regulation of the flow and the depth of the river have been critical in fostering reliable drainage structures. This has been to ensure that the flooding of the river is prevented or limited. With the proper drainage in place, the river has been subjected to numerous steps which are to keep the water level at a manageable level. The basins in place have also facilitated the flow of the water in the tributaries which in turn channel the water to safe flow. The existences of a bridge and embankments have equally worked to the benefit of the smooth flow of the water to a safe drainage hence avoid overflowing (Hanson, 2001, p. 87) Great Fire of London (1666) and London’s “lost rivers” (Fleet/ Blackfriers) The Great Fire of England started in 1666 and burned down the parts of mediaeval city of England. The fire destroyed 70,000 of the 80,000 homes at the time. Though the death toll was unknown, it was estimated to be low. However, there has been some recent revelations on the death toll since it is indicated that the poor and the middle class deaths were not recorded. The means to contain the fire at the time were limited. There are immeasurable social and economic situations that were created by the disaster. The evacuation of people and their resettlement in other places were highly recommended (Hanson, 2001, p. 77) The aftermath of the fire put across many proposals. Some of the proposals were on the widening of River Fleet. The river was afterwards converted to a canal. The canal that was created after the London fire has served the city of London in numerous ways. Though the fire destroyed some of the rivers, the Fleet River stood as a reliable supply of water. The river has aided the construction of Farrington Street. The Fleet Line is one of the joining streets to the river and its canals. The river gained its popularity after the Great Fire of London though attempts to divert it at the time were resisted. The existence of the river at a time when the reconstruction of the city of London was taking place was very vital at the given time. The destruction of the rivers by the fire opened a window for more canals to be created to respond to future catastrophes. The fire was an eye opener to the London authorities as the issue of managing the use of water becomes more pronounced. The control of the rivers was put under a competent body which had the mandate of ensuring that the river was conserved while at the same time ensuring that the industrial waste was not directly channeled in the river. The fire left challenges of housing after the fire swept the houses. The water needed to foster reconstruction of the river was from river Fleet. The fire also resulted in some of the rivers in England disappearing. The fire interfered with the natural swamps as well as the tributaries that existed before. The experience remains a very tragic event in the management of water and reservoirs. The control of the rivers and other water sources was very important in the given circumstances. A clear way of averting more unnecessary water wastage and pollution of the rivers was the sole aim of the conservancy authorities. River Fleet was instrumental in the period after the London fire (Hanson, 2001, p. 67) London’s water, past, present and future (The Clink) The London’s water has the past that has exhibited numerous changes so as to have the flow of the rivers protected. The London water was experienced major changes so as to ensure that the water being used is greatly protected against any misuse and any form. The construction of the city and the events that preceded the Industrial revolution has had a great threat to the water reserves. The rivers that have subjected to many of the safeguards so as to ensure that there are reliable channels for England and the United Kingdom. The London water in the past has been under constant pollution threat. The past has precipitated the changes that are witnessed in the protection of the rivers and swamps today. The past has faced many challenges in terms of the usage of the water. The environmental concerns have been real and the forming of an agent to oversee the human activities around the river. The question that the past has posed in terms of the management of the water sources have been answered in the present. The present measures to safeguard the pollution of water reserves have worked hand in hand in ensuring that there is safety. The flow of River Thames and other main rivers in London has been facilitated by ensuring that the canal. With a clear structures and a functional environmental agency, the present of London’s water seems stable. Though there are concerns of global environmental changes, it is evident that the present London’s water depends on the system of awareness already in place(Cove-Smith, 2006, p. 76). The existence of a system that is keen to protect the rivers against the environmental industrial concerns will have a great impact in the future of water security in London. Measures already in place have ensured that the water bodies and the use are regulated. For instance, the non-tidal river in River Thames is guarded against human activities that may lower the levels of water. With the slowed activities along the river, it has been imperative to impose regulatory measures so as to lower the human habitation. Human activities along the river banks may interfere with the water. There are other stringent penalties that have been included so as to ensure that people are deterred from polluting the water. The management of the river has over the years changed. The management of the rivers in Britain was a reserve of the Crown. The appointing of water bailiffs were used by the Crown to keep a constant watch on the use of the water. With time, the City of London became interested in management of some of the main rivers such as River Thames. At the time, navigation was one of the main interests of those protecting the river. The past has a period whereby the City of London protected rivers under its jurisdiction against all forms of navigation. At the present, the management of the rivers in London has been entrusted on the National Rivers Authority. The Environmental Agency takes a keen interest in ensuring that the environmental concerns are equally addressed (Cove-Smith, 2006, p. 49). Industrial London and empire building (Hay’s Galeria The growth of industries in London was witnessed after the great industrial revolution. The industrial growth impacted on the living styles of the people at the time with major influx in London by people seeking employment in the industries. The high population increasingly necessitated the growth of suburbs in London to house the middle income earners. The political importance of London has been the main impetus behind its growth. With it being the largest city in Great retain, it was easy to have industries put in place. The city had high population which was highly essential for the provision of labor. The industrial growth had its impacts to the population. Some of the negative effects included the poor hygiene as well as the housing problems. The diseases and high immortality rate were some of the negative effects of industrialization. The death toll was high in both children and adults due to diseases such as typhoid. There was a very close link between the high death rates and the contamination of water that was taking place at the time (Oliver, 2010, p. 170). There was an introduction of water closet which indirectly caused the dumping of waste into River Thames. The fact that there was a fight between the central government and local government on the management of the rivers made the situation worse since the pollution continued unabated. The empire building centered its operations in London due to its growth as compared to other cities in Europe. It still remained highly important in the monitoring of the operations of the Empire. This explains why the control of water resources in London such as River Thames remained in the eyes of the Crown. The growth of the Empire needed to have a close utilization and control of the main rivers. This was to ensure that the waters are properly utilized for the benefit of the Kingdom while at the same time avoiding the misuse of the water. The position of the water in the river was greatly monitored so as to ensure that the Empire was in control of the water bodies. The Empire relied heavily on the water from Thames so as to create reliable structures. With the water levels being threatened by the industrialization, the Empire had to come up with the measures to ensure that the management of the river remained in the hands of the Crown (Sinclair, 2007, p. 74). London in the 21st Century (City Hall) The 21st century London is marked with numerous projects which distinguish it from other cities in the world. A notable feature is the Millennium Dome and the London Eye. The city has experienced an increase in population with an estimation of 8.1 million people. The city is increasingly adopting a mode of decongesting the city with key moves to the denser urban towns. The building has incorporated new style of large buildings which are capable of housing many people. It is the mentioned developments that have placed the city at a better place to host events such as the 2012 Olympics. The hosting of the games in the city for three years emphasizes the presence of modern structures. Threats of terrorism have increased the need to have stringent measures to offer protection to the people against further attacks. The environmental threats and pollution have increased hence London is intensifying its ways of dealing with the threats. There are several ways in which such threats are being addressed especially the pollution threats against River Thames. The City has come up with new laws which are geared towards protecting its water masses against any environmental implications in the 21st century (Cove-Smith, 2006, p. 49). Molesey Lock The Molesey Lock is located on the close of Hampton Court which is in the Southwest London. The lock is on the River Thames and was built by the City of London Corporation. It dates back in 181. The lock has given the Hampton Court a viable access. Further, the lock has encouraged the addition of fish ladders. The lock was later rebuilt in 1906. The reservoir at Molesey has been polluted by sewage hence it is illegal to use the water for drinking purposes(Oliver, 2010, p. 173).. River Wey Navigation and Coxes Mill The Coxell Mill is at the end of Wey Navigation. The navigation of the river is through opening of the locks. They have existed since 1880. Its main purpose has been the control of water depth. The lock was built in 1651 and 1653. The aim was to transport heavy goods from London to Guildford. It is the longest canal which runs for 5 miles (Dix,1985, p. 64), Reservoirs at Staines They have existed since 1901. They lie at the King George VI reservoir. The two reservoirs were built for scientific purposes. There are more wintering populations and the site was constructed as a special site near the town of Staines. The designation of the site for scientific purposes has increased the objective of the reservoirs. The reservoirs have played a role in protecting the neighbouring towns from unexpected floods. Although the situation has not been fully contained, there are measures which have aided in reduction of the floods based destructions (Ackroyd, 2007, P. 87). River Thames at Windsor River Thames cuts across many towns in Britain. One of the key points is at the Windsor. The passing of the river through Windsor has offered many benefits to the town. So as to avoid floods, there has been a construction of flood relief at Windsor. The flood relief was completed in 2002. The main aim has been to ensure that the situation of flooding is contained. The Windsor point reduces the pressure of the water flowing. It has been strategically positioned so as to have less negative impacts on the surrounding. Keeping the environmental concerns checked is critical step for the authorities mandated to monitor the flow of the water from the river (Oliver, 2010, p. 167). Jubilee River This is a hydraulic channel in the Southern England which covers an average of 45 metres. It was constructed in the 1990s so as to take the overflowing of water from River Thames. This was to reduce the rate of flooding which was taking place along Maidenhead, Eton and Windsor. The river has achieved that by taking the water from eastern bank to downstream of Eton. The environmental Agency allowed the river to be commissioned so as to deal with the issue of flooding of River Thames. The river is rated as one of the largest man-made river in Britain during the modern times. It is also the second largest in Europe. The river has helped in creating various flow mechanisms to support the activities of River Thames (Cove-Smith, 2006, p. 99). Reference List Ackroyd, P 2007, Thames: sacred river, London: Chatto&Windus. Cove-Smith, C 2006, The River Thames book: a guide to the Thames from the Barrier to Cricklade with the River Wey, Basingstoke Canal and Kennet& Avon Canal to Great Bedwyn (4th ed.). St. Ives, Cambridgeshire: Imray Laurie Norie& Wilson.. Dix, F L 1985, Royal river highway: a history of the passenger boats and services on the River Thames, Newton Abbot; North Pomfret. Hanson, N 2001, The Dreadful Judgement: The True Story of the Great Fire of London, New York: Doubleday. Oliver, S 2010, Navigability and the improvement of the river Thames, 1605–1815, Geographical Journal176 (2): 164–77. Sinclair, M 2007, The Thames: a cultural history, Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. Read More