River Blithe
| River Blithe | |
|---|---|
 Blithe near to The Blythe | |
  Confluence with the River Trent shown in Staffordshire | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Counties | Staffordshire |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Heywood Grange Farm, Staffordshire |
King's Bromley, Staffordshire | |
• coordinates | 52°45′21″N 1°49′54″W / 52.75580°N 1.83163°W |
| Length | 29 km (18 mi) |
| Basin size | 167 km2 (64 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Hamstall Ridware[1] |
| • average | 1.16 m3/s (41 cu ft/s)[1] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Tad Brook, Ash Brook, Pur Brook |
| • right | Bear's Brook, Stoney Brook |
| Progression : Blithe—Trent—Humber | |
The River Blithe is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Trent and runs for around 18 miles from source to its confluence with the River Trent.
Etymology
The Origins of the name Blithe probably come from the Old English for gentle, cheerful, quiet or merry.[2] This is probably rooted in fact as the River runs as a gentle stream for most of its journey to the River Trent.
Course
The Blithe rises in the Hills to the East of
Stoke on Trent near to Heywood Grange Farm at around 800 feet above sea level.[3]
It is joined by several smaller streams as it makes its way towards Caverswall. The River though is still only a small stream at this stage.
It passes the village of King's Bromley.[4]
Blithfield Reservoir
The River Blithe runs into the
South Staffordshire Water Company and was opened in 1953.[5]
The reservoir is a major water source for South Staffordshire but is also utilised for a range of leisure activities from Angling to Sailing.
See also
References
- ^ a b "28002 - Blithe at Hamstall Ridware". The National River Flow Archive. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
- ISBN 0 9550309 0 0.
- ISBN 0-319-21894-5.
- ^ "Get-a-map online". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ Official South Staffordshire Water Website