River Thaw
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River Thaw | |
---|---|
Native name | Afon Ddawan (Welsh) |
Location | |
Country | United Kingdom, Wales |
Region | South Wales |
County | Vale of Glamorgan |
Cities | Cowbridge, Llanblethian, Aberthaw |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Southwest of Llanharry, Vale of Glamorgan, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales |
• coordinates | 51°30′30″N 3°27′03″W / 51.5082°N 3.4509°W |
Mouth | |
• location | Bristol Channel |
• coordinates | 51°22′58″N 3°23′46″W / 51.3828°N 3.3961°W |
Length | 20.0 km (12.4 mi) |
Discharge | |
• location | Breaksea Point, Vale of Glamorgan |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Kenson River, Nant Tre-gof, Nant Aberthin |
• right | Nant y Stepsau, Factory Brook |
The River Thaw (Welsh: Afon Ddawan) (also Ddaw) is a river in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. At 20 kilometres/12.4 miles, it is the longest river entirely in the Vale of Glamorgan.[1]
Course
Its source is in the hills just south of the
Environment
The river supports healthy populations of a variety of fish. However, several stretches of the river no longer support a
Tributaries
The river picks up many tributaries along its course, making its watershed the largest in the Vale of Glamorgan.
The Kenson River is by far the largest tributary of the river. It has a total length of 2 miles and is formed at the confluence of two other rivers, the Waycock and the Nant Llancarfan. It runs southwest through the village of
A stream known as the Factory Brook is a mile and a half long. It flows east, to meet the Thaw at Cowbridge.
The Nant y Stepsau is 2 miles long. Rising between the villages of Llanmaes and Eglwys Brewis, it flows northeast.
The Nant Tre-gof is a minor tributary of the river. It starts near the small village of Llantrithyd near the A48 and flows southwest for nearly 3 miles, through the hamlet of Treguff (this name is a corruption of Tre-gof). Its confluence with the Thaw is nearly opposite that of the Nant y Stepsau.
The Nant y Berthyn is the smallest named tributary. It flows through the small village of Aberthin, and is under a mile long. It is sometimes named as Nant Aberthin, a back-formation from the name of the village.
An unnamed brook flows through St Athan. Its length is approximately 1.5 miles, and it joins the Thaw near its mouth.
The Nant Llanmihangel is over a mile long. It comes from Llanmihangel, and flows into the river at Llandough, south of Llanblethian.
There are many insignificant, and thus unnamed, tributaries of the Thaw. One flows in the same direction of the Thaw for a mile or so, and flows amongst a dismantled railway and power cables. The stream in question meets the Thaw near the village of Flemingston and is very near the Nant Tre-gof.
Flooding
On 31 October 1998, water levels in the river reached its highest recorded level and the river flooded, causing significant damage to 4 properties in Cowbridge, 4 in Aberthin, and 17 in Llanblethian. The flooding was caused by flood water over-topping the banks of main rivers and ordinary watercourses, and restrictions to flow in channels and surcharging of drains.
Estuary
The river meets the
The Thaw was used to cool the power station, which led to a small amount of thermal pollution in the river's mouth. The estuary is not natural, because the river was diverted into a channel to allow the power station to be built, similar to the
See also
- Cadoxton River
- Aberthaw Power Station