River Parrett
The
River Parrett has its
source in the
springs in the hills around
Chedington in
Dorset in
England and flows west through the
Somerset Levels to its mouth in the
Bristol Channel at
Burnham on Sea a town on the edge of
Bridgwater Bay, an important
Nature Reserve.
During winter, the Parrett is prone to frequent flooding.
In common with the lower reaches of the
River Severn, the Parrett exhibits a
tidal phenomenon known as the
bore. At certain combinations of the tides, the rising water is funneled up the river into a wave that travels rapidly upstream against the
river current. The bore is a natural example of a self-reinforcing solitary wave or
soliton.
During January through to May, the Parrett provides a source of
eels (
Anguilla anguilla) and the young elvers, caught by hand netting - the only legal means of catching them. The
2003 BBC Radio 4 play
Glass Eels by
Nell Leyshon was set on a river in the
Levels, very probably the Parrett.
Historically, the main
port on the river was at
Bridgwater, although by trans-shipping into barges at the town bridge it was navigable as far as
Langport and (via the
River Yeo) to
Ilchester. After 1827, it was also possible to transfer goods to
Taunton via the
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. Nowadays, the wharf at
Dunball is the only part of the Port of Bridgwater still handling bulk cargoes, mainly sand and gravel.
In May
2006 a stream at Wembdon leading to the river was coloured yellow due to an leak of juice. Around 8,000 litres of concentrate to make drinks (
Sunny D) leaked into the stream causing fish to die. It is too early to determine the full extent of the ecological damage sustained.
The
River Parrett Trail (47 miles / 75km)
long-distance footpath follows the Parrett from its source to the sea.
The "Langport & River Parrett Visitor Centre" [
1] located at
Langport details local life, history and wildlife.
*
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal*
Ivelchester and Langport Navigation*
River Brue *
River Isle and Westport Canal *
River Tone*
River Yeo*
The River Parrett Trail*
Rivers of the United Kingdom*
Taunton Stop Line*
North Petherton and
South Petherton (named after the river)
