River Lee Flood Relief Channel

The River Lee Flood Relief Channel (FRC) is located in the Lee Valley and flows between Ware, Hertfordshire and Stratford, East London. Work started on the channel in 1947 following major flooding and was fully operational by 1976 [ [http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/summary_ll_1459052.pdf Environment Agency] Retrieved 11-10-2007] . The channel incorporates existing watercourses, lakes and new channels.

Course

Hertfordshire and Essex

Marking the start of the FRC at Ware, the channel is incorporated into the River Lee Navigation. Flowing through Hardmead Lock and Stanstead Lock which have had automatic sluice gates installed to cope with high water levels. At Feildes Weir a parallel channel has been constructed. The channel now skirts the 120 acre Glen Faba Lake and then under Dobbs Weir Road before entering the North Lagoon of the Nazeing Meads lake complex and leaving at the South Lagoon at Nazeing Weir. Continuing under Nazeing Road B194 the channel flows into Holyfield Lake and out through Holyfield Weir. Going under Stubbins Hall Lane and it merges with Old River Lea at Fishers Green. Skirting Seventy Acres lake and then Hooks Marsh Lake. The channel is now incorporated into the Horsemill Stream, known as Waltons Walk. The water forms a natural boundary with the Royal Gunpowder Mills as it passes through the computer controlled radial gates of the David Stoker sluice as it nears Waltham Abbey. Now flowing parallel with the River Lee Navigation and only yards apart, the channel flows firstly under the A121 road and then under the M25 motorway to be joined by Cobbins Brook.

Greater London

The channel crosses Rammey Marsh and then forms the eastern boundary with the former Royal Small Arms Factory which is now a housing development known as Enfield Island Village. Further downstream the channel merges with the River Lea to become the man-made, concrete banked River Lee Diversion as it skirts the King George V Reservoir the first of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain, and then the William Girling Reservoir. The river forms the boundary with Enfield and Waltham Forest and the historical boundary between Middlesex and Essex. Flowing under the North Circular Road and close to Banbury Reservoir where it splits from the River Lee Diversion. Crossing Tottenham Marshes and passing close to the Lockwood Reservoir,High Maynard Reservoir and Low Maynard Reservoir. Flowing firstly under Forest Road A503 road and then the Gospel Oak to Barking line before skirting the Walthamstow Reservoirs close to Walthamstow Marshes. Passing under Coppermill Lane before flowing under the Victoria Line and the Lea Valley Line as the channel approaches Lea Bridge Road, A104 road. Flowing across Hackney Marshes and close to the New Spitalfields Market. Passing under the Eastway road and then flowing under A115 road to meet the City Mill River below Carpenters Road Lock Stratford. The channel joins the Old River Lea and flows into the River Lee Navigation below Old Ford Lock.

Water supply

The river feeds water to some of the Lee Valley Reservoir Chain [ [http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~mjneves/publicacoes_files/data/es/ponencias/por_autor/pdf/10109.pdf Reservoir information page 3] Retrieved November 06,2007]

External links

* [http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/EN/default.aspx?n1=3&n2=18&n3=52 Glen Faba lakes]
* [http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/EN/default.aspx?n1=3&n2=188&n3=53 Nazeing Meads lakes]
* [http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/en/content/cms/wildlife/Conservation/Conservation.aspx Seventy Acres lake-Conservation Project]
* [http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/en/content/cms/Leisure/Angling/Waltons_Walk/Waltons_Walk.aspx Waltons Walk fishery]

References