Local Wildlife Site

Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation

Bow Back Rivers
Borough: Newham
Grade: Borough Grade I
Access: Free public access (part of site)
Area: 8.77 ha

Description

This site comprises a series of artificial channels (the Waterworks River, City Mill River, Bow Back River, Three Mills Wall River and Prescott Channel), connected to the River Lea. This area is now undergoing significant change during preparations for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. For example, the City Mill River is no longer accessible.

Wildlife

The rivers all have vertical, artificial banks, but manage to support some wetland vegetation, either in cracks in the walls or on mud at the water's edge. Hemlock water-dropwort and garden angelica are the most common species. A few clumps of common club-rush emerge from the water in places, and fennel pondweed and unbranched bur-reed occur beneath the surface. The invasive floating pennywort has colonised in recent years and is spreading rapidly. The rivers support a good diversity of fish. Many of the Bow Back Rivers will be landscaped as part of the landscaping of the 2012 site.

Facilities

No information available
No photo yet available for this site

No photo yet available for this site

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More information on GiGL’s SINC dataset can be found here.

Additional information, including other site designations and species recorded onsite and nearby, can be provided in community and client data search reports. Request information here.