Thames

With a length of 215 miles, the Thames River is England's second-longest and the United Kingdom's second-longest river, behind the Severn. It runs through Southern England, passing via London, Reading, Windsor, Oxford, and Henley-on-Thames. The Thames drains all of Greater London and flows into the North Sea through the Thames Estuary. Its origins may be traced back to Themes Head and Seven Spring. The river has roughly 80 islands, including extensive tidal marshlands and little tree-covered islets. The River Themes are home to a variety of animal species, including birds, fish, and water mammals. Tourists throng the river for boat rides and sightseeing trips. The river also includes various bridges, such as the Swinford Bridge, Folly Bridge, and London Bridge, that allow people to pass from one side to the other.

The Tideway refers to the river's lower portions, which are named for the river's lengthy tidal stretch up to Teddington Lock. Its tidal portion comprises the majority of its London stretch and has a 23-foot rise and fall (7 m). The Thames dips 55 meters from Oxford to the Estuary. The Thames has a modest flow given its length and width, running through some of the driest sections of mainland Britain and intensively abstracted for drinking water: the Severn has a discharge almost twice as high on average while having a smaller drainage basin. In Scotland, the Tay produces more than double the average flow of the Thames from a drainage basin that is 60% smaller.

Length: 215 miles