Editing River Thames (section)

==The active river==
[[File:Houseboats - Richmond, London, UK.jpg|thumb|[[Houseboat]]s on the River Thames, in the [[St Margarets, London|St Margaret's, Twickenham]] district]]

One of the major resources provided by the Thames is the water distributed as drinking water by [[Thames Water]], whose area of responsibility covers the length of the River Thames. The [[Thames Water Ring Main]] is the main distribution mechanism for water in London, with one major loop linking the [[Hampton, London|Hampton]], [[Walton-on-Thames|Walton]], [[Ashford, Surrey|Ashford]] and [[Kempton Park, Surrey|Kempton Park]] Water Treatment Works with central London.

In the past, commercial activities on the Thames included fishing (particularly eel trapping), [[coppicing]] [[willow]]s and [[Osier bed|osiers]] which provided wood and baskets, and the operation of [[watermill]]s for flour and paper production and metal beating. These activities have largely disappeared.

The Thames is popular for a wide variety of riverside housing, including high-rise flats in central London and chalets on the banks and islands upstream. Some people live in houseboats, typically around [[Brentford]] and [[Tagg's Island]].

===Transport and tourism===

====Tidal river====
{{Main|London River Services}}
[[File:Waterloo Pier 1.jpg|thumb|Passenger service on the River Thames]]

In London there are many sightseeing tours in tourist boats, past riverside attractions such as the [[Houses of Parliament]] and the [[Tower of London]]. There are also regular riverboat services co-ordinated by [[London River Services]]. [[London City Airport]] is situated on the Thames, in East London. Previously it was a dock.

====Upper river====
The leisure navigation and sporting activities on the river have given rise to a number of businesses including boatbuilding, marinas, ships chandlers and salvage services.

In summer, passenger services operate along the entire non-tidal river from Oxford to Teddington. The two largest operators are [[Salters Steamers]] and French Brothers. Salters operate services between [[Folly Bridge]], Oxford and Staines. The whole journey takes four days and requires several changes of boat.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salterssteamers.co.uk/trips.htm |title=Salters Steamers website |work=Salterssteamers.co.uk |access-date=17 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529030233/http://www.salterssteamers.co.uk/trips.htm |archive-date=29 May 2010 }}</ref> French Brothers operate passenger services between Maidenhead and Hampton Court.<ref>{{cite web |title=French Brothers |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/FrenchBros.html |publisher=Simplon |access-date=27 August 2020 |archive-date=22 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922032412/http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/FrenchBros.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
Along the course of the river a number of smaller private companies also offer river trips at Oxford, Wallingford, Reading and Hampton Court.<ref>{{cite web |author=Hart, Dorothy |url=http://www.the-river-thames.co.uk/leisure.htm |title=Floating Down the River website |work=The-river-thames.co.uk |date=1 January 2000 |access-date=17 May 2010 |archive-date=1 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701005259/http://www.the-river-thames.co.uk/leisure.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Many companies also provide boat hire on the river.

====Cable car====
[[File:Emirates Air Line towers 24 May 2012.jpg|thumb|The London Cable Car, over the River Thames]]

The [[London Cable Car]] over the Thames from the [[Greenwich Peninsula]] to the [[Royal Docks]] has been in operation since the [[2012 Summer Olympics]].

===Police and lifeboats===
[[File:2023-06-18 NINA MACKAY III - MMSI 232043472.jpg|thumb|Metropolitan Marine Policing Unit patrol vessel, ''Nina Mackay III'', on the Thames River in London]]
The river is policed by five police forces. The [[Marine Support Unit|Thames Division]] is the River Police arm of London's [[Metropolitan Police]], while [[Surrey Police]], [[Thames Valley Police]], [[Essex Police]] and [[Kent Police]] have responsibilities on their parts of the river outside the metropolitan area. There is also a [[London Fire Brigade]] fire boat on the river. The river claims a number of lives each year.<ref>BBC News, 24 July 2014 {{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-28456639 |title=Deaths in the River Thames reached 15 last year |work=BBC News online |language=en-GB |access-date=23 January 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827085624/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-28456639 |url-status=live}}.</ref>

As a result of the [[Marchioness disaster]] in 1989 when 51 people died, the [[UK government|Government]] asked the [[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]], the [[Port of London Authority]] and the [[Royal National Lifeboat Institution]] (RNLI) to work together to set up a dedicated Search and Rescue service for the tidal River Thames. As a result, there are four [[lifeboat station]]s on the River Thames: at [[Teddington Lifeboat Station|Teddington]], [[Chiswick Lifeboat Station|Chiswick]], [[Tower Lifeboat Station|Tower]] (based at [[Victoria Embankment]]/[[Waterloo Bridge]]) and [[Gravesend Lifeboat Station|Gravesend]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1739401.stm |work=BBC News |date=2 January 2002 |title=Thames lifeboat service launched |access-date=17 May 2010 |archive-date=26 May 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040526015753/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1739401.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Navigation===
[[File:river.thames.viewfromtowerbridge.london.arp.jpg|thumb|Pool of London looking west, from the high-level walkway on [[Tower Bridge]]]]
[[File:Carpathia Unloading at Tilbury docks - geograph.org.uk - 2091919.jpg|thumb|A container ship unloading at Northfleet Hope terminal, [[Port of Tilbury|Tilbury]]]]
[[File:MV Geeststroom on Thames - geograph.org.uk - 360501.jpg|thumb|A ship heading downstream past [[Coryton Refinery]]]]
[[File:River Thames Rubbish Trap, London - Dec 2008.jpg|thumb|[[Waste|Rubbish]] traps are used on the Thames to filter [[debris]] as it flows through central London.]]

The Thames is maintained for navigation by powered craft from the estuary as far as [[Lechlade]] in Gloucestershire and for very small craft to [[Cricklade]]. The original [[towpath]] extends upstream from [[Putney Bridge]] as far as the connection with the now disused [[Thames and Severn Canal]] at [[Inglesham]], one and a half miles upstream of the [[St John's Lock|last boat lock]] near [[Lechlade]]. From Teddington Lock to the head of navigation, the navigation authority is the [[Environment Agency]]. Between the sea and [[Teddington Lock]], the river forms part of the [[Port of London]] and navigation is administered by the [[Port of London Authority]]. Both the tidal river through London and the non-tidal river upstream are intensively used for leisure navigation.

The non-tidal River Thames is divided into reaches by the 45 [[lock (water transport)|locks]]. The locks are staffed for the greater part of the day, but can be operated by experienced users out of hours. This part of the Thames links to existing navigations at the [[River Wey Navigation]], the [[River Kennet]] and the [[Oxford Canal]]. All craft using it must be licensed. The [[Environment Agency]] has patrol boats (named after tributaries of the Thames) and can enforce the limit strictly since river traffic usually has to pass through a lock at some stage. A speed limit of {{cvt|8|km/h|kn|1}} applies. There are pairs of [[Navigation transit markers|transit markers]] at various points along the non-tidal river that can be used to check speed – a boat travelling legally taking a minute or more to pass between the two markers.

The tidal river is navigable to large ocean-going ships as far upstream as the [[Pool of London]] and [[London Bridge]]. Although London's upstream enclosed docks have closed and central London sees only the occasional visiting [[cruise ship]] or [[naval ship|warship]], the tidal river remains one of Britain's main ports. Around 60 active terminals cater for shipping of all types including [[ro-ro]] ferries, cruise liners and vessels carrying [[Containerization|containers]], vehicles, timber, grain, paper, [[Petroleum|crude oil]], [[petroleum products]], [[liquified petroleum gas]] etc.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portoflondon.co.uk/siteimages/port%20promotion/Terminal%20location%20map%20(full).jpg |access-date=12 May 2008 |author=Port of London Authority |title=Terminal locations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527201816/http://www.portoflondon.co.uk/siteimages/port%20promotion/Terminal%20location%20map%20(full).jpg |archive-date=27 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There is a regular traffic of [[Construction aggregate|aggregate]] or [[waste|refuse]] vessels, operating from [[wharf|wharves]] in the west of London. The tidal Thames links to the canal network at the [[River Lea Navigation]], the [[Regent's Canal]] at [[Limehouse Basin]] and the [[Grand Union Canal]] at Brentford.

Upstream of [[Wandsworth Bridge]] a speed limit of {{cvt|8|kn|km/h|0}} is in force for powered craft to protect the riverbank environment and to provide safe conditions for rowers and other river users. There is no absolute speed limit on most of the Tideway downstream of Wandsworth Bridge, although boats are not allowed to create undue wash. Powered boats are limited to 12 knots between [[Lambeth Bridge]] and downstream of Tower Bridge, with some exceptions. Boats can be approved by the [[Harbourmaster|harbour master]] to travel at speeds of up to 30 knots from below Tower Bridge to past the Thames Barrier.<ref>{{cite web |title=Thames Bylaws 2012 |author=Port of London |page=20 |url=http://www.pla.co.uk/assets/120529_Thames_Byelaws1.pdf |access-date=24 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305232657/http://www.pla.co.uk/assets/120529_Thames_Byelaws1.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2014 }}</ref>

====Management====
The administrative powers of the [[Thames Conservancy]] to control river traffic and manage flows have been taken on with some modifications by the [[Environment Agency]] and, in respect of the Tideway part of the river, such powers are split between the agency and the [[Port of London Authority]].

In the Middle Ages [[the Crown]] exercised general jurisdiction over the Thames, one of the four royal rivers, and appointed [[water bailiff]]s to oversee the river upstream of Staines. The City of London exercised jurisdiction over the tidal Thames. However, navigation was increasingly impeded by weirs and mills, and in the 14th century the river probably ceased to be navigable for heavy traffic between Henley and Oxford. In the late 16th century the river seems to have been reopened for navigation from Henley to [[Burcot, Oxfordshire|Burcot]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22808 |title=Victoria County History of Oxfordshire: Rivers and river navigation |publisher=British-history.ac.uk |access-date=17 May 2010 |archive-date=27 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827085632/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol4/pp284-295 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The first commission concerned with the management of the river was the [[Oxford-Burcot Commission]], formed in 1605 to make the river navigable between Burcot and Oxford.

In 1751 the [[Thames Navigation Commission]] was formed to manage the whole non-tidal river above Staines. The [[City of London]] long claimed responsibility for the tidal river. A long running dispute between the City and the Crown over ownership of the river was not settled until 1857, when the [[Thames Conservancy]] was formed to manage the river from Staines downstream. In 1866 the functions of the Thames Navigation Commission were transferred to the Thames Conservancy, which thus had responsibility for the whole river.

In 1909 the powers of the Thames Conservancy over the tidal river, below Teddington, were transferred to the [[Port of London Authority]].

In 1974 the Thames Conservancy became part of the new [[Thames Water Authority]]. When Thames Water was privatised in 1990, its river management functions were transferred to the [[National Rivers Authority]], in 1996 subsumed into the [[Environment Agency]].

In 2010, the Thames won the world's largest environmental award at the time, the $350,000 International Riverprize, presented at the International Riversymposium in Perth, WA in recognition of the substantial and sustained restoration of the river by many hundreds of organisations and individuals since the 1950s.

===As a boundary===
Until enough crossings were established, the river presented a formidable barrier, with Belgic tribes and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms being defined by which side of the river they were on. When English counties were established their boundaries were partly determined by the Thames. On the northern bank were the ancient counties of [[Gloucestershire]], Oxfordshire, [[Buckinghamshire]], [[Middlesex]] and [[Essex]]. On the southern bank were the counties of [[Wiltshire]], Berkshire, [[Surrey]] and [[Kent]].

Counting bridges to the far bank or to an island connected to such, the Thames has 223. From source to mouth a channel can be found with 138 bridges, plus the temporary footbridge often added during [[Reading Festival]]. The river is heavily splayed in [[Ashton Keynes]] and [[Oxford]]. Where the river is wide 17 tunnels that have been built, many of which for rail or notable electricity cables. The crossings have changed the dynamics and made cross-river development and shared responsibilities more practicable. In 1965, upon the creation of [[Greater London]], the [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]] incorporated the former 'Middlesex and Surrey' banks, [[Borough of Spelthorne|Spelthorne]] moved from Middlesex to Surrey; and further changes in 1974 moved some of the boundaries away from the river. For example, some areas were transferred from Berkshire to Oxfordshire, and from Buckinghamshire to Berkshire. In many river sports and traditions – for example in rowing – the banks are referred to by their traditional county names.

===Crossings===
{{Main|List of crossings of the River Thames}}

[[File:Newbridge, Oxfordshire.jpg|thumb|[[Newbridge, Oxfordshire|Newbridge]], in rural Oxfordshire]]
[[File:Railway bridge Maidenhead.jpeg|thumb|The Railway bridge at [[Maidenhead, Berkshire|Maidenhead]]]]
[[File:London millennium wobbly bridge.jpg|thumb|The [[Millennium Bridge (London)|Millennium Footbridge]] with [[St Paul's Cathedral]] in the background]]

Many of the present-day road bridges are on the site of earlier fords, ferries and wooden bridges. [[Swinford Bridge]], known as the five pence toll bridge, replaced a ferry that in turn replaced a ford. The earliest known major crossings of the Thames by the Romans were at [[London Bridge]] and [[Staines Bridge]]. At [[Folly Bridge]] in Oxford the remains of an original Saxon structure can be seen, and medieval stone bridges such as [[Newbridge, Oxfordshire|Newbridge]], [[Wallingford Bridge]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Victoria history of Berkshire |last1=Ditchfield |first1=P. H. |last2=Page |first2=William |date=1906 |publisher=Constable |location=London |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.28982 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/28982 |access-date=31 May 2021 |archive-date=11 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611232657/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/28982 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Abingdon Bridge]] are still in use.

Kingston's growth is believed to stem from its having the only crossing between London Bridge and Staines until the beginning of the 18th century. During the 18th century, many stone and brick road bridges were built from new or to replace existing bridges both in London and along the length of the river. These included [[Putney Bridge]], [[Westminster Bridge]], [[Datchet Bridge]], [[Windsor Bridge]] and [[Sonning Bridge]].

Several central London road bridges were built in the 19th century, most conspicuously [[Tower Bridge]], the only [[Bascule bridge]] on the river, designed to allow ocean-going ships to pass beneath it. The most recent road bridges are the bypasses at [[Isis Bridge]] and [[Marlow By-pass Bridge]] and the motorway bridges, most notably the two on the [[M25 motorway|M25]] route: [[Queen Elizabeth II Bridge]] and [[M25 Runnymede Bridge]].

Railway development in the 19th century resulted in a spate of bridge building including [[Blackfriars Railway Bridge]] and [[Hungerford Bridge|Charing Cross (Hungerford) Railway Bridge]] in central London, and the railway bridges by [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] at [[Maidenhead Railway Bridge]], [[Gatehampton Railway Bridge]] and [[Moulsford Railway Bridge]].

The world's first underwater tunnel was Marc Brunel's [[Thames Tunnel]] built in 1843 and now used to carry the [[East London Line]]. The [[Tower Subway]] was the first railway under the Thames, which was followed by all the deep-level tube lines. Road tunnels were built in East London at the end of the 19th century, being the [[Blackwall Tunnel]] and the [[Rotherhithe Tunnel]]. The latest tunnels are the [[Dartford Crossing]]s.

Many foot crossings were established across the weirs that were built on the non-tidal river, and some of these remained when the locks were built – for example at [[Benson Lock]]. Others were replaced by a footbridge when the weir was removed as at [[Hart's Weir Footbridge]]. Around 2000, several footbridges were added along the Thames, either as part of the Thames Path or in commemoration of the millennium. These include [[Temple Footbridge]], [[Bloomers Hole Footbridge]], the [[Hungerford Footbridge]]s and the [[London Millennium Bridge|Millennium Bridge]], all of which have distinctive design characteristics.

Before bridges were built, the main means of crossing the river was by ferry. A significant number of ferries were provided specifically for navigation purposes. When the [[towpath]] changed sides, it was necessary to take the towing horse and its driver across the river. This was no longer necessary when barges were powered by steam. Some ferries still operate on the river. The [[Woolwich Ferry]] carries cars and passengers across the river in the Thames Gateway and links the [[North Circular]] and [[South Circular Road, London|South Circular]] roads. Upstream are smaller pedestrian ferries, for example [[Hampton Ferry (River Thames)|Hampton Ferry]] and [[Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry]], the last being the only non-permanent crossing that remains on the Thames Path.

===Hydro-power===
Whilst the use of the river to drive water-mills has largely died out, there has been a recent trend to use the head of water provided by the river's existing weirs to drive small [[hydro-electric]] power plants, using [[Archimedes screw turbine]]s. Operational schemes include:
* A privately owned plant opened at [[Mapledurham Watermill]] in 2011, running in parallel to the [[waterwheel]] driven [[corn mill]] that still operates occasionally.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cassell |first1=Paul |title=Hydroelectric power comes to Mapledurham |url=https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/hydroelectric-power-comes-to-mapledurham-4207122 |access-date=22 October 2019 |publisher=Berkshire Live |date=1 November 2011 |archive-date=11 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611204658/https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/hydroelectric-power-comes-to-mapledurham-4207122 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* A hydro-electric plant at [[Romney Lock]] to power [[Windsor Castle]] using two Archimedes' screws, opened in 2013 by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Queen goes gree: hydroelectric turbines arrive at Windsor Castle |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8749107/The-Queen-goes-green-hydroelectric-turbines-arrive-at-Windsor-Castle.html |access-date=27 August 2020 |work=Telegraph |date=8 September 2011 |archive-date=27 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827085623/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8749107/The-Queen-goes-green-hydroelectric-turbines-arrive-at-Windsor-Castle.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Osney Lock Hydro]], a community owned scheme at [[Osney Lock]] in [[Oxford]], also opened in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.osneylockhydro.co.uk/about-us/ |title=About Us |publisher=Osney Lock Hydro |access-date=15 February 2022 |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228070106/http://www.osneylockhydro.co.uk/about-us/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Sandford Hydro]], a community owned scheme at [[Sandford Lock]] to the south of Oxford, opened in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lowcarbonhub.org/p/projects/sandford-hydro/ |title=Sandford Hydro |publisher=Low Carbon Hub |access-date=15 February 2022 |archive-date=15 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215164843/https://www.lowcarbonhub.org/p/projects/sandford-hydro/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Reading Hydro]], a community owned scheme at [[Caversham Lock]] in [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], opened in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lowcarbonhub.org/p/projects/sandford-hydro/ |title=Reading Hydro Official Opening Ceremony |publisher=Reading Hydro CBS |access-date=14 February 2022 |archive-date=15 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215164843/https://www.lowcarbonhub.org/p/projects/sandford-hydro/ |url-status=live }}</ref>