Tributaries of the River Thames

This article lists the tributaries of the River Thames from the sea to the source, in England. There are also secondary lists of backwaters of the river itself and the waterways branching off.

Note: the River Medway shares the saline lower Thames Estuary.

Tributaries

Name	Confluence	Average discharge (m3/s)[1]	Source	Length	Tributaries	Catchment	Notes
Ebbsfleet River	Northfleet 51.4503°N 0.3296°E / 51.4503; 0.3296 (Northfleet)		Springhead, just S. of the A2 road at Southfleet	2.4 miles (3.9 km)			Approx. 10 miles due west of London Stone at grid reference TQ860786
Mardyke	Purfleet 51.4856°N 0.2278°E / 51.4856; 0.2278 (Mardyke)	0.48	Holden's Wood between Great Warley and Little Warley[2]	11 miles (18 km)		35 square miles (91 km2)
DarentRiver Darent	Dartford 51.4802°N 0.2176°E / 51.4802; 0.2176 (River Darent)	0.72	Westerham	21 miles (34 km)	River Cray	154 square miles (400 km2)[3]	Tidal reach: Dartford Creek
IngrebourneRiver Ingrebourne or Ingrebourne	Rainham, London 51.5075°N 0.1733°E / 51.5075; 0.1733 (River Ingrebourne)	0.33	Brentwood	27 miles (43 km)			Tidal reach: Rainham Creek
BeamRiver Beam and/or Rom and Bourne Brook	Dagenham 51.5118°N 0.1587°E / 51.5118; 0.1587 (River Beam)	0.34	Stapleford Abbotts Golf Club, Watton's Green	13 miles (21 km)	The Ravensbourne		Rom upstream of inflow of Ravensbourne
BeamWogebourne	Crossness, Thamesmead 51.5125°N 0.12417°E / 51.5125; 0.12417 (Wogebourne)		Oxleas Wood, Shooter's Hill	5 miles (8.0 km)
RodingRiver Roding	Creekmouth 51.5145°N 0.0987°E / 51.5145; 0.0987 (River Roding)	1.85	Molehill Green, near Dunmow	31 miles (50 km)[4]	Cripsey Brook Cran Brook Alders Brook Seven Kings Water Mayes Brook	132 square miles (340 km2)[5]	Tidal reach: Barking Creek
Lea00River Lea	Leamouth 51.5071°N 0.0092°E / 51.5071; 0.0092 (River Lea)	5.48	Leagrave	42 miles (68 km)	The Hackney Brook River Moselle Pymmes Brook River Ching Turkey Brook River Stort River Beane River Mimram	550 square miles (1,400 km2)[5]	Tidal reach: Bow Creek
RavensbourneRiver Ravensbourne or Ravensbourne	Deptford 51.4835°N 0.0185°W / 51.4835; -0.0185 (River Ravensbourne)	0.43	Keston	11 miles (18 km)	Spring Brook River Pool River Quaggy	69 square miles (180 km2)	Tidal reach: Deptford Creek
NeckingerRiver Neckinger or the Neckinger Channel	Shad Thames 51.5024°N 0.0708°W / 51.5024; -0.0708 (River Neckinger)		north Southwark	0.8 miles (1.3 km) (about; longer old catchment drains to other surface and combined water conduits)			Mainly diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
WalRiver Walbrook or Walbrook	Walbrook Wharf, just west of Cannon Street railway station. 51.5094°N 0.0928°W / 51.5094; -0.0928 (River Walbrook)		north walls of City of London (trad.)	0 miles (0 km)			Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
FleetRiver Fleet or Fleet stream	Bazelgette's Mid and Lower Northern Interceptor Sewers (previously a stream/field ditch ending at Blackfriars, London) 51.5108°N 0.1048°W / 51.5108; -0.1048 (River Fleet)		Hampstead Heath	1 mile (1.6 km) (as to connecting lengths of ponds)	Lamb's Conduit, Fagswell Brook		Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains. Was also known as the Holbourne/Holborn
EffraRiver Effra	Vauxhall 51.4873°N 0.1258°W / 51.4873; -0.1258 (River Effra)		west and east limits of Gypsy Hill, London	0 miles (0 km)			Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
TyburnRiver Tyburn, the Tyburn or the Ty Bourne	north and south of Vauxhall Bridge, and small forked mouth around Horseguards Avenue, Westminster (4 mouths) 51.4880°N 0.1287°W / 51.4880; -0.1287 (Tyburn)		South Hampstead	0 miles (0 km)			Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
Falconbrook	Battersea 51.4680°N 0.1808°W / 51.4680; -0.1808 (Falconbrook)		Tooting Graveney Common, Tooting and east end of Poynder's Road, Clapham[6][7]	0 miles (0 km)			Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
WestbourneRiver Westbourne	Chelsea 51.4850°N 0.1537°W / 51.4850; -0.1537 (River Westbourne)		Grange Gardens, Hampstead, West Hampstead and two sources in east Willesden (today's Brondesbury Park)	0 miles (0 km)	Tyburn Brook		Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
Counter's Creek	west Chelsea/east Fulham 51.4778°N 0.1794°W / 51.4778; -0.1794 (Counter's Creek)		Kensal Green	0 miles (0 km)			Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
WandleRiver Wandle	Wandsworth 51.4629°N 0.1952°W / 51.4629; -0.1952 (River Wandle)	1.7	Waddon	9 miles (14 km)	River Graveney	78 square miles (200 km2)[5]
Beverley Brook	Putney 51.4718°N 0.2229°W / 51.4718; -0.2229 (Beverley Brook)		Worcester Park	9 miles (14 km)[5]	Pyl Brook	25 square miles (65 km2)[5]
Stamford Brook	Hammersmith 51.4903°N 0.2341°W / 51.4903; -0.2341 (Stamford Brook)		Acton	0 miles (0 km)			Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains – old tidal mouth: Hammersmith Creek
Bollo or Bollar Brook	Chiswick 51.4794°N 0.2512°W / 51.4794; -0.2512 (Bollo Brook)		Acton	0 miles (0 km)			Diverted to surface and combined sewer drains
BrentRiver Brent	Brentford 51.4830°N 0.3000°W / 51.4830; -0.3000 (River Brent)	1.32	Barnet	18 miles (29 km)	Dollis Brook Folly Brook Mutton Brook	58 square miles (150 km2)[5]
Duke of Northumberland's River (west) and (east)	Isleworth 51.4704°N 0.3212°W / 51.4704; -0.3212 (Duke of Northumberland's River)		River Crane & River Colne	9.3 miles (15.0 km) (includes eastern 2.5 miles)			Artificial distributary of the Colne and Crane
CraneRiver Crane	Isleworth 51.4654°N 0.3215°W / 51.4654; -0.3215 (River Crane)	0.54	Hayes, Hillingdon	9 miles (14 km)	Yeading Brook	42 square miles (110 km2)[5]
Sudbrook	Petersham 51.4487°N 0.3058°W / 51.4487; -0.3058 (Sudbrook (stream))		Dann's Pond, Richmond Park	2 miles (3.2 km)	Latchmere Stream		Culverted
Hogsmill River	Kingston upon Thames 51.4093°N 0.3085°W / 51.4093; -0.3085 (Hogsmill River)	0.98	Ewell	6 miles (9.7 km)	Bonesgate Stream	28 square miles (73 km2)
RytheThe Rythe	Thames Ditton 51.3911°N 0.3260°W / 51.3911; -0.3260 (The Rythe)		north Oxshott	4.2 miles (6.8 km)
MoleRiver Mole	Molesey 51.4012°N 0.3393°W / 51.4012; -0.3393 (River Mole)	5.43	Rusper	50 miles (80 km)	Ifield Brook Gatwick Stream Earlswood Brook Pipp Brook The Rye	198 square miles (510 km2)
Longford River	Hampton Court Palace 51.4013°N 0.3383°W / 51.4013; -0.3383 (Longford River)		River Colne	12 miles (19 km)			Artificial distributary of the Colne
AshRiver Ash	southwest corner of Sunbury-on-Thames 51.3977°N 0.4173°W / 51.3977; -0.4173 (River Ash)		River Colne	6.2 miles (10.0 km)[8]			Distributary of the Colne
WeyRiver Wey (and Caker Stream)	Weybridge 51.3804°N 0.4570°W / 51.3804; -0.4570 (River Wey)	6.95	Hartley Mauditt and Upper Farringdon, Hampshire (main, north or west branch); parishes of Fernhurst/Lurgashall in South Downs National Park (south branch)	53 miles (85 km)	River Ock, Surrey Cranleigh Waters River Tillingbourne Hoe Stream (fed by the Hodge Brook and Stanford Brook) Of south branch: River Slea, Hampshire Dead Water Cooper's Stream	350 square miles (910 km2)	Source of south branch about 52 miles to/from mouth.
BourneRiver Bourne, Chertsey	Weybridge 51.3785°N 0.4638°W / 51.3785; -0.4638 (River Bourne)		Windsor Great Park, Ascot and Swinley Forest	13.2 miles (21.2 km)	River Bourne, Addlestone
ColneRiver Colne	Staines 51.4329°N 0.5152°W / 51.4329; -0.5152 (River Colne)	4.05 (before all distributaries)	North Mymms	36 miles (58 km)	River Pinn River Misbourne River Chess River Gade River Ver
Colne Brook	Hythe End, Wraysbury 51.4379°N 0.5352°W / 51.4379; -0.5352 (Colne Brook)		River Colne	9.2 miles (14.8 km)			Distributary of the Colne
CutThe Cut	Bray 51.4991°N 0.6815°W / 51.4991; -0.6815 (The Cut)		North Ascot	14 miles (23 km)	Bull Brook, The Bourne
WyeRiver Wye	Bourne End 51.5704°N 0.7111°W / 51.5704; -0.7111 (River Wye)	1.00	West Wycombe 51.647802°N 0.812522°W / 51.647802; -0.812522 (River Wye)	8.7 miles (14.0 km)	Hughenden Stream		In wet years this river is additionally sourced by an aquifer further up the same valley, extending the river by another mile in length.
Hamble Brook	Hambleden Marina 51.5585°N 00.8695°W / 51.5585; -00.8695 (Hamble Brook)						Sourced by an aquifer in the Hambleden Valley, occasionally dry.
LoddonRiver Loddon	Wargrave 51.5017°N 0.8800°W / 51.5017; -0.8800 (River Loddon)	2.16	Basingstoke	28 miles (45 km)	St Patrick's Stream River Broadwater Emm Brook River Blackwater	400 square miles (1,000 km2)
Berry BrookBerry Brook	Hallsmead Ait, near Shiplake 51.4913°N 0.8953°W / 51.4913; -0.8953 (Berry Brook)		street (Surface Water) drains of South View Avenue, Caversham	4 miles (6.4 km)
KennetRiver Kennet	Reading 51.4590°N 0.9495°W / 51.4590; -0.9495 (River Kennet)	9.75	Swallowhead spring and others near Silbury Hill	45 miles (72 km)	Foudry Brook Clayhill Brook River Enborne River Lambourn River Dun River Og	450 square miles (1,200 km2)[9]
PangRiver Pang	Pangbourne 51.4858°N 1.0880°W / 51.4858; -1.0880 (River Pang)	0.62	Compton	14 miles (23 km)	River Bourne, Berkshire River Roden	66 square miles (170 km2)[10]
ThameRiver Thame	Dorchester 51.6348°N 1.1660°W / 51.6348; -1.1660 (River Thame)	3.90	Rowsham / Cheddington, Vale of Aylesbury	40 miles (64 km)		310 square miles (800 km2)[11]
OckRiver Ock	Abingdon 51.6665°N 1.2838°W / 51.6665; -1.2838 (River Ock)	1.52	Cock Well, Little Coxwell	21 miles (34 km)	Holywell Brook (rising in same parish) Stutfield Brook
CherwellRiver Cherwell	Oxford 51.7421°N 1.2483°W / 51.7421; -1.2483 (River Cherwell)	7.2	Hellidon	40 miles (64 km)	River Ray River Swere	364 square miles (940 km2)[12]
EvenlodeRiver Evenlode	Above King's Lock 51.7849°N 1.3378°W / 51.7849; -1.3378 (River Evenlode)	3.7	Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire	10 miles (16 km)	River Glyme Rollright Brook
WindrushRiver Windrush	Newbridge 51.7100°N 1.4173°W / 51.7100; -1.4173 (River Windrush)	3.27	Taddington, Gloucestershire	40 miles (64 km)	River Dikler River Eye, Gloucestershire	140 square miles (360 km2)[13]
ColeRiver Cole	Above Buscot Lock 51.6887°N 1.6772°W / 51.6887; -1.6772 (River Cole)	1.20	Burderop Park, Hodson, Wiltshire	17 miles (27 km)	Dorcan Stream (has subsumed original Cole sources) Pennyhooks Brook
LeachRiver Leach	Lechlade 51.6891°N 1.6772°W / 51.6891; -1.6772 (River Leach)	0.75	Hampnett, Gloucestershire	18 miles (29 km)
Coln00River Coln	Lechlade 51.6881°N 1.7052°W / 51.6881; -1.7052 (River Coln)	2.06	Brockhampton, Gloucestershire	30 miles (48 km)
RayRiver Ray, Wiltshire	Cricklade 51.6442°N 1.8252°W / 51.6442; -1.8252 (River Ray)	1.28	Markham Hill, Wroughton, Wiltshire	12 miles (19 km)
KeyRiver Key	Cricklade 51.6424°N 1.8461°W / 51.6424; -1.8461 (River Key)		West of Battle Lake, Braydon	6.5 miles (10.5 km)
ChurnRiver Churn	Cricklade 51.6450°N 1.8533°W / 51.6450; -1.8533 (River Churn)	0.86	Seven Springs, Gloucestershire	16 miles (26 km)

The average discharge is taken from the lowest point at which measurements are taken, which may be upstream of the confluence.

Backwaters and cuts

This list comprises the principal instances; longest ex-mill races (leats), with own articles are included; the main weirstream/river stream of each Thames lock is omitted and the smallest such associated instances^{[clarification needed]}; but the Sheepwash Channel is included for its importance in Oxford.

Principal backwaters and cuts (ordered lowest to highest elevation)

Name	Re-convergence	Length	Effluence
The Creek, Sunbury	Wheatley's Ait (North), Sunbury-on-Thames 51.401°N 0.413°W / 51.401; -0.413 (The Creek)	0.654 miles (1.053 km)	Tumbling Bay weir, east Shepperton (traditionally) (& storm weir)
Desborough Cut	SW Walton-on-Thames 51.384°N 0.436°W / 51.384; -0.436 (Desborough Cut (end))	0.682 miles (1.098 km)	NE Weybridge
Abbey River	Chertsey Lock 51.397°N 0.488°W / 51.397; -0.488 (Abbey River)	2 miles (3.2 km)	Penton Hook Island, Thorpe
Jubilee River	Black Potts Ait, Datchet 51.491°N 0.593°W / 51.491; -0.593 (Jubilee River)	7.2 miles (11.6 km)	Boulter's Lock, Taplow
Clewer Mill Stream	Queen Elizabeth Bridge, Windsor 51.487°N 0.624°W / 51.487; -0.624 (Clewer Mill Stream)	1.5 miles (2.4 km)	Bush Ait, Clewer, Windsor, Berkshire
Hennerton Backwater	Opposite Ferry Eyot 51.522°N 0.878°W / 51.522; -0.878 (Hennerton Backwater)	1.25 miles (2.01 km)	Above Camps Puddle, by foot of Wargrave Hill
Swift Ditch	Culham Bridge 51.658°N 1.278°W / 51.658; -1.278 (Swift Ditch)	1.5 miles (2.4 km)	Abingdon Lock
Seacourt Stream and Hinksey Stream	Kennington Railway Bridge, Oxford 51.721°N 1.243°W / 51.721; -1.243 (Hinksey Stream)	6 miles (9.7 km)	North Wytham
Castle Mill Stream	Gasworks Bridge, Oxford 51.746°N 1.264°W / 51.746; -1.264 (Castle Mill Stream)	0.66 miles (1.06 km)	Port Meadow, Oxford
Bulstake Stream	Osney Rail Bridge51.747°N 1.267°W / 51.747; -1.267 (Bulstake Stream)	1.7 miles (2.7 km)	Four Rivers, Oxford
Sheepwash Channel	Four Rivers, Oxford 51.755°N 1.272°W / 51.755; -1.272 (Sheepwash Channel)	0.1 miles (0.16 km)	Castle Mill Stream at Isis Lock
Kingsbridge Brook/ Wolvercote Mill Stream	Above Godstow Lock and weir 51.779°N 1.297°W / 51.779; -1.297 (Kingsbridge Brook)	1.3 miles (2.1 km)	Oxey Mead, south Yarnton, Oxfordshire

Linked waterways

Name	Via	Confluence	Length	Destination	Notes
Regent's Canal		Limehouse Basin south exit 51.5120°N 0.0367°W / 51.5120; -0.0367 (Regent's Canal)		Little Venice junction with Paddington Arm of Grand Union Canal (to Paddington Basin, or Hayes for Brentford riverside or main course to the Midlands)
Lee Navigation	Lower River Lea	Bromley-by-Bow 51.5071°N 0.0092°E / 51.5071; 0.0092 (River Lea)		Hertford Castle Weir, Hertford, Hertfordshire
Grand Union Canal	Lower River Brent	Brentford 51.4830°N 0.3000°W / 51.4830; -0.3000 (River Brent)		Birmingham
Wey and Godalming Navigations	Lower River Wey	Weybridge 51.3804°N 0.4570°W / 51.3804; -0.4570 (River Wey)	20 miles (32 km)	Godalming, Surrey, via Guildford
Maidenhead Waterways		Bray 51.4991°N 0.6815°W / 51.4991; -0.6815 (Maidenhead Waterways)		—	Unnavigable
Kennet and Avon Canal	River Kennet	Reading 51.4590°N 0.9495°W / 51.4590; -0.9495 (River Kennet)	87 miles (140 km)	Bristol and via Avonmouth the Bristol Channel, Atlantic Ocean
Wilts & Berks Canal		Abingdon 51.6510°N 1.2827°W / 51.6510; -1.2827 (Wilts & Berks Canal)	52 miles (84 km)	Kennet and Avon Canal at Semington near Melksham, west Wiltshire	Abandoned 1914, under restoration
Oxford Canal	Sheepwash Channel, Oxford	Oxford 51.7463°N 1.2636°W / 51.7463; -1.2636 (Oxford Canal via Oxford)	78 miles (126 km)	Coventry, Warwickshire and the Grand Union Canal
	Dukes Cut	King's Lock 51.7896°N 1.3085°W / 51.7896; -1.3085 (Oxford Canal via King's Lock)
Thames and Severn Canal	River Coln	Lechlade 51.6881°N 1.7052°W / 51.6881; -1.7052 (River Coln)		Stroud, Gloucestershire and Gloucester and the Severn valley	Closed 1933, under restoration

Poem by Alexander Pope listing some Thames tributaries

Around his Throne the Sea-born Brothers stood,
That swell with Tributary Urns his Flood.
First the fam'd Authors of his ancient Name,
The winding Isis, and the fruitful Tame:
The Kennet swift, for silver Eels renown'd;
The Loddon slow, with verdant Alders crown'd:
Cole, whose clear Streams his flow'ry Islands lave;
And chalky Wey, that rolls a milky Wave:
The blue, transparent Vandalis appears;
The gulphy Lee his sedgy Tresses rears:
And sullen Mole, that hides his diving Flood;
And silent Darent, stain'd with Danish Blood.

— Alexander Pope, Windsor Forest (lines 335–346)

See also

• Locks and weirs on the River Thames
• Islands in the River Thames