River Anker
{{Short description|River in England}}{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox river
| name = River Anker
| name_native =
| name_native_lang =
| name_other =
| name_etymology =
| image = File:Alder Mill on the River Anker in Atherstone, Warwickshire.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Alders Mill on the River Anker near Pinwall
| map = Tame West Midlands map.png
| map_size =
| map_caption = Course and catchment of the River Anker, shown on the eastern side of the Tame catchment
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_map_size =
| pushpin_map_caption=
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = England
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| subdivision_type3 = Counties
| subdivision_name3 = Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire
| subdivision_type4 = Districts / Boroughs
| subdivision_name4 =
| subdivision_type5 = Towns
| subdivision_name5 = Nuneaton, Tamworth
| length = {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location= Polesworth
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|3.2|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max =
| source1 =
| source1_location = Wolvey, Warwickshire
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|52.47590|-1.34728|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation =
| mouth = River Tame
| mouth_location = Tamworth, Staffordshire
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|52.6315|-1.6977|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation =
| progression =
| river_system =
| basin_size =
| tributaries_left = Penmire Brook, Innage Brook, River Sence, Griff Brook
| tributaries_right = Wem Brook, Sketchley Brook
| custom_label =
| custom_data =
| extra =
}}
The River Anker flows through Nuneaton, England. It is a major tributary of the River Tame, which it joins in Tamworth. The name derives from the old British for winding river.{{cite book|last1=Ekwall|first1=Eilert|title=The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names|date=1960|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford|page=10|edition=4|oclc=400936}} From source to river mouth at Tamworth is {{convert|50|km}}.{{cite web|title=Anker - source to Wem Bk|url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB104028042440|website=Catchment Data Explorer|publisher=Environment Agency|access-date=22 December 2016}}{{cite web|title=Anker from Wem Brook to River Sence|url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB104028046430|website=Catchment Data Explorer|publisher=Environment Agency|access-date=22 December 2016}}{{cite web|title=Anker from River Sence to River Tame|url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB104028046460|website=Catchment Data Explorer|publisher=Environment Agency|access-date=22 December 2016}}
Course
The river rises near Wolvey and flows in a north-westerly direction to pass between Bramcote and Burton Hastings, it is designated a main river at Stretton Baskerville where it also forms the boundary between the boroughs of Rugby, Nuneaton and Bedworth.{{cite web|title=Warwickshire County Council Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for Local Development Framework |url=https://apps.warwickshire.gov.uk/api/documents/WCCC-680-22|website=warwickshire.gov.uk|publisher=Halcrow|access-date=22 December 2016|location=1.7.1 Main rivers and Hydrology|page=11|format=PDF|date=February 2008}} On the outskirts of Nuneaton it collects the Wem Brook, and then passes alongside the Liberty Way sports stadium. At this point the river splits, with a flood relief channel to the north, and the main channel passing through the Nuneaton town centre. The relief channel re-joins beyond the town at Weddington, where the river then continues in the same north-westerly direction to pass the village of Caldecote, then Mancetter (where it is crossed by Watling Street) and Witherley, before reaching Atherstone where it is joined by the River Sence.
Downstream of the confluence, it reaches Grendon and then flows through Polesworth before passing beneath the M42 motorway. Beyond the motorway it passes through Alvecote Pools and meadows, a {{convert|128|ha|abbr=on}} Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and nature reserve.{{cite web|url=http://www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk/home/nature-reserves/reserves-a-e/alvecote-meadows-sssi.aspx|title=Alvecote Meadows|access-date=27 September 2015|publisher=Warwickshire Wildlife Trust|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614084959/http://www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk/home/nature-reserves/reserves-a-e/alvecote-meadows-sssi.aspx|archive-date=14 June 2012|df=dmy-all}} It continues past Amington Hall before turning south-westerly to flow through Tamworth and join the River Tame near Tamworth Castle.
The Anker is popular with anglers and is known to contain some large pike and chub. Also there are barbel present with fish over 15 lb being reported.
Hydrology
The flow of the Anker has been measured at a gauging station in its lower reaches at Polesworth since 1966. The catchment to the station of {{convert|386|km2}} yields an average flow of {{convert|3.2|m3/s}}.{{cite web| url=http://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/data/station/info/28026 |title= 28026 - Anker at Polesworth Info |work= National Rivers Flow Archive |publisher=Centre for Ecology & Hydrology|access-date=24 December 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/data/station/meanflow/28026 |title= 28026 - Anker at Polesworth Daily Flow Data| work=National Rivers Flow Archive |publisher=Centre for Ecology & Hydrology|access-date=24 December 2016}} The highest river level recorded at the station occurred on the 25 November 2012, with a height of {{convert|2.57|m}} and a flow of {{convert|128|m3/s}}.{{cite web|url=http://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/data/station/peakflow/28026 |title=28026 - Anker at Polesworth Peak Flow Data |work= National Rivers Flow Archive |publisher=Centre for Ecology & Hydrology|access-date=24 December 2016}}
The catchment upstream of the station has an average annual rainfall of {{convert|653|mm}} and a maximum altitude of {{convert|275|m}} near Bardon Hill in Charnwood Forest at the north-eastern edge of the basin.{{cite web|url=http://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/data/station/spatial/28026 |title=28026 - Anker at Polesworth Catchment Info |work= National Rivers Flow Archive |publisher=Centre for Ecology & Hydrology|access-date=24 December 2016}}
Flooding
The River Anker has flooded Nuneaton town centre several times in the past, including 1968, prompting the construction of a {{convert|600|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} flood relief channel in Weddington in 1976.{{cite web|title=Nuneaton Flood Relief Channel Enhancements|url=http://www.therrc.co.uk/projects/nuneaton-flood-relief-channel-enhancements|website=therrc.co.uk|publisher=The River Restoration Centre|access-date=22 December 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.weddingtoncastle.co.uk/uploads/1/9/5/1/19515001/riversley_park.pdf|title=Riversley Park|publisher=Weddington Castle|access-date=24 December 2016|archive-date=24 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224155707/http://www.weddingtoncastle.co.uk/uploads/1/9/5/1/19515001/riversley_park.pdf|url-status=dead}}
In July 2007 the river flooded the Liberty Way pitch, forcing Nuneaton Town and Nuneaton RFC to cancel matches while the river water drained away.{{cite web|url=http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/floods-cause-chaos/story-20277669-detail/story.html|title=Floods causes chaos again|date=23 July 2007|publisher=Nuneaton News|access-date=4 January 2017}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|River Anker}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anker, River}}
Category:Rivers of Staffordshire