River Clyst

{{Short description|River in Devon, England}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

File:Weir, Clyst Bridge, Topsham - geograph.org.uk - 473716.jpg ]]

The River Clyst is a river of Devon, England. The name derives from Old English, and translates as Clean-stream (the Welsh name of Clydach, has similar origins).{{cite book |last1=Ekwall |first1=Eilert |title=The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names |date=1947 |publisher=Clarendon Press |location=Oxford |oclc=12542596 |page=108 |edition=3}} The river lends its name to several settlements on its route, Clyst Honiton, Clyst St Lawrence, Clyst St George, and Broadclyst. The William part of Clyst William derives from the Old English of aewelm, which means river source.{{cite book |last1=Taggart |first1=Caroline |title=The book of English place names : how our towns and villages got their names |date=2011 |publisher=Ebury Press |location=London |isbn=0091940435 |page=40}}

Rising near the village of Clyst William near Cullompton, the river runs for {{convert|38|km|order=flip}}, west and southwest, flowing through the settlements of Norman's Green, Plymtree, Clyst Hydon, Clyst St. Lawrence, Westwood, emerging in the Clyst Valley.{{cite web |title=Upper Clyst |url=https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB108045008860 |website=environment.data.gov.uk |access-date=4 March 2020}}

From there, the river goes southward through Broadclyst, West Clyst, Clyst Honiton, Clyst St. Mary and Clyst St. George, eventually flowing into the Exe estuary at Bowling Green Marsh, immediately south of the port of Topsham near Exeter.{{cite web |title=Lower Clyst |url=https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB108045008750 |website=environment.data.gov.uk |access-date=4 March 2020}} The river discharges {{convert|1.3|m3}} per second on average, and is tidal from the Exe estuary as far as Newcourt Barton.{{cite web |title=Classification of Bivalve Mollusc Production Areas in England and Wales |url=https://www.cefas.co.uk/media/abpkg4tf/exe-estuary-sanitary-survey-2013-final.pdf |website=cefas.co.uk |access-date=4 March 2020 |pages=30–31 |format=PDF |date=December 2013}}{{cite map|title =Exeter & the Exe Valley |map =114 |year =2015 |scale =1:25,000 |series =Explorer |publisher =Ordnance Survey |isbn = 9780319243152}}

In 2011 work started on a new cycle and pedestrian bridge crossing the River Clyst at Fishers Mill, Topsham, forming part of the Sustrans’ National Cycle Network [NCN]. The bridge feeds into the Exe Estuary Trail, part of NCN2,{{cite web |title=Exe Estuary Trail |url=https://www.exploredevon.info/activities/cycle/exe-estuary-trail/ |website=exploredevon.info |access-date=4 March 2020 |date=15 July 2015}} and was opened in November 2013.{{cite news |title=Bridge brings cycle route nearer |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-24954989 |access-date=4 March 2020 |work=BBC News |date=15 November 2013}} A {{convert|225|m|adj=on|order=flip}} elevated timber boardwalk was planned across the salt marshes and flood plain with a main bridge spanning {{convert|120|m|order=flip}} across the river.{{cite news |last1=Youlden |first1=Mary |title=Ceremony marks Exe Estuary Trail milestone {{!}} The Exeter Daily |url=https://www.theexeterdaily.co.uk/news/local-news/ceremony-marks-exe-estuary-trail-milestone |access-date=4 March 2020 |work=The Exeter Daily |date=25 November 2013}} The new bridge is downstream from an existing narrow grade II listed masonry highway bridge.{{NHLE|desc=Topsham Bridge|num=1333327|grade=II|access-date=4 March 2020}}

In winter, the flood plain attracts large flocks of Brant geese and Canada geese. On the north side of the Clyst, just west of the Exmouth railway line, is Bowling Green Marsh, a small RSPB reserve with a hide (SX971877).{{cite web |title=Bowling Green and Goosemoor Nature Reserve, Devon |url=https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/bowling-green-and-goosemoor/ |website=rspb.org |access-date=4 March 2020}} In 1988, a spill of diesel oil into the estuary threatened the habitat and the birds in the area around the river mouth. Special booms and pumps were brought in to remove the {{convert|5,000|impgal}} spill.{{cite news |title=Oil threatens birds - River Clyst |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&t=&sort=_rank_%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=River%20Clyst&docref=news/0F90F77D946CAF57 |access-date=4 March 2020 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=9 November 1988|url-access=subscription}} A 1994 survey of fish species in the river determined that it contained bullhead, dace, eel, minnow, stone loach, stickleback, mullet and flounder. The only salmonids were some trout in one of the tributaries.{{cite web |title=Devon Area Report |url=http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:2544/OBJ/20000900.pdf |website=environmentdata.org |publisher=National Rivers Authority |access-date=4 March 2020 |page=5 |format=PDF |date=February 1995}} By 2008, concerns were being raised about the quality of the water citing a high level of pollution.{{cite news |title=Water check after decline in river's fish and wildlife |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&t=&sort=_rank_%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=River%20Clyst&docref=news/11EBFCB8EF566880 |access-date=4 March 2020 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=9 February 2008|url-access=subscription}}

{{coord |50.678|-3.452|dim:20000_type:river_region:GB-DEV|display=title}}