River Isbourne

The River Isbourne is 14 mile (22 km) long tributary of the River Avon which flows through Gloucestershire and Worcestershire in the Midlands of England.

River Isbourne
River Isbourne near Hinton-on-the-Green
source mouth River Isbourne - showing source in Gloucestershire and mouth in Worcestershire
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Country within the UK	England
Counties	Gloucestershire, Worcestershire
Towns	Winchcombe, Evesham
Physical characteristics
Source	Cleeve Hill
• location	Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
• coordinates	51.9346°N 2.0072°W / 51.9346; -2.0072
Mouth	Confluence with the Avon
• location	Hampton, Worcestershire
• coordinates	52.0862°N 1.9564°W / 52.0862; -1.9564
Length	22 km (14 mi)[1]
Basin size	95 km^2 (37 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• location	Hinton-on-the-Green[2]
• average	0.66 m^3/s (23 cu ft/s)[2]
• maximum	86 m^3/s (3,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• right	Laverton Brook

Course

The source of the river is a series of springs that occur on the northern flank of Cleeve Hill, on the edge of the Cotswold Hills. These springs occur where the permeable Jurassic limestone, meets the impermeable Upper Lias mudstone and clays that underlie most of the Isbourne catchment.[3]

The river flows from Cleeve Hill in a steep valley in a northerly direction through the hamlet of Postlip, before reaching the town of Winchcombe which it passes along its eastern side. Beyond the town, it continues northwards to Toddington, through the grounds of Toddington Manor, and then past the village of Wormington. The river then crosses into Worcestershire and is joined by the Laverton brook, before it reaches the village of Sedgeberrow. Flowing directly north the Isbourne passes through the village of Hinton on the Green, it then continues through an area of market gardens on the outskirts of Evesham, and passes under the Pershore road, before joining the River Avon near Hampton.[3]

Catchment

The Isbourne catchment covers an area of 125 square kilometres (48 sq mi) and lies between the Badsey Brook to the east, the Merry Brook and Carrant Brook to the west with the Cotswolds to the south. It has an average annual rainfall of 704 millimetres (27.7 in), which is somewhat drier than the average for England at 828 millimetres (32.6 in).[4]

Land use in the catchment is predominantly rural, with 80 percent made up from a mixture of arable, horticulture and pasture; the remainder being woodland, with a minor fraction of urbanised area of less than 2 percent.[5]

In terms of geology, apart from the headwaters which are underlain by the Cotswold limestone, the majority of catchment is Lias clay. This impermeable clay means that Isbourne can become responsive in terms of runoff to heavy rainfall events.[6]

Flooding

Damage to the roadbridge across the Isbourne near Hinton-on-the-Green after 2007 floods

The Isbourne has a history of flooding along its course, especially in Sedgeberrow, the most recent occasion being in summer 2007.[7]

References

1. "Water Framework Directive Surface Water Classification Status and Objectives 2012 csv files". Environment-agency.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
2. "54036 - Isbourne at Hinton on the Green". The National River Flow Archive. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
3. "Environment Agency What's in your Backyard". Environment Agency. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
4. "Climate tables Climate region:England 1961-90". Met Office. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
5. "54036 - Isbourne at Hinton on the Green: Spatial Data". The National River Flow Archive. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
6. "54036 - Isbourne at Hinton on the Green: Station Information". The National River Flow Archive. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
7. "Environment Agency - Sedgeberrow". Environment Agency. Retrieved 25 May 2013.