Buck Ait facts for kids
Buck Ait is a small island located in the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. You can find it on the part of the river just above Shiplake Lock, close to the village of Sonning.
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What is Buck Ait Like?
Buck Ait is an island where no one lives. It is covered with many trees. The island sits quite low in the water. This means it can act like a water-meadow when the river floods. A water-meadow is a field that gets covered by water, which helps certain plants grow.
How the River Shapes the Island
The shape of Buck Ait shows how the river changes the land over time. The river's curve causes two main things to happen:
- Erosion: This is when the water slowly wears away the land.
- Deposition: This is when the water drops off new soil and sand.
Because of these natural processes, the upstream (higher) end of Buck Ait is almost connected to the river bank. But the downstream (lower) end has broken into several smaller islets.
Where Did the Name "Buck Ait" Come From?
The name "Buck Ait" comes from something called an eel buck. These were special traps used to catch eels in the river. People used to place these traps right here near the island.
Eel Traps and River Travel
Records from the late 1800s, kept by the Thames Conservancy (the group that managed the river), show that these eel traps caused problems. They made it hard for boats to travel along the river. Eel bucks were also set in St Patrick's Stream, which is on the opposite bank of the river, further upstream.
St Patrick's Stream might have once been a small river flowing into the River Loddon. But when Shiplake Lock was built and its weir (a small dam) was made higher, the water levels rose. This changed St Patrick's Stream into a channel that flowed out of the Loddon instead.
Where is Buck Ait Located?
Buck Ait is situated closer to the Oxfordshire side of the River Thames.
