New River (Fens) facts for kids
The New River is a special water system in Lincolnshire, England. It's like a long, narrow channel that helps drain water from the land. It starts near a place called Crowland and flows generally towards the east.
The New River follows the path of a bigger river called the River Welland, but it stays a bit to the south. It flows past the towns of Crowland and Cowbit. Finally, it joins the River Welland near Little London.
What is Washland?
The area of land between the River Welland and the New River is known as Washland. The main parts of this Washland are called Crowland Wash and Cowbit Wash.
Why is Washland Important?
Washland areas are designed to get flooded on purpose. This happens when the main rivers, like the River Welland, have too much water. By letting the Washland flood, it protects nearby towns, like Spalding, from serious floods.
This system has been in place for a very long time. Rules about flooding the Washland were set by an act of parliament (a special law) way back in the time of King George III, and they were updated in 1847.
For many years, Cowbit Wash was flooded every year to keep Spalding safe. Later, a new channel called the Coronation Channel was built. This channel helps move extra water away from Spalding. Even with the Coronation Channel, the Washland can still be used to hold floodwaters if needed.
How the Washland Works
It might seem like the Washland is just a flat area between the two rivers. However, it's a bit more clever than that! There's an extra bank on the south side of the River Welland. This bank is what actually holds back the floodwaters. The New River then flows at the bottom of this basin, helping to carry the water away after a flood.
You can see this earthen bank in the picture above, on the left side near Cloot House. The shape of the Washland was decided by where the ground was firm enough to build this important bank. This design has been around for a very long time.
One expert, Mr. Wheeler, explained that the bank of the Welland is placed quite far from the river itself, creating a large area of about 2,500 acres. This land can be covered with water up to 5 feet deep when the Welland floods. He noted that originally, the land next to the Welland was very marshy, so the banks had to be built on the strongest ground available.
