River Afan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Afan |
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The Afan near Cymmer
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| Other name(s) | Welsh: Afon Afan |
| Country | Wales |
| Towns | Blaengwynfi, Cymmer, Cwmafan, Port Talbot, |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Mynydd Llangeinwyr |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The River Afan (Welsh: Afon Afan) is a river located in Wales. Its valley was once the home of the medieval Lords of Afan. The Afan Valley covers the upper parts of the river. A main road, the A4107 road, runs through the valley.
Some towns and villages in the area include Cwmafan, Pontrhydyfen, and Cymmer. The town of Aberavon grew up along the river's banks. Its Welsh name, Aberafan, means 'mouth of the Afan'. Later, Aberavon became part of the larger town of Port Talbot.
Contents
What's in a Name? The River Afan's Story
People have different ideas about where the name "Afan" came from. One idea is that it means "from the heights" because the river flows quickly down from the hills to the sea. You might compare this to "Ban" in "Bannau Brycheiniog" (the Brecon Beacons).
However, this kind of name is very unusual for a river. It doesn't fit with how most Welsh rivers are named. A. D. Mills, an expert, believes the river's name actually comes from a person's name.
Where Does the River Afan Flow?
The River Afan starts on the northern side of Mynydd Llangeinwyr. This is a mountain located east of Blaengwynfi. From there, the river generally flows southwest. It runs roughly next to the River Neath. Both rivers share the same western watershed, which is like a boundary line for their water.
Journey Through the Valley
As the river continues its path, it flows past the Afan Argoed Country Park. This park is in the middle section of the river's journey. The Afan then meets another river, the Pelenna, at a place called Pontrhydyfen. From this point, the river turns south and heads towards Port Talbot.
River Changes for Port Talbot Docks
To help build the docks at Port Talbot, the river's path was changed. A special channel was built to divert the river. This channel is now the lower part of the River Afan.
There are two weirs in this final section where the river meets the tide. Greenpark Weir is the first one, marking where the tide reaches. It was rebuilt in 2017. This weir helps provide water for a channel that follows the river's original route into the docks. The second weir, Newbridge Weir, is the last one before the sea. It makes it hard for fish to swim upstream and needs repairs.
A Castle by the River
Long ago, during the medieval period, a type of castle called a motte and bailey castle stood by the river. This was in the area that became Aberavon. Today, you can't see any parts of the castle above ground. However, local street names still remember where the castle once stood.
River Neighbors: Other Rivers Nearby
To the east, the Afan's area borders the River Kenfig. It then borders the River Llynfi, which is a smaller river that flows into the River Ogmore. The Afan also shares a watershed with the Rhondda Fawr. The Rhondda Fawr is a smaller river that flows into the River Taff.
A Cleaner River: From Pollution to Fish
For many years, especially in the 1800s and early 1900s, the River Afan was very polluted. This was because of the coal and iron industries in the area. When coal mining started to decline, the river began to get cleaner in the 1960s and 1970s.
As the water quality improved, amazing things happened! Fish like salmon and sea trout started to return to the river to lay their eggs. To help the fish, some weirs on the river had to be changed. This meant building fish passes on weirs, like the one at the Dock feeder. Other weirs, like Corlannau weir, were even removed. These changes made it easier for fish to swim upstream.
River Afan's Tributaries
The River Afan has several smaller rivers and streams that flow into it. These are called tributaries.
River Corrwg
The Corrwg is one of the main rivers that flows into the Afan. It's about 11 kilometers (7 miles) long. It starts in the hills south of Glyn-neath, above the village of Glyncorrwg. The Corrwg also has its own major tributary called Afon Corrwg Fechan, plus many smaller streams.
You can find several waterfalls along the Corrwg. Even though the water is clear today, it used to be very polluted. This was due to waste from the many coal mines along its lower parts. Sometimes, a small amount of waste still leaks from the Glyncorrwg colliery. However, it doesn't seem to harm the river much now.
River Pelenna
The Pelenna is another important tributary that joins the Afan at Pontrhydyfen. This river suffered more from pollution than the main Afan. The coal from mines in the Pelenna area had a lot of sulfur. This meant that old, abandoned coal mines kept releasing acidic water. This water was full of iron and very acidic.
This pollution often turned much of the Pelenna river orange. The orange color could sometimes be seen all the way downstream to Pontrhydyfen. Many coal mines contributed to this problem, but the biggest source was the Whitworth Colliery. Today, this pollution is much less. This is thanks to a lot of work by the Environment Agency. They created special engineered reed beds to clean the mine water.
Nant Ffrwdwyllt
Nant Ffrwdwyllt was a small stream, just under 8 kilometers (5 miles) long. It used to join the Afan close to the sea. However, in the 1700s, it was diverted. Its water was sent to the ironworks in what would become Port Talbot. This was to provide water for the factories. The stream is still diverted today and now flows into Port Talbot Docks.
Images for kids
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Wind farm on the hills above Afan Valley
