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River Asker facts for kids

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Asker
Ford and footbridge at Upton Manor Farm - geograph.org.uk - 532490.jpg
A ford on the River Asker near Uploders
River Asker is located in Dorset
River Asker
Location within Dorset
Country United Kingdom
County Dorset
Physical characteristics
Main source Eggardon Hill, near Askerswell, Dorset
50°45′N 2°39′W / 50.750°N 2.650°W / 50.750; -2.650
River mouth Bridport, Dorset
50°43′N 2°45′W / 50.717°N 2.750°W / 50.717; -2.750
Length 13.378 km (8.313 mi)
Basin features
Basin size 25.484 km2 (9.839 sq mi)
Tributaries
  • Left:
    Mangerton Brook

The River Asker is a small river in Dorset, England. It rises on the chalk slopes of Eggardon Hill, approximately five miles (8 km) east of Bridport. It flows west-northwest through the villages of Askerswell to which it gives its name, Uploders, where many cottages have gardens backing onto the river, and Loders. Here it heads west towards Bradpole, where it is joined by the small Mangerton Brook flowing in from the north. It then flows southwest into Bridport, passing underneath the A3066 and B3162 roads in the town. In this section there are weirs and fish ladders. South of the B3162, between Bridport and Bothenhampton, the river also forms the western boundary of the Askers Meadow Nature Reserve, which was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2004. The river then flows under the B3157 road and joins the River Brit beside Palmers Brewery in the south of the town.

Water quality

The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of invertebrates, angiosperms and fish, and chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations. Chemical status is rated good or fail.

Water quality of the River Asker in 2016:

Section Ecological
Status
Chemical
Status
Overall
Status
Length Catchment Channel
Asker Poor Good Poor 11.796 km (7.330 mi) 23.699 km2 (9.150 sq mi)
Mangerton Brook Good Good Good 13.378 km (8.313 mi) 25.484 km2 (9.839 sq mi)
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