River Asker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Asker
A ford on the River Asker near Uploders
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: