River Dodder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Dodder |
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Dodder through Rathgar
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| Native name | An Dothra |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Kippure Mountain, County Dublin 763 m (2,503 ft) |
| River mouth | Dublin Docklands, ultimately Dublin Bay (River Liffey) |
| Length | 26 kilometres (16 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | River Liffey |
| Basin size | 120.8 km2 (46.6 sq mi) |
| Tributaries |
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The River Dodder (Irish: An Dothra) is an important river in Dublin, Ireland. It is one of the three main rivers in the city. The other two are the Liffey and the Tolka. The Dodder is the biggest river that flows into the Liffey.
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Journey of the River Dodder
The Dodder river starts high up on the northern side of Kippure Mountain. This mountain is part of the Wicklow Mountains. Many small streams come together to form the river. The water first flows from Kippure Ridge. It includes a stream called Tromanallison. Then, Mareen's Brook joins it, which has a waterfall. Finally, Cot and Slade Brooks also add their water.
Water Supply for Dublin
In the river's valley, at a place called Glenasmole, there are two large lakes. These are the Bohernabreena Reservoirs. They hold a lot of water and are a big part of how Dublin gets its drinking water.
How Long is the Dodder?
The River Dodder is about 26 kilometers (16 miles) long. It flows through many parts of Dublin. It passes through areas like Tallaght, Firhouse, Templeogue, and Rathfarnham. It also goes through Rathgar, Milltown, Clonskeagh, and Donnybrook. Finally, it flows through Ballsbridge and past Sandymount. The Dodder then joins the Liffey near Ringsend, close to the Grand Canal, at Grand Canal Dock.
There is a special barrier called a weir just before the bridge in Ballsbridge. This weir helps control the water flow. The river starts to be affected by the ocean tides around the bridge at Lansdowne Road. The Dodder and the River Tolka are the second-largest rivers in Dublin, after the Liffey.
Smaller Rivers Joining the Dodder
Many smaller rivers and streams flow into the Dodder. After Glenasmole, some of the main ones are the Jobstown Stream and the Owendoher River. The Owendoher River also has its own stream called the Whitechurch Stream. Other important ones include the Little Dargle River, the Slang or Dundrum River, the Swan River, and the small Muckross Stream.
The Dodder and the Poddle River
For a long time, starting in the 1200s, the River Dodder was connected to another river called the River Poddle. The Poddle is a smaller river that also flows into the Liffey. This connection was made using a large weir in Balrothery, near Firhouse.
From this weir, some of the Dodder's water was sent through a special channel. This channel was called the "City Watercourse." It helped bring fresh water to many parts of Dublin City. Later, in the mid-1900s, parts of this connection were put into pipes. Now, because of new buildings, the main connection is mostly gone. Only a small channel and some hidden underground flows remain.
History of the Dodder River
The Dodder river was originally outside the main city of Dublin. But in the 1200s, it became very important. This was when its water was used to help the smaller Poddle River. The Poddle then supplied fresh water to Dublin.
Mills Along the River
For hundreds of years, the Dodder and its smaller streams powered many mills. These mills were very important for Dublin's industries. Today, all these mills are no longer used. Most of them have disappeared completely. However, you can still find some signs, like old millraces (channels that carried water to the mills).
The de Meones family, who gave their name to Rathmines, owned a mill there in the 1300s. Later, in the 1500s, the Talbot family owned much of the land around the river. In the 1600s and 1700s, the Domvile family controlled much of the river. They owned large estates in Templeogue where the river flowed.
At that time, the Dodder was the main source of drinking water for Dublin. Some people accused the Domvile family of using their control of the water to get what they wanted. They were said to threaten to change the river's path if their wishes were not met. However, the Mayor and Corporation of Dublin actually had the legal right to control the river. This was confirmed by a court decision in 1527.
Flooding of the Dodder
The River Dodder can sometimes flood the areas around it. This happens because the river is not very deep or wide enough to hold all the water that flows into it during heavy rain. The Dodder is known as a "flashy" river. This means it reacts very quickly to rainstorms and can rise fast.
In March 1628, a flood on the Dodder caused a tragedy. A man named Arthur Ussher was swept away by the strong current. Many people, including his friends, were nearby but could not save him.
Before 1986, the biggest floods on the Dodder happened in August 1905 and August 1931. A very strong storm called Hurricane Charley (sometimes spelled "Charlie") hit Ireland on August 25, 1986. In just one day, 200 millimeters (almost 8 inches) of rain fell on Kippure Mountain. Dublin also got 100 millimeters of rain. This caused severe flooding in many rivers, including the Dodder, leading to much difficulty and damage.
It has always been hard to stop the Dodder from flooding. This is because so much water flows into the river when it rains heavily.
Plants and Animals of the Dodder
The River Dodder is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. However, because the river flows through city areas, pollution has been a problem for a long time.
Plants Along the River
The plants along the river are quite varied. You can often see Bryophytes (like mosses) and algae. There is a lot of green algae that looks like long threads. Some plants that are not native to Ireland have also been found. These are Crocosmia, Japanese knotweed, and Himalayan balsam. These are called invasive species because they can take over and harm native plants.
Animals of the Dodder
Many types of water birds live on the Dodder. These include mallard ducks, grey herons, kingfishers, and dippers. You can also see coots, moorhens, grey wagtails, common sandpipers, cormorants, and mute swans. Sparrowhawks build their nests in the trees along the riverbanks.
Red foxes are common near the river. Badgers and otters have also been seen. In recent years, a small group of mandarin ducks, which are not native, have started living by the river. A survey by the Irish Wildlife Trust in 2013 found that otters were living along the Dodder.
Fish in the River
The river has several types of fish. These include brown trout, sea trout, stone loach, three-spined stickleback, and European eel. Atlantic salmon can also be found in the lower parts of the river.
It is hoped that Atlantic salmon and lamprey eels will return to most of the river. They have been absent for over 200 years. This will happen after special structures called fish ladders are built. Fish ladders help fish swim past barriers like weirs.
Fishing and Angling
The Dodder is a popular place for people in Dublin to go fishing. The fishing season is open from March 17th to September 30th each year.
Images for kids
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Dodder in the Dublin Mountains 2.5 km from its source
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Under the bridge at Springfield Avenue, Templeogue
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The Dodder at Ballsbridge
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River sign
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Overlooking the Grand Canal Basin, Facebook and the Bord Gáis Theatre. Roughly 300 metres from the River Liffey.
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