River Gowan, Cumbria facts for kids
The River Gowan is a short river in Cumbria, England. It flows east through the village of Ings. The river then joins the River Kent near Staveley.
What's in a Name? The River Gowan's Meaning
It's a bit tricky to know exactly where the River Gowan got its name. In Scottish language, the word gowan means the common daisy or sometimes a buttercup.
This word comes from an older form, gollan, which means the marsh marigold. A famous poet named Robert Burns used the name "The Gowan" for one of his poems. It is now known as "To a Mountain Daisy".
Another poet from the Lake District, William Wordsworth, also used the word gowan. He used it to describe a common flower found by the side of the road. This shows that the word was used in the area. So, the river might be named because it flows through many meadows full of flowers.
River Life: The Gowan's Ecosystem
In 2013, some important work was finished on the River Gowan. This project helped to improve the river's health. It involved bringing back the natural curves, called meanders, in the river between Ings and Staveley. Workers removed 71 metres of a man-made wall that was built to control floods.
This project was part of a bigger plan. It was funded by the Environment Agency and Natural England. Their goal is to improve parts of the River Kent and its smaller rivers. These rivers are part of a special area called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
The River Kent is very important because it is a home for the White-clawed Crayfish. This type of crayfish is an endangered animal. This means it is at risk of disappearing forever.
Scientists believe that connecting the river back to its floodplain will help nature. It will also help prevent floods further downstream.
