River Syfynwy facts for kids
The River Syfynwy (which is called Afon Syfynwy in Welsh) is a river found entirely within Pembrokeshire, Wales. It starts in the Preseli Hills and flows into two important reservoirs: Rosebush Reservoir and Llys y Fran. The River Syfynwy then joins the Eastern Cleddau further south. This river is very important for understanding the health of the environment, and parts of it are protected as a special nature area.
River's Journey
The River Syfynwy begins high up in the southern Preseli Hills. It forms when several small streams come together at about 350 meters (1,150 feet) above sea level. From there, it flows south into the Rosebush Reservoir. The water then goes through or over the dam. Right below the dam, there are beautiful waterfalls called Syfynwy Falls. These falls are a popular spot for visitors, especially when the reservoir is full and overflowing.
The river continues flowing southwest through a lovely wooded valley. It passes under the historic Farthing's Hook Bridge, which is a Grade II-listed building, meaning it's an important old structure. The river then flows between Pen-yr-Allt Wood and Velindre Wood before reaching the northern part of Llys y Fran Reservoir. The dam at this reservoir helps to make electricity. After leaving this dam, the river flows mostly south, then turns southeast. It goes under Step-aside Bridge near Clarbeston and the 18th-century Gelli Bridge at Gelli Hill. Finally, it meets the Eastern Cleddau. The River Syfynwy is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) long.
Nature and Wildlife
The River Syfynwy is like a natural health checker for the environment. Scientists use it to see how healthy the local ecosystem is. It is part of the River Cleddau area, which is a special protected place called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's home to many native wild plants and animals. You can find plants like water crowfoot, and animals such as lamprey and otters living here. The Syfynwy is also part of the Eastern Cleddau Special Area of Conservation (SAC), which gives it even more protection.
A special project called the Llys y Fran Catchment Project is studying the River Syfynwy. This study started in 2014 and focuses on the area from the river's start down to the Llys y Fran dam. The main goal is to understand why blue-green algae sometimes grow too much in the reservoir. With help from local landowners, they are taking soil samples and learning how to manage nutrients in the area. This project works with Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Besides farming, they also look at how sewage and forests affect the river's health, water quality, and the tiny creatures living in the water.
In 2013 and 2014, a group called Pembrokeshire Rivers Trust checked the riverflies near Gelli Bridge. Riverflies are tiny insects that are good indicators of water quality. They found fewer riverflies than usual, but most of the sensitive types were still there, which was good news.
River Pollution
In 1999, there was an incident where waste from a business got into the river. This pollution caused about 1,000 brown trout fish to die. It showed how important it is to keep our rivers clean and free from harmful substances.
World War 2 History
During World War 2, a railway line near Glan Syfynwy, close to Rosebush, was used for bombing practice. Both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) used this spot for training.
