Length 19 km Country United Kingdom | Basin area 245 km² | |
 | ||
Main source Confluence of Redbrook Clough and Haigh Clough
768 feet (234 m) River mouth River Calder near Bradley Basin size 95 square miles (245 km) Mouth River Calder, West Yorkshire | ||
The River Colne /ˈkoʊln/ is a river in West Yorkshire formed by a confluence at the foot of the Pennines close to the village of Marsden.
Contents
Map of River Colne, United Kingdom
Course
Numerous brooks formed by rainwater high (between 300 and 480 metres AMSL) in the Pennines of West Yorkshire, flow down the hillsides through the small valleys (known locally as Cloughs) to feed two Yorkshire Water reservoirs; March Haigh Reservoir and Redbrook Reservoir. Thereafter, Haigh Brook and Redbrook continue the journey down the slopes, again being fed by numerous tributaries, until the two streams converge at a scenic spot called Close Gate Bridge. This confluence forms the River Colne.
The river flows from west to east through the Colne Valley passing through the villages of Marsden, Slaithwaite and Milnsbridge to Huddersfield and then on to Cooper Bridge where it feeds the larger River Calder.
Its tributaries include Wessenden Brook, Bradley Brook, Crimble Brook, Mag Brook, Fenay Brook, New Mill Dike and the River Holme.
History
The Colne Valley was famous for the production of woollen and cotton cloth regarded as some of the finest quality produced anywhere and all due to the soft acidic waters of the River Colne and its brooks running down through the side valleys (cloughs) from the peat moors above.
Infrastructure
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal follows the course of the river through the valley, as does the Huddersfield Line railway, and the A62 road. The river itself is too shallow and rocky to be navigable by any watercraft.
There are numerous factories, warehouses and plants along the river providing goods, services and jobs, but a few of these cause pollution to the local environment and waterways. In order to help tackle pollution, the Environment Agency demand that certain standards be met by local companies.
On 24 May 2010, part of a chemical factory was accidentally set ablaze and caused waste to be emptied into the river and the canal causing the deaths of many fish.