Washburndale
| River Washburn | |
|---|---|
The River Washburn approaching Lindley Wood Reservoir
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| Country | England |
| Basin features | |
| Main source | Washburn Head 391 m (1,283 ft) 54°3′46″N 1°50′50″W / 54.06278°N 1.84722°W |
| River mouth |
River Wharfe near Pool 49 m (161 ft) 53°54′39″N 1°39′6″W / 53.91083°N 1.65167°WCoordinates: 53°54′39″N 1°39′6″W / 53.91083°N 1.65167°W |
| Basin size | 87.3 km2 (33.7 sq mi) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 26 km (16 mi) |
The River Washburn is a river in Yorkshire, England. It originates high in the Yorkshire Dales and ends where it meets the River Wharfe. It lies within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The river's source is at Washburn Head, just south of Stump Cross Caverns and from there flows southwards via Thruscross Reservoir, Blubberhouses, Fewston Reservoir, Swinsty Reservoir and Lindley Wood Reservoir before joining the River Wharfe just north-west of Pool-in-Wharfedale.
The Washburn has been dammed to a series of four reservoirs, all built to supply water to the city of Leeds. The lower three (Lindley Wood, Swinsty and Fewston) were built at the end of the 19th century, while the fourth, Thruscross, was delayed until the 1960s. Fewston and Swinsty Reservoirs have a surface area of around 1.6 km² and a combined length of 4.1 km and Thackray Beck and Spinksburn Beck are major tributaries flowing into these reservoirs. Capelshaw Beck is the main tributary flowing into Thruscross reservoir.
Where the valley has not been flooded to make reservoirs, the sides are 'V' shaped. The valley floor consists of solid Millstone Grit overlain with till drift. The drainage can be described as slowly permeable and seasonally waterlogged. The bedrock is covered with fine loam over clay soils and some peat soils at higher elevations on the fringe of the moorland.
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