River Tame, West Midlands

The Oldbury Arm of the Tame, close to where it enters Sheepwash Urban Park, via a culvert under the West Coast Main Line.

The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent.^[1] The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e the Tame and its main tributaries, is about 285 km.

Etymology

The name derives from the Celtic language, although it may have even earlier roots. It is usually thought to mean "dark",^[2] by analogy with the Sanskrit word tamas, meaning darkness. Other possibilities are "slow moving", or "flowing"^[3] although the precise meaning is uncertain. The name is shared with the River Tame, Greater Manchester, and it is likely that the River Thame, the River Thames, the River Teme and the River Team share the derivation.

Historic significance

Birmingham and the parishes in the centre and north of the modern conurbation were probably colonised by the Tomsaete or Tomsæte'' ("Tame-dwellers"), an Anglian tribe living in the valley of the Tame at the time of the Roman occupation^[4] and around Tamworth during the Kingdom of Mercia.^[5]. They migrated up the valleys of the Trent and Tame from the Humber Estuary and later formed Mercia.^[6]

Course and catchment

Sketchmap of the course and catchment of the River Tame, showing locations of some features mentioned in the text

The Tame is generally considered to have two main sources; Willenhall and Oldbury, West Midlands. The tributaries arising in these locations are generally known as the Willenhall arm and the Oldbury arm of the Tame. However, some of its tributary streams rise as far to the west and north as Bilston and Wednesfield in the city of Wolverhampton. Much of the course of the river has been modified over the centuries and the urban sections now run mainly through culverts or canalised channels. Both arms of the Tame flow through the Black Country to their confluence at Bescot, on the edge of Walsall.

The northern arm is generally traced from Bentley, near Willenhall. However the SMURF project traces it back as far as Stow Heath, Bilston, where it rises at the northern end of the City of Wolverhampton College Wellington Road campus; hence, SMURF uses the term "Wolverhampton arm" for this section of the Tame, although it certainly cannot be traced back across the historic Wolverhampton boundary. This source appears as no more than a marshy patch. The stream runs generally north-east through Stowlawn, and then cuts across the southern edge of Willenhall, appearing briefly among the warehouses, and picking up reinforcement from the Wadden Brook, which originates in Wednesfield. It appears definitively at Bentley, whence it is easily traced. It then runs south through the industrial part of Bentley, before turning south-east, following a realigned course alongside and beneath the M6 motorway, to Bescot.

The southern arm appears close to Oldbury town centre, which gives it its name, but can be traced back to an industrial area at Titford, just west of the M5 motorway, between Whiteheath and Langley Green. It winds its way up through Langley and around the southern and eastern edges of Oldbury town centre, appearing in public due south of Sandwell and Dudley railway station, from which point it remains mainly on the surface and is easily traced. Bearing generally north-west, it skirts Brades Village and passes through the Sheepwash Urban Park and Horseley Heath to the centre of Great Bridge. It then zig-zags across the southern and eastern parts ofWednesbury, to meet the Willenhall or Wolverhampton arm at Bescot.

The unified Tame then flows, partly through channels realigned to make way for the M6 motorway and its interchange with the M5, through Sandwell Valley and into north Birmingham. It passes through Hamstead to Perry Barr, through Witton and beneath Gravelly Hill Interchange (where it is fed by the Rea) to Washwood Heath.

Skirting to the north of Castle Bromwich, it leaves Birmingham to the north east, passing Water Orton in Warwickshire. At Hams Hall, immediately after its confluence with the River Blythe and the little River Bourne, it turns sharply to take up a northward course, and soon feeds into the large complex of water purification lakes at Lea Marston that now make up Kingsbury Water Park. It then crosses into Staffordshire, past Tamworth (which takes its name from the river), before joining the Trent near Alrewas. The eventual outflow is into the North Sea, via the Humber Estuary.

The catchment of the Tame covers an area of nearly 1500 km² and contains a population of about 1.7 million people. Approximately 42% of the Tame basin is urbanised, making it the most heavily-urbanised river basin in the United Kingdom.^[7].

The traditional industries of Birmingham and the Black Country, based on coal, iron and steel, were heavily polluting, and the Tame is conducted through a series of purification lakes below Lea Marston, in Warwickshire, to remove pollutants, an arrangement unique in the UK.^[8] A large part of this lake area forms the Kingsbury Water Park. Clean-up operations in a notoriously polluted stretch of the river in the Witton area of Birmingham have meant that aquatic wildfowl such as ducks and swans have settled on that stretch of the river. Sandwell Valley has evolved over the last two decades into an important urban wildlife habitat.

The Tame is non-navigable throughout its course.

Flooding

There have been major flooding problems associated with the river. These result largely from the mainly urban character of the upper catchment. Rainfall runs off the roofs and hard surfaces, raising river levels very rapidly. Rapid house-building and commercial development may have exacerbated the problem in recent years. Another development contributing to worse flooding has been the general rise in groundwater levels in the upper catchment area. As traditional industries have declined and been replaced by light industries and services, far less water has been taken from the river and the underlying aquifer.^[9]

The river is susceptible to spectacular flooding at the village of Hopwas between Tamworth and Lichfield during periods of heavy autumnal rain. The long-term persistence of the problem is attested by the Anglo-Saxon meaning of the village's name:- hop - nook of land, was - watery. There is also a substantial bend in the course of the river between Hopwas and Elford, giving rise to the name Tamhorn for the area.

Flood Prevention

Forge Mill Lake

Flood prevention work was carried out on Sandwell Valley in the 1980s. Forge Mill Lake was created as a stormwater retention basin by enlarging an existing depression. The river was dredged to deepen it and the gravel used to construct an island in the lake.^[10] This evolved into part of a nature reserve, at present leased to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. At about the same time,a similar arrangement was constructed at Sheepwash Urban Park, utilising old brickworks excavations as a storm water basin to relieve flooding by the Oldbury Arm.

In 2005, the river's alignment through Perry Hall Park in Perry Barr, Birmingham, just downstream of Sandwell Valley, was remodelled to slow the flow, alleviate flooding and create improved habitats for wildlife, as part of the SMURF (Sustainable Management of Urban Rivers and Floodplains) project.

Nonetheless, in June 2007, after heavy rain, the river burst its banks in the Witton area of Birmingham (just downstream of Perry Barr)^[11] and at Kingsbury Water Park.

In 2009, the Environment Agency launched a public consultation on its proposed flood alleviation measures. The consultation is due to end in August 2009^[12].

Features

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Gallery

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: River Tame, West Midlands

The Tame in the Black Country

Oldbury Arm of the Tame close to its entrance to the Sheepwash Urban Park, between Great Bridge and West Bromwich. At this point it is still only 1-2 metres wide if not in flood.	Largest of the lakes in Sheepwash Urban Park. This is a storm water retention basin, fed by the Oldbury Arm, providing an important urban habitat.	Canalised channel of the Tame. Sluices feeding the Sheepwash lakes are visible on both sides.	The Oldbury Arm at Tame Bridge, just south of Great Bridge.
Steadily widening, the Oldbury Arm approaches Great Bridge, near Tipton.	The Oldbury Arm near Hill Top, Wednesbury. This section is heavily industrial, with very little public access, and the river often passing under warehouses and factories.	The Willenhall Arm, close to the source, among residential areas near Shepwell Green. The river is disclosed by the tiny area of reflection in the centre of the photograph - a small stream between overgrown banks, and almost inaccessible, although it forms the town's boundary.	The Willenhall Arm at Bentley Green, Walsall, just after passing under the Black Country Route. Despite the appearance at this point it here enters an area of heavy industry.
The Willenhall Arm passes a large retail development at Axletree Way, Wednesbury, formerly a heavy industrial site. The Tame is completely screened from the road and pedestrian ways at this point, though only a few metres away.	Confluence of the Oldbury Arm (left) and the Willenhall Arm (right), close to Bescot Stadium railway station, under the M6 Motorway.	Aqueduct carrying the Tame Valley Canal over the River Tame at Ray Hall.	The Tame at Ray Hall sewage works, from the Tame Valley Canal aqueduct, with the Charlemont area of West Bromwich on the right.
The Tame flowing under the M5 motorway interchange with the M6 motorway northbound, after which it enters Sandwell Valley.

The Tame in Sandwell Valley

Steep, eroded banks of the Tame in upper part of Sandwell Valley.	A canalised section of the Tame in Sandwell Valley, showing Forge Mill Lake to the right, separated from the river by a steep embankment.	Sluices controlling the flow of water into Forge Mill Lake, a storm water retention basin.	Bridge over the canalised section, linking the lake to Forge Mill Farm
Bed and banks of the river, which is usually shallow and fast-flowing at this point.	Forge Mill Lake. The RSPB reserve's bird hide is visible across the lake, in the centre of the photograph.

The Lower Tame in Staffordshire

The Tame at the edge of the National Memorial Arboretum, with Croxall Lakes to the left.

Pillbox on the west bank of the Tame, one of many defences constructed along the Midlands rivers during World War II.

Confluence of the Tame (right) with the River Trent (left), at the northern edge of the National Memorial Arboretum.

Tributaries

See tributary

• River Blythe
  • River Cole
• River Rea
• River Anker
• Darlaston Brook

See also

• Brookvale Park Lake
• Witton Lakes
• Tame Valley
• Tame Valley Canal
• River Tame, Greater Manchester
• Rivers of the United Kingdom

References

External links

• SMURF
• Management of the Lower River Tame