Everything about River Exe totally explained
The
River Exe in
England rises near the village of
Simonsbath, on
Exmoor in
Somerset, near the
Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in
Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial
ria on the south (
English Channel) coast of Devon. Historically, its lowest bridging point was at
Exeter, though there's now a viaduct for the
M5 motorway about 3
km south of the city centre.
Topography
The river's name is obviously related to that of Exeter, and in addition many
villages along the course of the river take their names from it, including
Exford,
Up Exe,
Nether Exe,
Exwick,
Exton,
Exminster, and
Exebridge, where it's joined by the
River Barle. The seaside town of
Exmouth is at the east side of the estuary mouth, and
Dawlish Warren is at the west, with its long sand spit extending across the mouth.
The river fuelled Exeter's growth and relative importance in medieval times and the city's first industrial area was developed at
Exe Island, created by a series of
leats to the west of the city. The island was home to numerous
watermills producing paper and textiles; it also created valuable land through drainage of the marshlands.
Tides on the river are limited at
Countess Wear, the site of a
weir commissioned by the
Countess of Devon in the 13th century. The
Exeter Canal bypasses this weir to enable ships to reach Exeter
Quay. At high tide, the estuary forms a large body of water that's heavily used for water sports especially sailing, windsurfing and water skiing.
Railways run along both sides of the estuary. The
Avocet Line from Exeter to Exmouth on the eastern side, and the
South Devon main line on the western. The latter is on a causeway, the
South Devon Railway sea wall from
Powderham to Dawlish Warren. The
Exmouth to Starcross Ferry carries passengers across the mouth of the estuary during the summer months, linking the harbour at Exmouth with a pier adjacent to
Starcross railway station on the South Devon main line.
Wildlife
At low tide, extensive
mud flats are exposed, and these are an important feeding source for wading birds. Along with other rias in
South West England, the Exe estuary is an important site for wintering waders. Dawlish Warren is a favoured site for birdwatching. The river is acidic and populated with wild
brown trout and some
grayling, the average size being 8 - 10oz. Unlike many West Country rivers there are no seatrout, but there's a run of
atlantic salmon. Just 150 metres below the union of the River Barle is one of the best, and highest salmon pools on the river: Black Pool.
2008 cleansing operation
In 2008 the
Environment Agency embarked on a project to clean the river from vegetation forming. In order to do so the water level decreased to its lowest level - less water remained than the droughts the city has suffered.
Further Information
Get more info on 'River Exe'.
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