River Roding

Roding (Barking Creek)
The Roding, just before reaching the Thames atBarking
Location
Country	England
Counties	Essex,Greater London
Districts / Boroughs	Epping Forest,Uttlesford,Redbridge,Newham,Barking and Dagenham
Towns	The Rodings,Chipping Ongar,Loughton,Woodford Green,Ilford,Barking
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Molehill Green,Essex
• coordinates	51.8993°N 0.2778°E/51.8993; 0.2778
• elevation	93 m (305 ft)
Mouth	River Thames
• location	Creekmouth
• coordinates	51.5142°N 0.0993°E/51.5142; 0.0993
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	50 km (31 mi)
Discharge
• location	Redbridge
• average	1.85 m3/s (65 cu ft/s)
• minimum	0.08 m3/s (2.8 cu ft/s)13 August 1990
• maximum	62.4 m3/s (2,200 cu ft/s)22 November 1974
Discharge
• location	Loughton
• average	1.41 m3/s (50 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	High Ongar
• average	0.48 m3/s (17 cu ft/s)

TheRiver Roding(/ˈroʊdɪŋ/) rises atMolehill Green,Essex,England, then flows south through Essex and London and formsBarking Creekas it reaches theRiver Thames.

Course

The river leaves Molehill Green and passes through or near a group of eight or nine villages in Essex known collectively asthe Rodings,as their names are 'Roding' prefixed with various different specific names (High, Margaret, Aythorpe, etc.). AfterChipping Ongar,the river flows under theM25 motorwayby Passingford Bridge andAbridge.

Flood meadowsby the river nearChigwell,looking towardsLoughton,at Roding Valley Meadows Nature Reserve

The river then runs betweenLoughtonandChigwell,where theRoding Valley Meadowsmake up the largest surviving area of traditionally managed river-valley habitat in Essex. Thisnature reserveconsists of unimproved wet and dry hay meadows, rich with flora and fauna and bounded by thick hedgerows, scrubland, secondary woodland andtree plantation.The meadows stretch down to theM11 motorwayand theRoding Valley tube stationis situated close to the area, althoughLoughtonorBuckhurst Hillare better placed for a visit. The river then entersWoodford.

Redbridgetakes its name from a crossing of the river which then passes throughIlfordandBarkingnear the A406North Circular Road.The River Roding through Ilford project is a government-backed scheme to improve amenities along this stretch of the river.After Barking, the tidal section is known as Barking Creek, which flows into the Thames atCreekmouth,where the Barking Barrier acts as a flood defence.

As a boundary

In Essex the river forms part of the boundary between the district ofEpping Forestand borough ofBrentwood.The river marks the southernmost part of the boundary between theLondon Borough of Newhamand theLondon Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

Former name

Ilford takes its name fromIlefort,"ford on the River Hyle", which was the ancient name for the lower part of the Roding, based on an earlier Celtic word.

See also

• Tributaries of the River Thames
• List of rivers of England
• Wanstead Sewage Works

External links

• River Roding at Passingford Bridge
• The River Roding Trust