River Cary
- Not to be confused with River Cary, Devon
The River Cary is a river in Somerset.
The River Cary has its source at Park Pond in Castle Cary, and then flows southwest through Cary Moor to Babcary (where its meadowsm at Babcary Meadows are designated a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest) and Cary Fitzpaine. It then flows northwest through Charlton Mackrell to the north of Somerton, passing under the Somerton Viaduct.
Around Somerton the river channel has been straightened and drains the surrounding wetland as it heads north to King's Sedgemoor.
The Cary passes through King's Sedgemoor continuing west across the moors south of the Polden Hills. At Henley it joins the artificial channels of the Sutton Moor Rhyne and the King's Sedgemoor Drain, both of which drain the wetland. Much of the water is now diverted into King's Sedgemoor Drain, which continues across the moors to join the estuary of the River Parrett at Dunball.[1]
Studies and incidents
In 1995 a major pollution incident occurred when lindane and mercury seed dressing were poured down a drain which leads into the river near Somerton.[2]
The river was the site of a study to examine the use of strategically placed floodplain woodland to alleviate downstream flooding.[3]
References
- ↑ "Somerset Topography: Rivers". Somerset County Council. http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/cultureheritage/heritage/info/somersetlandscape/somersettopographyrivers2.cfm. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
- ↑ "Dumped lindane costs dear". Pesticides News 30: 5. 1995. Archived from the original on 2007-10-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20071024071242/http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Issue/Pn30/pn30p3.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
- ↑ Thomas, H; Nisbet, T. R. (2007). "An assessment of the impact of floodplain woodland on flood flows". Water and Environment Journal 21 (2): 114–126. doi:10.1111/j.1747-6593.2006.00056.x. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1747-6593.2006.00056.x. Retrieved 2007-11-22.