River Thames - Sonning Lock - Sonning, UK - Waterway Locks, Planes and Lifts on Waymarking.com

The River Thames
The River Thames, known alternatively in parts as the Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.

It flows through Oxford (where it is called the Isis), Reading, Henley-on-Thames and Windsor. The lower reaches of the river are called the Tideway, derived from its long tidal reach up to Teddington Lock. It rises at Thames Head in Gloucestershire, and flows into the North Sea via the Thames Estuary. The Thames drains the whole of Greater London.

Its tidal section, reaching up to Teddington Lock, includes most of its London stretch and has a rise and fall of 23 feet (7 m). Running through some of the driest parts of mainland Britain and heavily abstracted for drinking water, the Thames' discharge is low considering its length and breadth: the Severn has a discharge almost twice as large on average despite having a smaller drainage basin. In Scotland, the Tay achieves more than double the Thames' average discharge from a drainage basin that is 60% smaller.

Along its course are 45 navigation locks with accompanying weirs. Its catchment area covers a large part of south-eastern and a small part of western England; the river is fed by at least 50 named tributaries. The river contains over 80 islands. With its waters varying from freshwater to almost seawater, the Thames supports a variety of wildlife and has a number of adjoining Sites of Special Scientific Interest, with the largest being in the remaining parts of the North Kent Marshes and covering 5,449 hectares (13,460 acres)." link

Sonning Lock
Sonning Lock is a lock and associated weir situated on the River Thames at the village of Sonning near Reading, Berkshire, England.[2] The first lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773 and it has been rebuilt three times since then. There is a weir a little upstream at the top of the island where Sonning Backwater separates from the main course of the river. link

Waterway Name: The River Thames Connected Points: The River Thames (below Oxford) is a large river and is part of the River Thames. It runs for 93 miles and 5¾ furlongs through 34 locks from Osney Bridge (where it joins the River Thames (above Oxford)) to Teddington Lock Weir Exit (where it joins the River Thames (tidal section)). The maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 120 feet long and 17 feet and 3 inches wide. The maximum headroom is not known. The maximum draught is not known. It has junctions with the River Thames (River Kennet) at Thames - Kennet Junction (Kennet Mouth); with the River Thames (Racecourse Yacht Basin Approach Channel) at Racecourse Yacht Basin Entrance; with the River Wey Wey Navigation at Thames - Wey Junction; with the River Ember at Thames - Ember Junction; with the River Thames (Clifton Weir Stream) at Clifton Lock Weir Exit No 2; with the River Thames (Desborough Cut) at D'Oyly Carte Island Footbridge and with the River Thames (Desborough Cut) at Thames Meadow. Type: Lock Date Opened: 01/01/1773 Elevation Difference (meters): 2.00 Site Status: Operational Web Site: [Web Link] Date Closed (if applicable): Not listed

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