River Holme

The Holme of the Holme Valley, West Yorkshire, England is a tributary of the River Colne, West Yorkshire. The source is via Digley Reservoir, fed firstly by the run-off from Brownhill Reservoir, then by Dobbs Dike. Banks along the upper valley are mostly urbanised and are in the Holme Valley civil parish.

River Holme
River Holme (left) joining the River Colne at Huddersfield
Location
CountryEngland
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationHolmbridge
  coordinates53°13′15″N 1°49′27″W
  elevation188 metres (617 ft)
Mouth 
  location
River Colne at Huddersfield
  coordinates
53°38′21″N 1°47′4″W
  elevation
72 metres (236 ft)
Length13.86 kilometres (8.61 mi)
Basin size97.4 square kilometres (37.6 sq mi)
Basin features
ProgressionColneCalderAireOuseHumberNorth Sea

Course

From Digley Reservoir, the river flows north-east through Holmbridge and Holmfirth. It flows NNE to Thongsbridge and Brockholes then north to reach Honley, Berry Brow and Lockwood. It wends northwards and joins the Colne (one of five rivers of that name) just south of Huddersfield town centre at Folly Hall.[1]

The Environment Agency has a gauging station at Queen's Mill in Huddersfield where the record average monthly levels are 0.25 metres (0.82 ft), versus 1.2 metres (3.9 ft). The record high is 2.5 metres (8.2 ft), in 2011.[2]

Flooding

The river was prone to flooding, the earliest recorded in 1738. In 1840 the dam of Bilberry Reservoir was built over a stream, but the work had not been done properly and the stream not correctly redirected. Thus in February 1852, the reservoir broke its confines and flooded the valley as far as Holmfirth. It caused 81 deaths and the destruction of many homes and businesses.[3][4]

Geography

Natural upper catchment

The top of the valley is surrounded by the high, wooded hills on their lower slopes only, of Holme Moss, Harden Moss and Cartworth Moor.

Geology

The underlying bedrock was laid down in the Upper Carboniferous era and is primarily of Millstone Grit with some sandstone interspersed with thin coal seams.[5]

Lists

See also

References

  1. Huddersfield One
  2. "River Levels". Environment Agency River and Sea Levels. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  3. "Floods". Holmfirth Floods. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  4. Huddersfield One
  5. "River Valley Geology". Archived from the original on 3 September 2003. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
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