View source for River Hamble

{{Short description|River in south Hampshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox river
  | pushpin_map = Hampshire
  | name              = River Hamble
  | image             = Hamble River - panoramio - Alistair Cunningham.jpg
  | image_caption     = Yachts on the Hamble
  | source1_location  = [[Bishops Waltham]], [[Hampshire]].
  | source1_coordinates = {{coords|50.954295|-1.215497|region:GB|format=dms|display=inline}}
  | mouth_location    = [[Southampton Water]]
  | mouth_coordinates = {{coords|50.841601|-1.312546|region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
  | subdivision_type1 = Country
  | subdivision_name1 = England
  | subdivision_type2 = County
  | subdivision_name2 = Hampshire
  | subdivision_type3 = Settlements
  | subdivision_name3 = [[Bishops Waltham]], [[Botley, Hampshire|Botley]], [[Bursledon]], [[Hamble-le-Rice|Hamble]], [[Warsash]]
  | length            = {{convert|10.1|km|abbr=on}}
}}
{{River Hamble}}
The '''River Hamble''' in south [[Hampshire]], [[England]], [[source (river)|rises]] near [[Bishop's Waltham]] and flows for {{cvt|10.1|km}} through [[Botley, Hampshire|Botley]], [[Bursledon]], and [[Lower Swanwick]] before entering [[Southampton Water]] between [[Hamble Common]] and [[Warsash]].

The river is tidal for about half its length and is navigable below Botley. From the medieval period to the present it has been a major ship and boat-building area. Leisure craft are still built by the Hamble today. One of the main builders was [[Luke & Co]], later Luke Bros, from around 1890 to its closure in 1945.{{cn|date=February 2024}} The lower reaches are a major yachting area with easy access to the sheltered waters of Southampton Water and [[The Solent]].

== Course ==
From source to mouth the river makes a repeated curve heading south-southwest. It [[dendritic drainage|gains tributary streams]] before reaching Botley, the site of an ancient watermill. Below Botley, the river becomes tidal and navigable. It gains strength from adjoining streams, draining surrounding [[Hedge End]], [[Curdridge]], [[Shedfield]], and [[Burridge]].<ref name="Ordnance Survey">Ordnance Survey</ref>

This section was extensively used for medieval shipbuilding, using timber grown locally in the neighbouring woods. Nearby Kings Copse, a cut-back form of Kings Forest,<ref>Joyce Blyth. The changing face of Hedge End</ref> speaks of this key use of the land.

The river's west bank can be accessed from [[Manor Farm Country Park]], where it is possible to walk through Dock Copse<ref name="Ordnance Survey"/> and Fosters Copse.<ref name="Ordnance Survey"/> At extreme low tide, it is just possible to see the remains of the wreck of Henry V's 15th century warship [[Grace Dieu (ship)|''Grace Dieu'']]. This section of the river was also home to [[HMS Cricket (shore establishment)|HMS ''Cricket'']], the Royal Marine landing craft crew training base, during [[World War II]].

At {{cvt|2|miles}} south of [[Botley, Hampshire|Botley]], the river passes between the villages of [[Bursledon]] and [[Lower Swanwick]] and is crossed by the [[M27 motorway]], the [[Portsmouth]] to [[Southampton]] railway line, and the [[A27 road]] via large bridges. A further {{cvt|2|miles}} south of Bursledon, the river flows between the villages of Hamble-le-Rice and Warsash before entering Southampton Water.<ref name="osexp119">Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map 119 - Meon Valley, Portsmouth, Gosport & Fareham''. {{ISBN|0-319-23596-3}}.</ref>

A passenger [[Hamble-Warsash Ferry|ferry]] crosses the river between Hamble-le-Rice and Warsash, forming a link for the [[Solent Way]] and [[E9 European Coastal Path]]. This section of the river is dominated by a number of [[marina]]s, the largest being the Port Hamble Marina, and [[boat yard]]s on both banks as far upstream as Bursledon.<ref name="osexp119"/>  On the east bank, south of Warsash, is the [[Warsash Maritime School]], part of [[Solent University]], which provides training for merchant navy crew.

==Lifeboat==
The Hamble and nearby Solent are patrolled by Hamble Lifeboat, an [[Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland|independent]] voluntary rescue service based in [[Hamble-le-Rice]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hamble Lifeboat|url=https://hamblelifeboat.co.uk/|access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref>

==Water quality==
The Environment Agency measure water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of [[invertebrate]]s, [[angiosperm]]s and fish. Chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations, is rated good or fail.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/help/glossary |website=Catchment Data Explorer |title=Glossary (see Biological quality element; Chemical status; and Ecological status) |publisher=Environment Agency |date=17 February 2016}} [[File:Open Government Licence logo.svg|30px]] Text was copied from this source, which is available under an [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/  Open Government Licence v3.0]. © Crown copyright. </ref>

Water quality of the River Hamble in 2019:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Section !! Ecological<br/>Status !! Chemical<br/>Status !! Overall<br/>Status !! Length !! Catchment !! Channel
|-
| {{waterqual_title |desc=Upper Hamble|asset= GB107042016280}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{waterqual_fail}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{convert| 5.309 |km|mi|abbr=on}}
| {{convert| 38.062 |km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| 
|-
| {{waterqual_title |desc= Main River Hamble |asset= GB107042016250}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{waterqual_fail}} 
| {{waterqual_mod}} 
| {{convert| 4.823 |km|mi|abbr=on}}
| {{convert| 7.176 |km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| 
|}

In the 1970s and 80s the many yachts using the river polluted the water by leaching [[tributyltin]] from their anti-fouling paints. By 1988 it had the highest known level in the UK. With its banning for use by vessels under {{cvt|25|m}} long, the general concentration in the tidal waters declined to a level that is considered harmless.<ref name=Tubbs109>{{cite book |last=Tubbs |first=Colin |date=1999 |title=The Ecology, Conservation and History of the Solent |publisher=Packard Publishing|pages=109–110|isbn=1853411167}}</ref>
{{Clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed>
File:RiverHambleUpstream.jpg|The River Hamble looking upstream towards Botley from Fosters Copse. Dock Copse can be seen on the left bank. Bloomfield Copse is on the right bank
File:RiverHambleCreek1.jpg|Medieval shipbuilding site on the River Hamble
File:GraceDieuWreckSite.jpg|The Yellow X marks the site of the wreck of HMS ''Grace Dieu''
File:River-hamble-mouth-20040903-002.jpg|River Hamble Estuary
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Rivers of the United Kingdom]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|River Hamble}}
*[http://www.hamblevalleyheritage.co.uk/ Walks in the Hamble Valley]
*{{oscoor gbx|SU552175}} for the source of the River Hamble.
*{{oscoor gbx|SU485049}} for the mouth of the River Hamble.
*[http://www.hants.gov.uk/leisure/coast/harbours/hamble/ The River Hamble Harbour Authority]
*[http://www.mdlmarinas.co.uk/mdl-port-hamble-marina Port Hamble Marina]

{{Eastleigh borough}}
{{Hydrology of Hampshire}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamble, River}}
[[Category:Rivers of Hampshire]]
[[Category:River navigations in the United Kingdom]]