Working rivers: the geomorphological legacy of English freshwater mills
Abstract
Freshwater mills historically were found throughout England serving a wide variety of uses. The decline in the need for water power over the last 100 years saw a reduction in the number of operational mills. Despite this decline, the associated river structures were rarely removed and many of these have exceeded their design life and have failed or are now starting to fail, with important geomorphological implications for the river. This paper investigates the geomorphological impacts of mills and their structures on English rivers, and considers their legacy for the contemporary management of these systems.
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In Europe, mill streams and their associated leats and sluices can be considered an example of coevolutionary socio-ecohydrological systems, whereby over hundreds of years natural streams were modified to drive mills, which were later closed, leaving behind a hydrological legacy of remnant constructed channels.
“Indeed, in Europe mill streams and their associated leats and sluices can be considered an example of coevolutionary socio-ecohydrological systems (sensu Sivapalan & Blöschl 48 ), whereby over hundreds of years natural streams were modified to drive mills, which were later closed, leaving behind a hydrological legacy of remnant constructed channels 50 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [50]
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Clifford, C., Bieroza, M., Clarke, S. J., Pickard, A., Stratigos, M. J., Hill, M. J., Raheem, N., Tatariw, C., Wood, P. J., Arismendi, I., et al. (2025) · Communications Earth & Environment · doi:10.1038/s43247-025-02699-y · Cited by 16 · see citing works
- Authors
- Downward, S., & Skinner, K.
- Affiliations
- Kingston University London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Skinner, Kevin
- Venue
- Area
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2005-06
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 138-147
- ISSN
- 0004-0894 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-4762
- OpenAlex
- W2009247774
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Area (publishedVersion)
- Research Repository (Kingston University London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Urbanism, Landscape, and Tourism Studies
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Civil and Structural Engineering › Hydraulic flow and structures
- Keywords
- fluvial geomorphology, river management, structural failure, English rivers
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