Is the River Thames Dredged?

The majority of dredged sites within the inner estuary of the Thames, by volume and frequency, are undertaken using water injection dredging (WID), rather than more conventional excavation processes.

When was the Thames last dredged?

Regular dredging was undertaken for 50 years on the stretch of river from Datchet to Staines following the 1947 floods, but was stopped in 1996 when the agency took over responsibility.

Is the River Thames clean or dirty?

The Thames is considered to be the cleanest river in the world that flows through a major city. The Thames is home to 125 species of fish and more than 400 invertebrates. This is in spite of the fact that raw sewage is routinely pumped into the river during heavy rains.