Editing River Exe

{{Short description|River in Devon and Somerset, England}}
{{for|the river in Hampshire formerly known as the River Exe|Beaulieu River}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox river
| name = River Exe
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| name_other = 
| name_etymology = <!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image = Exe estuary from balloon.jpg
| image_size = 
| image_caption = The Exe Estuary from a balloon over Exeter. The M5 motorway is in the foreground, [[Topsham, Devon|Topsham]] on the left bank just beyond, and [[Exmouth, Devon|Exmouth]] at the river mouth opposite Dawlish Warren.
| map = 
| map_size = 
| map_caption = 
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_map_size = 
| pushpin_map_caption = <!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[England]]
| subdivision_type2 = Counties
| subdivision_name2 = [[Devon]], [[Somerset]]
| subdivision_type3 = 
| subdivision_name3 = 
| subdivision_type4 = 
| subdivision_name4 = 
| subdivision_type5 = Settlements
| subdivision_name5 = [[Exeter]], [[Tiverton, Devon|Tiverton]], [[Exmouth]]
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length_km = 96
| width_min = 
| width_avg = 
| width_max = 
| depth_min = 
| depth_avg = 
| depth_max = 
| discharge1_location = [[Thorverton]]
| discharge1_min = {{convert|0.44|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}27&nbsp;August&nbsp;1976
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|15.89|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max = {{convert|492.6|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}4&nbsp;December&nbsp;1960
| discharge2_location = [[Stoodleigh]]
| discharge2_min = 
| discharge2_avg = {{convert|12.41|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge2_max = 
| discharge3_location = [[Pixton Park|Pixton]]
| discharge3_min = 
| discharge3_avg = {{convert|4.47|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge3_max = <!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1 = Exe Head
| source1_location = near [[Simonsbath]], [[Somerset]], [[England]]
| source1_coordinates = {{coord|51|09|33|N|3|47|12|W|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|440|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth = [[Lyme Bay]]
| mouth_location = [[English Channel]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|50|36|53|N|3|25|30|W|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
| progression = 
| river_system = 
| basin_size = 
| tributaries_left = [[River Haddeo]], [[River Culm]], [[River Clyst]]
| tributaries_right = [[River Barle]], [[River Creedy]]
| custom_label = 
| custom_data = 
| extra = 
}}
[[File:Exeter as seen from the River.jpg|thumb|left|'Exeter as seen from the River'. Watercolour on paper by [[John White Abbott]]]]
{{Location map+ |Devon
|relief = 1
|caption= Map showing the location of source and mouth within Somerset and Devon
| places =
   {{Location map~ |Devon
   | label = Exe mouth
   | background = darkseagreen
   |lat        = 50.614722
   |long       =  -3.425
   }}
   {{Location map~ |Devon
   | label = Exe head
   | background = darkseagreen
   |lat        = 51.159167
   |long       = -3.786667
   }} 
|float      = right
|background = white
|width      = 260
}}
[[Image:ExeEstuaryAtPowderham.jpg|thumb|right|The Exe Estuary with the Belvedere tower of the [[Powderham Castle]] estate visible in the background.]]
[[File:Exeter from Trew’s Weir.jpg|thumb|right|'Exeter from Trew’s Weir' circa 1799. Watercolour on paper by [[Thomas Girtin]]]]
The '''River Exe''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|k|s}} {{respell|EKS|'}}) is a [[river]] in England that [[source (river)|rises]] at Exe Head, near the village of [[Simonsbath]], on [[Exmoor]] in [[Somerset]], {{convert|5.2|mi|km}} from the [[Bristol Channel]] coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in [[Devon]]. It flows for 60 miles (96&nbsp;km)<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=c0KuCwAAQBAJ&dq=exe+gazetteer&pg=PA190 ''The Statesman’s Year-Book World Gazetteer'' ed. John Paxton]</ref> and reaches the sea at a substantial [[ria]], the [[Exe Estuary]], on the south ([[English Channel]]) coast of Devon.  Historically, its [[lowest bridging point]] was the [[Old Exe Bridge]] in [[Exeter]], the largest settlement on the river, but there is now a viaduct for the [[M5 motorway]] about {{convert|2|mi|km}} south of the city centre.

==Topography==
[[File:River Exe at Exeter Quay.jpg|thumb|left|The River Exe at Exeter Quay.]]

The river's name derives from *uɨsk, a [[Common Brittonic]] root meaning "abounding in fish", and a [[cognate]] of both the [[Irish language|Irish]] ''iasc'', meaning "fish", and ''pysg'', the plural word for "fish" in [[Welsh Language|Welsh]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names |author=Eilert Ekwall |publisher=OUP |location=Oxford [Eng.] |year=1981 |pages=171 |isbn=0-19-869103-3}}</ref><ref>Owen, H.W. & Morgan, R. 2007 Dictionary of the Place-names of Wales Gomer Press, Ceredigion; Gwasg Gomer / Gomer Press; page 484.</ref> The same root separately developed into the [[England|English]] [[River Axe (Lyme Bay)|Axe]] and [[River Esk, North Yorkshire|Esk]], the [[Wales|Welsh]] [[River Usk|Usk]], though not, as some have claimed, the word ''[[whisky]]'', this latter being from the [[Classical Gaelic|Classical Irish/Gaelic]] {{lang|ghc|uisgi}} "water" (the fuller phrase being {{lang|ghc|uisgi betha}}; {{langx|ga|uisce beatha}}; {{langx|gd|uisge beatha}}; "{{lang|la|[[aqua vitae]]}}" ("water of life")).

The river's name occurs in [[Exeter]] ("fortress on the Exe") and many other settlements along its course, including [[Exford, Somerset|Exford]], [[Up Exe]], [[Nether Exe]], [[Exwick]], [[Exton, Somerset|Exton]], [[Exminster]], and [[Exebridge]],<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_B0Ouj5VC0C&pg=PT294|title=A Dictionary of British Place-Names | publisher=Oxford Paperbook Reference|author=A.D. Mills | year =2003 | isbn=978-0198527589}}</ref>  where it is joined by the [[River Barle]]. The seaside town of [[Exmouth, Devon|Exmouth]] is at the east side of the estuary mouth, and [[Dawlish Warren]] is at the west, with its long sand spit extending across the mouth.

The river fuelled Exeter's growth and relative importance in medieval times. The city's first industrial area was developed at [[Exe Island]], which was created in the 10th century by digging a series of [[leat]]s into the sandy and marshy land bordering the river. The island became home to numerous [[watermill]]s producing paper and textiles.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/_commercial/exeter_leats.php
 |title=The Leats of Exeter – a short history 
 |publisher=Exeter Memories
 |access-date=2019-04-26 
 |url-status=live 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815054833/http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/_commercial/exeter_leats.php
 |archive-date=2018-08-15 
}}</ref>

Tides on the river are limited at Trews Weir in Exeter, two kilometres upstream of [[Countess Wear]], the site of a former [[weir]] commissioned by the [[Isabella de Fortibus|Countess of Devon]] in the 13th century.<ref name="emcw">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/_areas/countesswear.php 
 |title=Exeter Memories - Countess Wear 
 |publisher=www.exetermemories.co.uk 
 |access-date=2008-03-12 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207000222/http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/_areas/countesswear.php 
 |archive-date=2008-02-07 
}}</ref> The [[Exeter Canal]] bypassed this weir to enable ships to reach Exeter [[Quay]]. At high tide, the estuary forms a large body of water that is heavily used for water sports, especially sailing, windsurfing and water skiing.

Railways run along both sides of the estuary. The [[Avocet Line]] from Exeter to Exmouth on the eastern side, and the [[South Devon Railway Company|South Devon main line]] on the western. The latter is on a causeway, the [[South Devon Railway sea wall]] from [[Powderham]] to Dawlish Warren. The [[Exmouth to Starcross Ferry]] carries passengers across the mouth of the estuary during the summer months, linking the harbour at Exmouth with a pier adjacent to [[Starcross railway station]] on the South Devon main line.

At low tide, extensive [[mud flat]]s are exposed, and these are an important feeding source for wading birds. Along with other [[ria]]s in [[South West England]], the Exe estuary is an important site for wintering waders. Dawlish Warren is a favoured site for birdwatching. The river has a low pH but does not suffer from a serious [[acid rain]] problem. It is populated with wild [[brown trout]], and in the lower reaches coarse fish including dace, chub, perch, roach, pike and bream and some [[Thymallus thymallus|grayling]], the average size being {{convert|8|-|10|oz|g}}. There is a run of [[Atlantic salmon]] and a sparse run of sea trout. Just {{convert|150|m|ft}} below the union of the River Barle is Black Pool, which is one of the best, and highest salmon pools on the river. The smaller fish species present include stone loach and there are good reasons to assume others are present.

==2008 clearing operation==
In 2008 the [[Environment Agency]] embarked on a project to clear vegetation from the river in Exeter as well as make way for flood defence work. In order to do the former the water level was lowered further than during the worst droughts that Exeter had seen.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=137199&command=displayContent&sourceNode=136986&contentPK=19727600&folderPk=79934&pNodeId=137002
|title=River Exe runs dry to make way for Flood Defence Work
|publisher=www.thisisexeter.co.uk
|access-date=2008-03-14}}</ref>

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Lawrence, Rod (1999). ''The Exe: A River for Wildlife''. Bradford-on-Avon.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/e/exminsterpowderham/index.aspx/ RSPB reserves: Exminster & Powderham Marshes]
* [http://www.dawlishwarren.co.uk/ Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve]

{{Rivers of Exmoor}}
{{Devon}}
{{Somerset}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Exe, River}}
[[Category:Rivers of Somerset]]
[[Category:Rivers of Devon]]
[[Category:Exmoor]]
[[Category:Exe catchment| ]]