River Ouse, Yorkshire

The name was first recorded in about 780 as Usa. It has been speculated that the name is of Romano-Brittonic (Celtic) origin, from an assumed word udso-, assumed to be derived from the Indo-European root wed-, meaning "water". Alternatively, 'Isaf' and 'Uchaf' are common forms of place names in modern Welsh (Romano Britonic's successor) meaning 'upper' and 'lower'. The letter 'U' forms an 'I' sound in Welsh. Other sources prefer a Proto-Celtic origin. It has been suggested that the Ouse was once known as the 'Ure', but there seems to be no supporting evidence for this claim. The suggestion that the name derives from the Romano-British name of the Ure, assumed to be Isurā from the Roman name for Aldborough, and over time evolved into Isis and finally the Saxon Ouse, would go some way to explaining how the little tributary Ouse Gill Beck usurps the name of the much larger River Ure. However the form Ouse is little changed from the eighth century. == Navigation ==

The Ouse is navigable throughout its length. Seagoing vessels use the river as far as Howdendyke. The inland port of Goole also accepts seagoing vessels on a regular basis. Goole also offers access to the Aire and Calder Navigation. At Selby there is access to the Selby Canal. The river is tidal up to Naburn; the resultant tidal bore is known locally as "the Aegir". At Naburn there is a weir with locks, so that boats of length and beam can reach York. Above York there is another weir with locks at Linton-on-Ouse, which allows boats of length to proceed to the River Ure Navigation. Adjacent to the lock is Linton Lock Hydro plant. This is capable of generating enough electricity to power 450 homes. The navigation authority is Associated British Ports from Trent Falls to Goole railway swing bridge at Skelton, and the Canal & River Trust upstream from there. In the 18th and 19th centuries, there was considerable commercial traffic on the river, mainly from Selby, which then had a custom house, downstream. After the 1826 opening of the Aire and Calder Navigation, most traffic became concentrated on the port of Goole. This continues, although the coal trade which formed the backbone of the river trade has ceased. ==Settlements==

• Lower Dunsforth • Aldwark • Linton-on-Ouse • Newton-on-Ouse • Nun Monkton • Beningbrough • Overton • Nether Poppleton • York • South Bank • Fulford • Bishopthorpe • Naburn • Acaster Malbis • Acaster Selby • Cawood • Kelfield • Riccall • Barlby • Selby • Hemingbrough • Barmby on the Marsh • Booth • Hook • Skelton • Goole • Swinefleet • Saltmarshe • Reedness • Little Reedness • Yokefleet • Whitgift • Blacktoft • Ousefleet • Faxfleet (Joins Trent at Trent Falls to form Humber) ==Flooding==

With both the Ouse and the Foss running through York, flooding has been a problem throughout its documented history. Flooding is known to have occurred in 1263, 1316, 1564, 1625, 1638, 1947, 1978, 1982, 2000, 2007, 2010 and 2015. In November 2000, the floods reached a height of above sea level, whilst over the Christmas period of 2015, the level reached . A barrier was installed on the mouth of the River Foss in York city centre in 1989, so that when the Ouse was in flood, water would not run upstream of the Foss and flood the city. Flooding occurs typically due to heavy rainfall further upstream in the catchment area of the Ouse (Swale, Ure, Nidd) which covers , (the Foss catchment is . Low-lying land around the villages of Kelfield, Riccall, Wistow and Cawood, which are south of York, are designated as a floodplain, though it can cause damage to properties there. In February 2020, it was estimated that over of fields were under floodwater, making the size comparable to that of Windermere, England's largest natural lake. As the Ouse is tidal as far inland as Naburn, this means that flooding can occur due to heavy rainwater or tidal surges in the downstream settlements of Selby and Goole. ==Gallery==

File:Nun Monkton Priory - geograph.org.uk - 184550.jpg|Nun Monkton, north west of York File:High Water York - geograph.org.uk - 1588405.jpg|The River Ouse in the city of York File:The A64 crossing the river Ouse - geograph.org.uk - 1220879.jpg|The A64 crossing the River Ouse, Bishopthorpe, York File:Approach to Naburn Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1512256.jpg|The Marina in Naburn, south of York File:River Ouse at Selby - geograph.org.uk - 644740.jpg|River Ouse at Selby File:Goole rail bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1520503.jpg| Goole swing rail bridge Goole ==See also==