River Spen
The River Spen, known colloquially as Spen Beck, is a river in the county of West Yorkshire, England and is a tributary of the River Calder. It rises north of Cleckheaton, runs through Liversedge and flows into the River Calder, West Yorkshire south of Dewsbury at Ravensthorpe. The average rainfall for the river valley is between 600-1000mm per annum. Combined with the steep narrow river channel, this makes the Spen susceptible to regular flooding.
Course
The river becomes the Spen at the confluence of Hunsworth Beck and Nann Hall Beck in Cleckheaton. It flows south past local Industrial premises parallel to a dismantled railway line before turning south east on the outskirts of Liversedge. It continues flowing in this direction through the heart of the Industrial centre of the town before returning southwards along the edge of Heckmondwike. On the outskirts of the village of Ravensthorpe it turns south east again before joining the River Calder.
Natural History
The river is mainly an urban waterway and has suffered from sewage effluent and industrial waste, though levels of pollutants and mine water discharges have decreased since 1999. Heavy rain can cause pollutant levels to rise and the river suffers from tipping and urban litter.
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