Stevenage Brook

Stevenage Brook is a chalk stream and has a length of 7.544 km (4.688 mi) with a catchment area of 38.89 km2 (15.02 sq mi). Its headwaters is next to the A602 in Stevenage it is a tributary of the River Beane.

Course

Stevenage Brook rises next to the A602 road in Stevenage, flowing through the Stevenage Golf Course, a tributary joins the Stevenage Brook, which is Aston End Brook, and then it later joins the River Beane near Watton at Stone. It has a total length of 7.544 km (4.688 mi) and a catchment area of 38.89 km2 (15.02 sq mi). Stevenage Brook is one out of the twenty-three bodies in the Lee Upper Operational Catchment.

Hydrology

The river level data of Stevenage Brook is listed on the table below.

Stevenage Brook Water Levels
Measuring Station Deepest Level Recorded Date of Deepest Level Normal Depth Range
Bragbury Park 1.19 m (119 cm) 17 July 2025 0.05 m (5.0 cm) to 0.80 m (80 cm)

The station at Bragbury Park is a flat V-weir at a width of 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) and it was constructed in 1974.

Water quality

The Environment Agency measures the water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of invertebrates, angiosperms and fish.

The water quality of the Stevenage Brook system was as follows in 2022.

Water body Water body type Ecological Status Biological quality elements Catchment Area Length Hydromorphological Designation
Stevenage Brook River Poor Poor 38.89 km2 (15.02 sq mi) 7.544 km (4.688 mi) Not designated as artificial or heavily modified.

Ecology

Stevenage Brook is a chalk stream and contains habitats such as a marsh, which is present in Stevenage Brook Marsh and it is managed by the Environment Agency. Wet grassland and a developing swamp is present in the Stevenage Brook Marsh.

In 2022, the Environment Agency gave data to the Stevenage Brook designating the water body with a ‘poor’ ecological status and ‘poor’ biological quality elements.

Several invasive species on the brook include: Giant Hogweed, Himalayan balsam and Canadian goldenrod they are present on the Stevenage Brook.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Stevenage Brook | Catchment Data Explorer | Catchment Data Explorer". environment.data.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  2. ↑ "Detailed maps & routes to explore across the UK | OS Maps". explore.osmaps.com. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  3. ↑ "Lee Upper Operational Catchment | Catchment Data Explorer". environment.data.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  4. ↑ "Stevenage Brook level at Bragbury Park - GOV.UK". check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  5. ↑ "Station | National River Flow Archive". nrfa.ceh.ac.uk. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  6. ↑ "Glossary (see Biological quality element and Ecological status)". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 "STEVENAGE BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN: A Wilder Stevenage 2024-2028" (PDF). stevenage.gov.uk. Stevenage Borough Council.

51°51′59″N 0°07′45″W / 51.86646°N 0.12925°W / 51.86646; -0.12925