Estuary detail

Below is an interactive map and a table of parameters derived through various sources – Nature Conservancy Council (Davidson et al, 1991), EMPHASYS (2000c), Dyer (2002) in Futurecoast, Townend (2005), ABPmer (2024) and ABPmer (2025). The data is indicative of recently determined bulk properties suitable for broadscale intercomparison of estuaries.

Alternatively take a look in the viewer.

Estuaries Database Viewer View in Estuaries Database Viewer
Estuary ID 65 
JNCC ID 147 
Name of estuary Salcombe & Kingsbridge Estuary 
Alternative name This estuary spans more than one WFD waterbody (one of them is coastal, Salcombe Harbour) 
Grid reference SX745415  
WFD water body ID GB520804609000,GB680806460000 
WFD water body name Kingsbridge, Salcombe Harbour 
MAGIC URL link MAGIC link 1 
Latitude 50.23869693 
Longitude -3.75827288 
JNCC classification Ria  
Updated classification Ria   read more on estuary classification..
Tidal classification Macrotidal  
Spring tidal range (m) 4.6  
Mean High Water Springs (mODN) 2.25 
Mean Low Water Springs (mODN) -2.35 
Mean Tide Level (mODN) 0.09 
Mean river flow (m3/s) 11.5 
Low river flow (m3/s)  
High river flow (m3/s)  
Name of furthest downstream flow gauge Kingsbridge Duncombe Street  
DEFRA Hydrology Gauge Data Explorer URL link DEFRA Hydrology Gauge link    
Area of basin (Ha) 674.1  
Intertidal area (Ha) 446  
Shoreline length (km) 48.6  
Channel length (km) 8.3  
Mouth width (m) 520  
Valley width (m) 520  
Volume at mean tide level (m3) 77300000  
Surface area at mean tide level (m2) 9790000  
CSA at mean tide level (m2) 8214  
Volume at low water (m3) 56700000  
Surface area at low water (m2) 7220000  
CSA at low water (m2) 5305 
Volume at high water (m3) 99300000 
Surface area at high water (m2) 10000000 
CSA at high water (m2) 11043 
Volume of tidal prism (m3) 42600000 
Dronkers' gamma (nondim) 1.15 
Storage volume over intertidal (m3) 9360000 
Channel volume to MTL (m3) 89900000 
Ratio of storage volume to channel volume (nondim) 0.1 
Hydraulic depth at MTL (m) 7.9 
DEFRA Catchment Data Explorer URL link DEFRA Catchment link   
Estuary template download link  

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Last Modified on: 20 June 2025
Printed from the Estuary Guide on 29/10/2026 02:19:14