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💧

The Source

Near the source of the River Burn in Norfolk
Near the source of the River Burn in Norfolk
Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Click here for the license

This is the beginning of a river. It might be a spring where water comes out of the ground, a melting glacier, or a boggy, wet area.

Its job is to:

Start the flow of water.

💡 Fun Facts

  • The source of the River Severn, the UK's longest river, is in the Cambrian Mountains in Wales.
  • The source of the River Thames is a spring in a field in Gloucestershire, called Thames Head.
  • Rivers are often very small, narrow, and shallow at their source.