Geography

East London is located in the lower Thames valley. The major rivers of East London are the Thames that forms the southern boundary; the Lea which forms the boundary of Tower Hamlets/Hackney with Newham/Waltham Forest; the Roding which forms the boundary of Newham with Barking and Dagenham/Redbridge; and the Beam which forms the boundary of Barking and Dagenham with Havering. The marshes along the Thames which once stretched from Wapping to Rainham are almost completely gone.[18] The area adjacent to the City of London is known as the East End of London. It does not have clearly defined boundaries, but is usually taken to be north of the River Thames, east of the City and west of the River Lea. London Docklands was defined in the 1980s as the area of redevelopment under the control of the London Docklands Development Corporation. The Thames Gateway extends into East London with two areas of activity: the Lower Lea Valley around the Olympic site and London Riverside adjacent to the Thames.The River Rom, also known as the River Beam below its confluence with the Ravensbourne[n 1], is a tributary of the River Thames in England that flows through east London suburbs surrounding the metropolitan centre of Romford, forming the boundary between the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering. The Rom is culverted for a brief mid-section as it passes through the centre of Romford.The River Roding is a river in England that rises near Dunmow, flows through Essex and forms Barking Creek as it reaches the River Thames in London. The river leaves Dunmow and passes through a grou

of villages in Essex known collectively as the Rodings, as they all end with the suffix 'Roding'. However, some are a mile or more from the river itself. After Chipping Ongar, the river flows under the M25 motorway by Passingford Bridge and Abridge. Flood meadows by the river near Chigwell, looking towards Loughton, at Roding Valley Meadows Nature Reserve The river then runs past Loughton and between Chigwell and Woodford Green where the Roding Valley Meadows make up the largest surviving area of traditionally managed river-valley habitat in Essex. This nature reserve consists of unimproved wet and dry hay meadows, rich with flora and fauna and bounded by thick hedgerows, scrubland, secondary woodland and tree plantation.[1] The meadows stretch down to the M11 motorway and Roding Valley tube station is situated close to the area, although Debden, Loughton, or Buckhurst Hill are better placed for a visit. Redbridge takes its name from a crossing of the river which then passes through Ilford and Barking. The River Roding through Ilford project is a government backed scheme to improve amenities along this stretch of the river.[2] After Barking the tidal section is known as Barking Creek, which flows into the Thames at Creekmouth. In Essex the river forms part of the boundary between the district of Epping Forest and borough of Brentwood. The river marks much of the boundary between the London Borough of Newham and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Ilford takes its name from Ilefort, "ford on the River Hyle", which was the mediaeval name for part of the Roding.

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