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The River Darent, which lies close to the border between Kent and Outer London is ideal for safely studying river landforms and processes. This shallow stream, which is about 40 kms. (25 miles) long, flows northwards in a deep valley across the chalk rocks of the North Downs. The source lies west of Sevenoaks and is just inside the Surrey border. The river mouth is north of Dartford (Kent) and here the tidal part of the Darent joins the Thames estuary. The total area of the drainage basin is about 400 square kms.(144 square miles). The highest point in the drainage basin is 250 metres (about 750 feet) above sea-level.

Much of the water in the Darent comes from springs which emerge from the local chalk and sandstone rocks. The average annual rainfall across the area is relatively low at about 700 mm. Much of this is lost in summer through evaporation. Since 1993 efforts have been made to reduce the water taken from the chalk for public water supply as it was thought that there was a serious danger that the River Darent would dry up as the water table in the area fell to its lowest ever recorded level. Although large parts of the western half of the drainage basin are heavily urbanised (see map below), the majority of the land is rural and has been protected from further building by giving it green belt status.

The River Darent, which lies close to the border between Kent and Outer London is ideal for safely studying river landforms and processes. This shallow stream, which is about 40 kms. (25 miles) long, flows northwards in a deep valley across the chalk rocks of the North Downs. The source lies west of Sevenoaks and is just inside the Surrey border. The river mouth is north of Dartford (Kent) and here the tidal part of the Darent joins the Thames estuary. The total area of the drainage basin is about 400 square kms.(144 square miles). The highest point in the drainage basin is 250 metres (about 750 feet) above sea-level. Much of the water in the Darent comes from springs which emerge from the local chalk and sandstone rocks. The average annual rainfall across the area is relatively low at about 700 mm. Much of this is lost in summer through evaporation. Since 1993 efforts have been made to reduce the water taken from the chalk for public water supply as it was thought that there was a serious danger that the River Darent would dry up as the water table in the area fell to its lowest ever recorded level. Although large parts of the western half of the drainage basin are heavily urbanised (see map below), the majority of the land is rural and has been protected from further building by giving it green belt status.
	Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Multi Media Mapping.
	Map left: River Darent Drainage Basin Map above: location of fieldwork sites near the village of Horton Kirby


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