| Aller Brook | |
|---|---|
 Aller Brook near Newton Abbot | |
  Location within Devon | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Counties | Devon |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | River Teign |
• location | Devon |
• coordinates | 50°32′03″N3°35′24″W / 50.5342°N 3.5900°W /50.5342; -3.5900 |
| Length | 8 km (5.0 mi) |
TheAller Brook is a stream that flows for 5.0 miles (8 km) throughDevon, England. It is a primary tributary of theRiver Teign, which it joins nearNewton Abbot.[1][2]
The name of the brook is first attested in around 1540, asAller water; the nameAller brook is first attested in 1577. The name comes from the name of a village, given in theDomesday Book of 1086 asAlre (which in turn comes from theOld English wordalor, "alder").[3]
The brook rises to the south ofDaccombe, near Coffinswell, and initially flows due west, until it reaches the village ofKingskerswell, where it turns north to flow through the Aller vale. It is joined by a stream on the left which drainsAbbotskerswell and Compton. The brook continues north, passing to the west ofMilber, before it reaches Newton Abbot. Originally the brook took a meandering course through this marshy area, but in the 1980s it was forced to run alongside theA380 road in a straight channel. The area is now alocal nature reserve, situated between the town and the Buckland estate. At the end of the reserve the brook enters theTeign Estuary at theTempler Way footbridge.[4][5][6]
The water level of the stream has been measured in Kingskerswell since 2004, normal levels are between 0.29 metres (11 in) and 0.42 metres (1 ft 5 in). The maximum recorded level was 1.42 metres (4 ft 8 in) in November 2012.[7]
The brook has been classed as having both good ecological and chemical quality under theWater Framework Directive. This is in the upper band in the five-part framework scale, which ranges from high, good, and moderate, through to poor and finally bad.[4][5]
Wildlife including dragonflies, kingfishers and otters have been identified within the nature reserve. There is also a notable cluster ofBee Orchids (Ophrys apifera) within the reserve.[6]
The recent construction of the Kingskerswell bypass along the Aller valley, required various environmental measures to be included due to the local wildlife. This included the construction of a specially designed tunnel for otters, which will help them navigate beneath the new carriageway when their normal routes, such as culverts are flooded and inaccessible due to high brook levels.[8]
