No single entity "owns" the entire River Thames; instead, different bodies manage different sections, with the Port of London Authority (PLA) governing the tidal Thames (from Teddington to the sea) for navigation and environment, the Environment Agency managing the non-tidal river (Staines to Teddington), and the Crown Estate holding some underlying rights, while Thames Water provides water services but doesn't own the river itself. Ownership of the riverbed and banks (riparian rights) is complex, involving the Crown, the City of London, and numerous private landowners.
Thames Water is owned by a consortium of international institutional investors, primarily pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, through its parent company, Kemble Water Holdings Limited, with major shareholders including Canada's OMERS, the UK's Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), and China Investment Corporation (CIC). It's a private company with a complex structure, but its main operating entity, Thames Water Utilities Limited, is ring-fenced and regulated by Ofwat.
The Thames has been reinvented for every generation that has lived or worked around its banks or crossed its bridges. Yet London's river is not owned and governed by the general public but by a private trust.
There isn't a fixed number of bodies in the Thames, but around 30 bodies are recovered annually, with figures ranging from the low 20s to over 30 in recent years, primarily due to suicides or accidents, though some are from unexplained deaths. The Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit (MPU) handles recoveries, but other agencies like the RNLI also assist.
The PLA has statutory responsibility for the regulation and control of the tidal River and, as mentioned above, owns much of the River bed and foreshore to the high water mark.
History Of The Thames River in London | Amazing facts
How many years until London is under water?
By 2100, parts of London and the east coast of England could be under water. According to new maps, dozens of British towns and cities could vanish beneath the water within the next 80 years.
The Thames estuary is known to be home to at least five different species of shark, including the Critically Endangered tope shark (or 'soupfin' shark) and starry smoothhound sharks.
The River Thames, winding through the English capital of London, is the source of a substantial archaeological assemblage that includes hundreds of human bones, but the lack of a robust chronology for these finds limits interpretation. Here, 30 new radiocarbon dates are reported for the human remains.
Where swimming in the Thames is allowed. So the Port of London Authority only permits swimming in London between Putney Bridge and Teddington Lock. Teddington Lock marks the boundary between the tidal and non-tidal Thames, and it's where the PLA's jurisdiction ends.
The sea froze 4 miles (6 km) out to sea from Dunkirk. The upper reaches of the River Thames froze over. The ice was thick enough in some places that people were skating on it, and on 22 January a car was driven across the frozen Thames at Oxford.
While "prettiest" is subjective, Henley-on-Thames is widely considered a top contender for the most picturesque town on the Thames, known for its classic English charm, historic buildings, vibrant Regatta, and beautiful setting near the Chilterns. Other contenders for beauty include Marlow for its idyllic riverside setting, Windsor for its iconic castle, and charming spots like Richmond for riverside pubs and greenery.
#thameswater In the 2024/2025 financial year, Thames Water's chief executive, Chris Weston, received a total remuneration of £1.035 million. This included his base salary of £850,000 plus other benefits.
The rescue package was provided by a group of Thames Water's senior creditors including Abrdn, Apollo Global Management, Elliott Investment Management, Invesco, M&G and PIMCO.
1. Congo. Right at the top, in the number one spot, the Congo (formerly Zaire) is the second-longest in Africa (after the Nile) at 2,715 miles (4,370 km) and passes through six countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.
In London's coldest winters, particularly between the 1600s and 1800s, the Thames could freeze over. Londoners would take to the ice and host frost fairs, which were part market, part fun fair and part carnival. A frost fair on the Thames, as seen from Temple Stairs, 1684.
The Mary River in the Northern Territory, Australia, has the highest density of Saltwater Crocodiles on the planet. Averaging around 11 non-hatchlings per kilometre, they converge in even larger numbers at a place called Shady Camp.
Where is the best place to live in 2050 climate change?
The Northeast offers better prospects, particularly Vermont and New Hampshire, which rank as the two safest states from climate change. Vermont stands out as a haven – free from wildfires, extreme heat, and hurricanes.
By 2080, the UK will likely face hotter, drier summers with increased heatwave risks, wetter winters, rising sea levels causing coastal issues, and more intense rainfall leading to flooding, alongside potential water scarcity, while agriculture might see new crops like oranges grown, but significant adaptation in infrastructure, water management, and urban planning will be crucial for resilience. Population dynamics, including migration and ageing, and technological advancements in food production (like urban farming) will also shape the UK's future.
