Nature of the Study Area

The Teign Catchment

The River Teign arises on Dartmoor at a height of 520m AOD and flows in a southeasterly direction towards the Teign Estuary and the sea.

The Teign Catchment covers an area of 550 km².

The principal sub-catchments are the Rivers Lemon and Bovey and the Aller Brook. The River Teign flows through a diversity of landscapes and habitats, ranging from open moorland (Dartmoor) to ancient woodland, improved pasture land and broad valleys, before finally meeting its floodplain and the estuary.

The Teign Estuary is approximately 9km in length and less than 1 km wide at its widest point. It is one of South Devon’s most valuable assets. The mouth of the Estuary is marked by a permanent spit "the Point", on the north bank at Teignmouth extending southwest, and the red cliffs at Shaldon to the south.

Aerial Photo of Teign Estuary showing sandbar at mouth

Fishing Boat entering the mouth of the Teign Estuary

The principal industries along the Teign Catchment are agriculture, the Ball Clay industry, tourism and the fishing industry (including the Teign Estuary Shellfishery).

The Teign Estuary is a bass nursery and is very important for migratory fish. The shellfishery operates under a regulatory Order and has the potential to produce up to 1000 tonnes of shellfish.

Main Contact:

Sarah Clark

Teign Cycleau Project Officer