List of rivers of Wales

This is a list of rivers of Wales, organised geographically. It is taken anti-clockwise from the Dee Estuary to the M48 Bridge that separates the estuary of the River Wye from the River Severn.

Afon redirects here. For Nigerian region, see Imeko Afon

Tributaries are listed down the page in an upstream direction, starting with those closest to the sea. The main stem (or principal) river of a catchment is given, left-bank tributaries are indicated by (L), and right-bank tributaries by (R). Note that, in general usage, the 'left (or right) bank of a river' refers to the left (or right) hand bank as seen when looking downstream. Where a named river is formed by the confluence of two differently named rivers, these are labelled as (Ls) and (Rs) for the left and right forks. A prime example is the formation of the River Taff from the Taf Fawr and the Taf Fechan at Cefn Coed-y-cymmer.

The list includes more or less every watercourse named on Ordnance Survey mapping and thus many of the main rivers of Wales (as defined by Natural Resources Wales ). Difficulties arise otherwise in determining what should and what should not be included.[1]

Certain names are encountered frequently and particular care should be taken to differentiate between the various occurrences of Clydach, Clywedog and of Dulas for example as well as those whose names refer perhaps to the colour of their waters e.g. Afon Goch (red river), Afon Ddu (black/dark river) and Afon Wen (white/light river).

Mainland rivers flowing into Liverpool Bay

From Dee Estuary to Garth Pier, Bangor, Gwynedd

Dee catchment
  • River Dee, Wales (Afon Dyfrdwy)
    • Nant-y-fflint (L) (flows into Dee Estuary)
    • Wepre Brook (L) (flows into Dee Estuary)
    • Aldford Brook (R) (wholly in England)
    • River Alyn (L) (Afon Alun / River Alun)
    • Worthenbury Brook (R)
      • Emral Brook (Ls)
      • Wych Brook (Rs) (formerly known as the "River Elfe")
        • Red Brook (L)
    • River Clywedog (L) (Afon Clywedog)
      • River Gwenfro (L) (Afon Gwenfro)
      • Glanyrafon Brook (R)
        • Black Brook (R) (Afon Ddu)
    • Shell Brook (R)
    • River Ceiriog (R) (Afon Ceiriog) (head of river is Ceiriog Ddu)
      • River Teirw (L) (Afon Teirw)
      • Nant Sarffle (R)
      • Nant Cwm-y-geifr (R)
      • Nant Cwm-llawenog (R)
      • Nant Rhydwilym (R)
    • River Eitha (L) (Afon Eitha)
    • Eglwyseg River (L)
    • Afon Morwynion (L)
    • River Alwen (L) (Afon Alwen)
      • Afon Ceirw (R)
      • Merddwr (R) (known as Nant Lleidiog upstream)
        • Afon Medrad (R)
      • Afon Brenig (L)
    • Afon Trystion (R)
    • Afon Llynor (R)
    • Afon Ceidiog (R)
    • Hirnant (R)
    • Afon Tryweryn (L) (River Tryweryn)
      • Afon Mynach (Dee) (L)
      • Afon Hesgyn (L)
      • Afon Gelyn (L) (flows into Llyn Celyn)
      • Nant Aberderfel (R) (flows into Llyn Celyn)
    • Afon Llafar (L) (flows into Bala Lake)
    • Afon Twrch (R)
    • Afon Lliw (L)

Clwyd catchment
  • River Clwyd (Afon Clwyd)
    • Afon Gele (L)
    • River Elwy (L) (Afon Elwy)(Also known as Afon Cledwen above the village of Llangernyw)
      • Afon Meirchion (R)
      • River Aled (R)
      • Afon Gallen (Ls)
    • River Wheeler (R) (Afon Chwiler)
    • Afon Ystrad (R)
    • River Clywedog (Clwyd) (L) (Afon Clywedog) (Not to be confused with the Dee tributary of the same name)

Conwy catchment

Simple coastal catchments
  • Afon Gyrach
  • Afon Ddu
    • Afon Glan-sais (L)
    • Afon Maes-y-bryn (R)

Aber catchment
  • Afon Aber
    • Afon Anafon (Rs)
    • Afon Rhaeadr Fawr (Ls)
      • Afon Rhaeadr Bach (Ls)
        • Afon Gam (L)
      • Afon Goch (Rs)

Ogwen catchment

Cegin catchment

Adda catchment

Isle of Anglesey rivers

Anticlockwise from Menai Bridge / Porthaethwy

Minor coastal catchments
  • Afon Cadnant (River Cadnant)
  • Nant Meigan
  • Lleiniog
  • Afon Nodwydd
  • Afon y Marchogion
  • Afon Lligwy
  • Nant Perfedd
  • Afon Goch (Dulas)
  • Nant y Beddyw
  • Afon Bryn Gwyn
  • Afon Goch (Amlwch)
  • Afon Wygyr
  • Gwter Fudr
  • Afon Alaw (River Alaw)

Crigyll catchment
  • Afon Crigyll
    • Afon Caradog (L)

Ffraw catchment

Cefni catchment

Braint (i) catchment

The Afon Braint bifurcates near Llanfairpwllgwyngyll to form two different watercourses.

  • Afon Braint (River Braint, Dwyran)
    • Afon Rhyd y Valley (L)

Braint (ii) catchment

Note "Afon Menai", known as the "Menai Strait" in English, is not technically a river, despite its Welsh name..

Mainland rivers flowing into the Menai Strait and Caernarfon Bay

From Bangor Pier to the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula

Seiont catchment

Gwyrfai catchment

Simple coastal catchments

Rivers flowing into Cardigan Bay

From the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula to St. David's Head

  • Afon Saint

Daron catchment

Soch catchment

Rhyd-hir catchment etc

Dwyfor catchment

Glaslyn catchment

Artro catchment

Ysgethin catchment

Mawddach catchment
  • Afon Mawddach
    • Afon Dwynant (R)
    • Afon Gwynant (L)
    • Afon Cwm-llechen (R)
    • Afon Cwm-mynach (R)
    • Afon Wnion (L)
      • Afon Clywedog (L)
      • Afon Celynog (L)
    • Afon Wen (L)
    • Afon Gamlan (R)
    • Afon Eden (R)
      • Afon Crawcwellt (R)
    • Afon Gain (R)

Dysynni catchment

Dyfi catchment

Clarach catchment
  • Afon Clarach (formed at the confluence of Afon Stewi and Nant Silo)
    • Bowstreet Brook (R)
    • Afon Peithyll (Ls)

Rheidol catchment
  • River Rheidol (Afon Rheidol)
    • Afon Melindwr (R)
    • River Mynach (L) (Afon Mynach)
      • Afon Merin (Rs)
      • Nant Rhuddnant (Ls)
    • Afon Castell (L)
    • Afon Llechwedd Mawr (flows into Nant y Moch Reservoir)
      • Afon Lluestgota (R)
    • Afon Hengwm (flows into Nant y Moch Reservoir)
      • Afon Hyddgen (R)
    • Nant-y-moch (stream flowing into Nant-y-moch Reservoir)

Ystwyth catchment
  • River Ystwyth (Afon Ystwyth)
    • Afon Fâd (L)
    • Afon Llanfihangel (R)
      • Nant Cynon (Ls)
    • Afon Magwr (R)
    • Nant Freuo (L)
    • Nant Pant-yr-Haidd (R)
    • Nant Cwmtarw (L)
      • Nant Cwm-nel (L)
    • Nant Cilmeddu (L)
    • Nant y Henfelin (L)
      • Nant yr Brithyll (R)
    • Nant y Berws (L)
    • Nant Cell (R)
    • Nant Lledwenau (R)
    • Nant Bwlchgwallter (L)
    • Nant Peiran (R)
      • Nant Crafanglach (R)
      • Nant Perfedd (L)
      • Nant Ffrin-fawr (Rs)
        • Nant Hylles (L)
    • Nant Gau (L)
      • Nant Ffrwd-ddu (L)
    • Nant Cae-glas (R)
      • Nant y Gwndwn-gwyn (Ls)
      • Nant Cwta (Rs)
    • Nant Milwyn (L)
    • Nant Byr (L)
    • Nant y Gwaith (R)
    • Nant Watcyn (R)
    • Nant yr Onnen (R)
    • Nant Cwm-du (L)
    • Nant Stwc (R)
    • Nant Penygwndwn (L)
    • Nant Garw (R)
    • Nant y Cae Isaf (L)
    • Nant y Cae (L)
    • Nant Troedyrhiw (R)
    • Afon Diliw (R)
      • Nant yr Gafod (R)
      • Diliw Fechan (R)
      • Nant y Caseg (L)
      • Nant yr Eglwys
        • Nant yr Eglwys-fach (L)
      • Nant Lwyd (R)
      • Nant y Gorlan (Rs)
      • Nant Llychese (R)
    • Nant Rhydyfelin (L)
    • Nant Ffos-casaf (L)

Wyre catchment
  • Afon Wyre
    • Afon Carrog (R)
    • Wyre Fach (L)
      • Nant Rhydrosser (L)
      • Afon Tryal (L)
    • Afon Beidog (L)

Cledan catchment
  • Afon Cledan

Arth catchment

Aeron catchment

Coastal streams
  • Afon Drywi
  • Afon Soden
  • Afon Fynnon Ddewi
  • Nant Hawen
  • Hoffnant

Teifi catchment
  • River Teifi (Afon Teifi)
    • Afon Piliau (L)
    • Nant Arberth (R)
    • Afon Cych (L)
    • Afon Hirwaun (R)
    • Nant Elfed (R)
    • Afon Ceri (R)
      • Afon Dulas (Lampeter) (R)
      • Afon Bedw (L)
    • Nant Bargod (L)
    • Afon Tyweli (L)
      • Afon Talog (R)
    • Afon Clettwr (P)
      • Clettwr Fawr (Rs)
      • Clettwr Fach (Ls)
    • Nant Cledlyn (R)
    • Afon Duar (L)
    • Afon Granell (R)
    • Afon Dulas (Llandyssul) (R)
      • Afon Denys (R)
    • Nant Clywedog (L)
      • Clywedog-isaf (Ls)
      • Clywedog-ganol (Rs)
        • Clywedog-uchaf (R)
    • Afon Brefi (L)
    • Nant Bryn-maen (R)
    • Afon Berwyn (L)
      • Afon Groes (R)
    • Afon Fflur (L)
    • Camddwr (R)
    • Afon Meurig (R)
    • Nant Lluest (R)
    • Glasffrwd (L)
    • Nant Egnant (L)
    • Nant Rhydol (R)

Nyfer catchment etc
  • Afon Nyfer
    • Nant Duad (R)
    • Afon Brynberian (L)
    • Afon Bannon (L)

Minor coastal catchments

Rivers flowing to west Pembrokeshire coast

From St David's Head to St. Govan's Head

Minor catchments

Cleddau catchment

Rivers flowing into the Bristol Channel

From St. Govan's Head to M48 Bridge

South Pembrokeshire rivers
  • The Ritec (Afon Rhydeg}

Taf catchment

Towy catchment

Gwendraeth catchment

Lliedi catchment

Loughor catchment

Clyne catchment

Tawe catchment

Neath catchment

Afan catchment
  • River Afan
    • Ffrwd Wyllt (L)
    • Nant Cwm Wenderi
    • Afon Pelenna (R)
    • Nant Cregan
    • Afon Corrwg (R)
      • Afon Corrwg Fechan (R)

Kenfig catchment

Ogmore catchment

Col-huw catchment
  • Afon Col-huw
    • Ogney Brook (Rs)
    • Hoddnant (Ls)
      • Boverton Brook (Ls)
      • Llanmaes Brook (Rs)

Thaw catchment
  • River Thaw
    • Kenson River (L)
      • River Waycock (Ls)
      • Nant Llancarfan (Rs)
    • Nant y Stepsau (R)

Cadoxton catchment
  • Cadoxton River
    • Sully Brook (L)
    • Cold Brook, Cadoxton (R)
      • Nant yr Argae (L)
    • East Brook, Cadoxton (L)
    • Bullcroft Brook (Ls)
    • Wrinstone Brook (Rs)

Taff catchment

Rhymney catchment

Usk catchment

Wye catchment

Severn catchment

With the exception of a small part of the Rea Brook, all tributaries of the Severn downstream of the confluence of the Severn and the Vyrnwy are wholly in England. For details see List of rivers of England.

Longest rivers in Wales

This is a table of the longest rivers wholly or partially in Wales.[2] Rivers only partly in Wales are included in this table in italics. Note that river lengths given by different authorities vary due to the different ways in which the measurement is made or indeed estimated. That rivers are partly fractal in nature accounts for some variation and lengths can also vary slightly over time as meanders expand or are cut off where rivers run through broad flood-plains.

River Length Notes
(miles) (km)
1 River Severn 220 354 Leaves Wales after 48 miles.
2 River Wye 135 217 Forms the Wales-England border for much of its length.
3 River Teme 81 130 Entirely in England after 12 miles.
4 River Usk 78 126[3] Longest river entirely in Wales according to some sources.
5 River Tywi 75 121 Longest river entirely within Wales according to some sources[4]
6 River Teifi 73 117 [4]
7 River Dee 70 113
8 River Taff 40 64

See also

References
  1. Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 (Explorer) and 1:50,000 (Landranger) scale maps of Wales
  2. Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911. "Wales"
  3. "Usk Management Catchment Summary" (PDF). Natural Resources Wales. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  4. The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. University of Wales Press. 2008.
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