According to research, millions of years ago, the River Thames had flowed along its current route, passing through Oxford, London and other places to the city of Ipswich and flowing into the North Sea.

At the end of the Ice Age, the ice at its source began to dissolve, and a large amount of ice water poured into the Thames, further developing the river to its present form.

12,000 years ago, Britain was connected to continental Europe, and the source of the River Thames is said to be located in Wales and flows until the confluence of the Rhine.

In the later stages, the section moved, the source changed, and the end of the Thames became the North Sea.

The Thames River flows through a plain area with a temperate oceanic climate, with a stable water level, a slow flow rate, a wide and deep river, and a developed hinterland economy, which is extremely beneficial for shipping.

Only flat-bottomed boats can be sailed upstream above Oxford, barges, steamboats, sailboats and motorboats can be used between Oxford and London, boats with a draft of 10 metres can be navigated below London, and ocean liners can reach Tilberry on the east side of London.

The River Thames below London, Oxford University and Eton College are located in these small towns. In addition, some of its historic events are held here, such as the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races.

The River Thames is the largest river in the United Kingdom, originating in the Cotswolds near the Serencester in southern England, flowing from west to east, to Oxford, to the northeast, to Reading, to Windsor, and then east through London, and finally to the North Sea near Southend.

The total length of the river is 338 kilometers, the basin area is 11,400 square kilometers, the annual average flow is 60.0 cubic meters per second, and the annual average runoff is 1.89 billion cubic meters. The geographical location of the basin is 2.08'~0.43' east longitude and 51.00'~52.3' north latitude.

The Thames has a complex network of tributaries, the main tributaries of which are Churn, Colne, Kole, Indrush, Evenlode, Cherell, Ray, Ock, Kennet, Loddon, ey, Lea, the Roding River, as well as the Darent River, etc.

The River Thames is about 330 kilometres long, 226 kilometres (140 miles) from its source to the tidal line (from Thamhead to Teddington Lock) and 104 kilometres (65 miles) down to the shores of the Nore, which marks the transition from the estuary to the sea.

The average annual precipitation in the Thames River basin is 688 mm (27 in) and the terrain is complex. The upstream drainage area is a broad triangle bounded by the Chiltern Hills to the east and the chalk cliffs of Berkshire Dons to the south, the Cotswood Hills to the west and the Northampton Highlands to the north.

The River Thames flows north of the steep slopes of the North Dons after cutting through the chalk cliffs of Goring Gap. Its last major tributary, the River Meday, flows through much of the low-lying Eald in Kent and the Sussex region south of London.

As it traverses gently undulating lowlands, the River Thames stands out for its tranquil idyllic setting. The average drop from Lechlade to London is less than 32 centimeters (less than 20 inches per mile) per kilometre.

Moreover, tidal and seawater intrusion have a significant impact on water levels downstream. In Teddington, in the western suburbs of London, it begins to be intermittently affected by the tides, which last for about 3 hours at high tide.

The transition zone from Tamsui to the Estuary area is not far from central London, near Battersea. The water level at London Bridge in the heart of the London metropolitan area is 7 metres (22 feet) at high tide and 5.5 metres (18 feet) at low tide.

At the upper end of the tidal section of the river at Teddington, the average flow of the Thames is 53 cubic metres (1,856 cubic feet) per second, rising to 130 cubic metres (4,640 cubic feet) per second after winter rains. During major flood periods, such as March 1947, the flow at the Teddington Barrage was as high as 590 cubic metres (20,900 cubic feet) per second.

It is said that the day after a storm in 1894, the average overflow flow on the dam was as high as 887 cubic metres (31,310 cubic feet) per second. During flood seasons, the river is able to hold down the incoming tide and contain it far below Teddington, causing the river to flow towards the sea for several days.

Conversely, when the tide is fierce, it can overflow the barrage and hold the river as far as 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) above Teddington.

The potentially catastrophic effects of the high tides on London's underground infrastructure, buildings and inhabitants prompted the construction of the Thames Water Gate at Silverton (completed in 1982) and the construction of auxiliary flood barriers along the entire tidal stretch.

From the Thames, boats can sail up to the town bridge at Cricklade near its headwater, but electric yachts and mega yachts have to return 16 kilometres (10 miles) below Lechlade.

The River Thames meanders gently through the first 45 kilometres (28 miles) of lowland between Crryclyde and Oxford, past Kelmscott Manor, the gabled stone home of the 19th-century designer, socialist and poet illiam Morris, who is buried in the local village's church cemetery.

Before reaching Oxford, the River Thames (also known as Isis, the literary name for the River Thames) turns north and winds around the wooded hills of Ytham and Cumnor (two mountains overlooking the city of Oxford from the west).

In Olvercote there is a side stream leading to a paper mill which produced fine paper for Oxford University Press from the early 17th century until 1943.

The famous university town is surrounded by gravel floors and has many backwaters, and in the summer, elegant flat-bottomed boats, eight-person rowing boats, and single-person rowing boats are very popular. There you can also see some decorated canal boats running between the Midlands and the north of England via the Oxford Canal.

The River Thames is 46 metres (150 feet) wide at Oxford. From the north, it takes in the three tributaries of the Indrush, Evenlode and Cherell rivers and turns south through the Nuneham forest to the market town of Abingdon.

In Abington there is an inflow of the River Ock from the Vale of hite Horse. It then flows east and south to the old towns of Dorchester (with its 14th-century monasteries) and Allingford.

After passing through the Gorling Glen between the Chiltern Hills and the Cliffs of Berkshire Downs, a beautiful valley of beech forests on both banks meets the Great Western Railway (London to Penzance). After breaking out of the chalk cliffs, it joins the River Pang at Pangbourne. That's where banker and writer Kenneth Grahame's The ind in the illos opens chapters describing the pleasures of "rocking the boat."

Shortly after the River Thames enters Reading, it joins the River Kennet.

Follow the steep slopes of Chiltern Hills back north to Henley-on-Thames, where the annual regatta is held, and then re-east and south below Cliveden House (formerly the home of the Astor family, now owned by the National Trusteeship Society) to Maidenhead.

From there, it becomes a wide channel flowing eastward, passing through Eton College, the royal family's Windsor Castle and Runnymede, where the Magna Carta was drafted in 1215.

In Staines there is the River Colne that joins from the north bank. Close to London, the banks of the River Thames are lined with villas, and "luxury bar" yachts docked in private berths as if to show off their wealth.

The River Thames is also a popular place for people to enjoy, with thousands of public parks along its banks that are widely (and sometimes conflicting) used by sunbathers, swimmers, walkers, anglers, boaters, canoeists, dinghymen, campers and birdwatchers.

Less obviously, the nearby River Thames supplies most of the metropolis's water. Between Windsor and Hampton on the west edge of London, about 1.8 million cubic metres (63,600,000 cubic feet) of water are pumped daily into huge reservoirs for treatment and distribution.

The water passes through sprawling sewage treatment facilities in Mogden in west London, Beckton and Crossness in the east and finally back into the River Thames.

In Teddington, the river is 76 metres (250 ft) wide. Tidal sections of the river with protective embankments have widened to 229 metres (750 ft) at London Bridge, 640 metres (2,100 ft) at Gravesend, and 9 kilometres (5.5 mi) wide to Knoll.

The tidal section of the Thames joins the River Brent at Brentford, the River Wandle at Andsorth, the River Ravensbourne at Deptford, and the River Lea at Blackall.

It joins the Darent River a short distance east of Erith and its largest tributary, the Medway, in Rochester. There are a number of regular ferries on this stretch of the Thames, and the best view is from the ferry deck into the city.

You can also see the view from the Millennium Bridge (completed in 2000 and reopened in 2002), the only pedestrian bridge over the River Thames, and the London Eye on the Ferris Ferris Wheel.

Other interesting sights to see on a boat trip through London include Ke Gardens, Tate Britain, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Tate Modern, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Canary Harf, the former Royal Naval College and Millennium Dome in Greenwich, and the gleaming steel frame of the Thames Water Gate, which symbolizes the flats from which the River Thames flows into the estuary.

London has had a crucial impact on the River Thames for centuries. An ordinance in 1393 gave citizens the right to remove the barrage in the River Thames, and the Lord of London's Marine Police strengthened their powers to control shipping.

An Act of Parliament in 1771 authorized the Thames Commission to construct locks on the upper reaches of Maidenhead, and the London Company made similar improvements downstream.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the busy transport of goods extended to Le Cillard upstream, from which a canal (now abandoned) was dug to connect the River Severn via the Cotswold Hills through the 2-mile Sapperton Tunnel (opened in 1789).

The Thames' modern flow control system and the arrangement of the river's 48 navigation locks are appropriate. The largest lock, Eddington, was built in 1811 and is 198 metres (650 ft) long with three gates that can pass one tug and six barges at a time.

The River Thames can be crossed at many locations, and there are 16 bridges in Greater London alone. Most are road and railway bridges, but some, such as the Golden Jubilee Bridge and the aforementioned Millennium Bridge, are pedestrian bridges.

There are also two pedestrian tunnels, one in Greenwich and the other in Oolich, as well as a number of road and rail tunnels. Woolwich Ferries connects Woolwich in Greenwich City to North Woolwich in Neham.

From the west of Greenwich to the first bridge of the Thames River - Tower Bridge, along the river on both sides of the docks, docks, warehouses are dense, cross the Tower Bridge and enter the city of London in the west, the scenery on both sides of the river changes abruptly, high-rise buildings, royal palaces and gardens, row upon row, the Houses of Parliament, the Royal Concert Hall, the Tower of London and Southwack Cathedral, St. Paul's Cathedral and other ancient buildings are faintly visible.

The County Hall in the administrative centre of the City of London is located on the riverfront. There are a total of 27 bridges along the river, with different structural styles and different scenery. Waterloo Bridge, Westminster Bridge and Lambs Bridge are the most spectacular.

On the north bank of the river, the Victoria Riverside Road is an ideal place for visitors to take a walk and rest. At night, the street lights along the river are bright, and the lights and water waves reflect each other, sometimes broken and sometimes gathered, making people feel the rare leisure of London.

The Egyptian Cleopatra Obelisk, imitation Sphinx replicas, camel soldier statues and other cultural relics and monuments are also mostly located on both sides of the river. The River Thames has long been the subject of poets and painters, and it is a must-stop for visitors to the ancient Range Rover.

From London to the west, Eton, Oxford, Henley, Windsor, Hampton Young, Richmond and other large and small towns all have their own immortal attractions and are famous tourist attractions.

Beginning in 1856, rowing races at Oxford and Cambridge Universities and the Royal Henry Cup Boat Race every summer were held on the river during Easter every year.

As was the case with other rivers and canals in the UK, commercial waterway traffic continued to decline in the 20th century and was on the verge of extinction after the Second World War. Shipping on the Thames in London may be slightly better, but it's also declining – especially compared to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

Since 1970, the Port of London Authority has concentrated all its funds on modernising cargo handling operations at the Port of Tilbury, 32 kilometres downstream from the city. The unpopular but still functioning industrial landscape of London's riverside and boat docks changed dramatically from the 1980s onwards, with docks and processing plants transformed into apartments, office buildings, promenades and parks.

The River Thames was on the verge of extinction in the 1950s, but later land use changes and improvements in pollution control led to a dramatic improvement in water quality and the rebirth of a large number of fish.

After the Industrial Revolution, the population was concentrated, and a large amount of urban domestic sewage and industrial wastewater were discharged directly into the river without treatment, and a large amount of garbage and sewage were piled up along the river, making the river an open sewage ditch in London.

The stench of summer has forced the doors and windows of foreign buildings and the London Clock Tower along the river to be closed. Due to the contamination of London's drinking water and the frequent fog in the early morning, mixed with toxic gases such as sulphur dioxide, sulphur monoxide and nitrogen oxides emitted by industry, there were several cholera pandemics and the London smog that shocked the world.

Of those, 33,460 people died from cholera. In addition, the river is also affected by the tides, which force a sharp backflow of sewage and wastewater during the high tides, resulting in a situation where foul water fills the streets.

The British government began to clean up the river in the 60s, first by passing legislation that made strict regulations on the discharge of industrial and domestic wastewater directly into the Thames. Authorities have also rebuilt and extended London's sewers and built more than 450 sewage treatment plants, creating a complete municipal sewage system that treats nearly 430,000 cubic metres of sewage per day.

Domestic sewage along the Thames River is first concentrated in sewage treatment plants, where it is sedimentated, disinfected and other treatments before being discharged into the Thames. The cost of sewage treatment is included in the resident's water bill.

According to the relevant law, industrial wastewater must be treated by the company itself and can only be discharged into the river after meeting certain standards. Businesses that do not have the capacity to treat wastewater can discharge their wastewater into the River Water Authority's sewerage for a fee.

Inspectors also visit the factory from time to time. Factories that fail to discharge wastewater up to standard and do not comply with supervision will be prosecuted, fined or even shut down. After nearly 20 years of painstaking renovation and a cost of 2 billion pounds, the River Thames, which now flows through London, has been transformed from a dead and smelly river into one of the cleanest urban waterways in the world, and the River Thames has finally come to life again.

Salmon squatting fish. According to the survey, the number of fish species in the river has recovered to more than 100. At the same time, due to the good water quality of the river, the Chinese mitten turtle crab, which was originally abundant in China, survives and breeds in the river, and forms a dominant population, and the aquatic operators in London's Chinatown have purchased and listed a large number of them, and their purchase price is 45% lower than that of Chinese mainland.

The key to the success of the Thames River is not the use of the most advanced technology and technology, but the bold institutional reform and scientific management, which has been called "a major revolution in the management system of the water industry" by Europe.

They managed the river in a unified manner, dividing the river into 10 zones and merging more than 200 water management units to form a new water authority, the Thames River Water Authority.

Then, according to the nature of the business, a clear division of labor was made and strictly implemented. In terms of water treatment technology, conventional measures such as traditional interception and sewage discharge, biological oxidation, aeration and oxygenation and microbial activated sludge are used. The treated wastewater is used for fish farming, cultivation, etc., thus bringing vitality to water work.