The Dark Water is a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) river in south-west Hampshire, England. It flows south from a source a few metres north-east of the New Forest, reaching the sea through the end of the Beaulieu River estuary, next to the Solent, at Lepe, part of the national park.

Dark Water
Dark Water river and marsh, Lepe Country Park
Dark Water (river) is located in Hampshire
Dark Water (river)
Location
CountryEngland
CountyHampshire
DistrictNew Forest
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNorth of the south limits of Dibden Purlieu with New Forest National Park
 • coordinates50°50′52″N 1°24′26″W / 50.8478°N 1.4072°W / 50.8478; -1.4072
 • elevation38 metres (125 ft)
MouthSolent
 • location
Lepe
 • coordinates
50°47′04″N 1°21′33″W / 50.7845°N 1.3592°W / 50.7845; -1.3592
 • elevation
0 metres
Length5.5 mi
Basin features
ProgressionDark Water, Beaulieu River estuary, Solent (off English Channel off Atlantic Ocean)
River systemDark Water basin
Tributaries 
 • rightStock Water

Its drainage basin reduces towards its mouth. It drains (with its main tributary, Stock Water) most of the largely heathland forest's "Beaulieu Heath". It then drains smaller Blackwell Common (the south of which was called Blackfield Common after neighbouring Blackfield).[1] Then it drains the similar combined area: Horsemoor Copse, West Common (a meadow) and Chale Wood, below which narrow woods line one or both of the banks, beyond an inner marshy zone.

References

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  1. ^ OS Map of Hampshire and Isle of Wight LXXXI.7, Revised: 1895, Published: 1897