River estuary

The green marshland forms  the  division between the city of Southampton and the small town of Totton, and through it flows the River Test beneath road and rail bridges into the estuary proper and Southampton Docks where it meets the estuary of the River Itchen and into Southampton Water.
Further upstream, the two rivers form some of the finest fly fishing grounds in the country. By virtue of the fact they are both chalkstreams, they are acknowledged as some of the clearest river waters in the country, and as such become the spawning grounds for trout and salmon.
Just a few days ago this marshland was totally under water after heavy rain on surrounding farmland helped swell the river and this is the point where the river becomes tidal as it passes into the estuary.  The river itself  is around 40 miles in length, flowing from the north of Hampshire and meandering through the county via Whitchurch, Stockbridge and Romsey to this point. With its tributaries you could double the length of the river flow.
But sporting fishing grounds and ecological values apart it is at this point that the river provides a natural boundary between city and town.  Within a few hundred yards it passes into the much deeper dredged waters of the docks which provide navigable waters for huge cruise and container ships.

Today the marshland was still and serene and at low tide from this vantage point on its edge you would scarcely be aware of the river flowing through.