Cherwell and Ray Management Catchment
Operational catchments
There are 2 operational catchments in this management catchment.
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About
The Cherwell management catchment consists of the River Cherwell and its tributaries, of which the River Ray (Oxon) is the largest. From its headwaters near the village of Charwelton (Northamptonshire), the river Cherwell flows southwards, passing through Banbury and Kidlington before flowing into the Thames at New Hinksey (Oxford). The river Ray has its headwaters near Quainton, from which it flows slowly south-west past Bicester to its confluence with the river Cherwell at Islip. Other than these key urban areas, the Cherwell catchment is very rural, with a high proportion of arable land. The underlying geology is predominantly clay.
![River Ray at Charlton on Otmoor](/catchment-planning/photos/managementcatchment/3012.jpg)