River Don, South Yorkshire

river in South Yorkshire, England

The River Don (also called the Dun in some sections) is a river in South Yorkshire, England. It begins in the Pennines and flows for 70 miles (110 km) eastwards, through the Don Valley. It originally joined with the Trent, but was re-engineered in the 1620s, and now joins the River Ouse at Goole in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The Don can be divided into sections by the different types of structures built to restrict its passage. The upper section has dams built to provide a public water supply. The middle section contains many weirs, which were built to power water wheels. The lower section contains weirs and locks, designed to allow for river navigation.

River Don
The River Don as it flows past Hillsborough Stadium.
Location
CountryEngland
Physical characteristics
Source 
 - locationPennines
53°31′08″N 1°45′43″W / 53.519°N 1.762°W / 53.519; -1.762
MouthRiver Trent/River Ouse
53°41′49″N 0°52′01″W / 53.697°N 0.867°W / 53.697; -0.867
Length70 miles (110 km)

The Don's major tributaries are the Loxley, the Rivelin, the Sheaf, the Rother and the Dearne. The Don gets its name from Dôn (or Danu), a Celtic mother goddess. The river gave its name to the Don River in Ontario, which runs through Toronto, Canada.