Why is the Thames still brown?

The River Thames was once a highly depressed, brown, opaque fluid, a victim of industrial exploitation and human waste. Today, it's still brownish and opaque, and it probably always will be—largely because the tides churn up mud from the bottom of the river every day.



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He said this is actually because it is a muddy river, owing to the silt on the riverbed.

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Brown water can be caused by the corrosion of water pipes as materials flake away and find their way into water supplies, making the water an orange-brown color (from iron pipes) or even black (from lead pipes). Certain elements from sulfur dioxide can cause water to turn brown when combined with hot water.

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The Thames is considered to be the cleanest river in the world that flows through a major city. The Thames is home to 125 species of fish and more than 400 invertebrates.

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Over the years, reports of body parts showing up in the waters of London have included chins, pelvises, arms, and even the dead body of a sheep wrapped in a duvet. Worryingly, this is not as uncommon as you might think. It is reported that, on average, a dead human body is found once a week1 in the River Thames.

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