The North Somerset Levels is a coastal plain, an expanse of low-lying flat ground, which occupies an area between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol in North Somerset, England. The River Banwell, River Kenn, River Yeo and Land Yeo are the three principal rivers draining the area.
To the south the levels are bounded by the Mendip Hills, to the east by the Yeo Valley and the Lulsgate Plateau, and to the north by the Tickenham Ridge. To the west lies the Severn Estuary.
The levels are distinct from two similar areas: the much larger Somerset Levels to the south in Somerset, and the smaller Gordano Valley to the north.
The water level management and maintenance of rhynes in the area are the responsibility of the North Somerset Internal Drainage Board.
The term "Avon Levels" has also been used - either as a synonym for the North Somerset Levels, or to refer a larger area also including all of the other low-lying flat areas in the former county of Avon (e.g. the Gordano Valley and the areas around Severn Beach and Avonmouth).
Towns and villages on the North Somerset Levels The following are the principal towns and villages in the area Backwell Brinsea Chelvey Claverham Clevedon Congresbury Flax Bourton Hewish Kenn Kingston Seymour Locking Lower Langford Nailsea Puxton St. Georges Wick St Lawrence Worle Yatton
Railway Stations Nailsea and Backwell railway station Yatton railway station Worle railway station
Biodiversity A number of areas of the Levels have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Tickenham, Nailsea and Kenn Moors SSSI is an extensive SSSI in the northern part of the Levels. Yanal Bog, a calcicolous mire near Sandford is designated for its plant communities, within which grow black bog-rush (Schoenus nigricans) and blunt-flowered rush (Juncus subnodulosus), two plant species rare in southwest England.English Nature SSSI citation sheet for Yanal Bog . Retrieved 15 July 2006.
A number of plant species which are otherwise scarce or absent in the Bristol region are found in high concentrations on the North Somerset Levels, including water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile),Myles (2000), pages 56-7 rigid (Ceratophyllum demersum) and soft (C. submersum) hornworts,Myles (2000), page 63 thread-leaved (Ranunculus trichophyllus), common (R. aquatilis) and fan-leaved (R. circinatus) water-crowfoots,Myles (2000), pages 67-8 lesser water-parsnip (Berula erecta),Myles (2000), page 159 tubular (Oenanthe fistulosa) and fine-leaved (O. aquatica) water-dropworts,Myles (2000), pages 160-1 tufted forget-me-not (Myosotis laxa subsp. caespitosa),Myles (2000), pages 170-1 skullcapMyles (2000), pages 174-5 and fen bedstraw (Galium uliginosum).Myles (2000), page 190 Water-violet (Hottonia palustris) is found here, mainly in the Nailsea & Tickenham areas, but also in scattered locations further south; this species is found nowhere else in the Bristol region.Myles (2000), page 109 The introduced water fern Azolla filiculoides is widespread throughout.Myles (2000), page 60
Other plant species which are otherwise scarce or absent in the Bristol region but found in high concentrations on the North Somerset Levels are: flowering-rush (Myles, p. 210), lesser water-plantain (Myles, p.210-1), frogbit (Myles, p. 210-1), lesser pondweed (Myles, p.212-3), small pondweed (Myles, p. 212-3), hairlike pondweed (Myles, p213), opposite-leaved pondweed (Myles, p.213) and horned pondweed (Myles, p.213).
The introduced Canadian and Nuttall's waterweeds are widespread throughout the levels (Myles p.211).
References
Bibliography
Myles, Sarah (2000) The Flora of the Bristol Region
External links Aerial photo at Windows Live Local