River Test

River Test
The Test downstream of Sadler's Mill, Romsey
River Test highlighted in red, shown in South East England
Location
Country	England
Counties	Hampshire
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Ashe, near Overton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
• coordinates	51°14′43″N 1°14′21″W / 51.2454°N 1.2392°W / 51.2454; -1.2392
• elevation	90 m (300 ft)
Mouth	Southampton Water
• location	Southampton, Hampshire
• coordinates	50°55′30″N 1°28′45″W / 50.9251°N 1.4792°W / 50.9251; -1.4792
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	64 km (40 mi)
Width
• minimum	1 m (3 ft 3 in)
• average	20 m (66 ft)
• maximum	56 m (184 ft)
Depth
• minimum	0.5 m (1 ft 8 in)
• average	2 m (6 ft 7 in)
• maximum	4 m (13 ft)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	River Blackwater, River Dun, Wallop Brook, River Anton, Pilhill Brook
• right	River Dever, Bourne Rivulet, River Swift
Site of Special Scientific Interest
River Test at Tufton
Grid reference	SU 384 355[1]
Interest	Biological
Area	438.0 hectares (1,082 acres)[1]
Notification	1996[1]
Location map	Magic Map

The River Test is a chalk stream in Hampshire in the south of England. It rises at Ashe near Basingstoke and flows southwards for 40 miles (64 km) to Southampton Water. Settlements on the Test include the towns of Stockbridge and Romsey. The river's valley gives its name to the local government district of Test Valley. Below the village of Longparish, the river is broadly followed by the Test Way, a long-distance footpath.^[2]

Much of the Test is a 438-hectare (1,080-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.^[1][3] It is part of the Solent and Southampton Water Ramsar site^[4] and Special Protection Area.^[5] The river is used for fly fishing for trout from its source to its tidal limit.^[6]