Richmond draw-off 2026 will expose the Thames riverbed from 2 November

The Thames at Richmond will fall to its natural low-tide level from Monday 2 November to 18 November, when the Port of London Authority (PLA) carries out its yearly draw-off.

For most of the year the PLA uses the locks at Richmond and Teddington to keep the river above a set minimum height at low tide. Without that, the river would be a real problem for boats. During the draw-off the control is switched off and the water drops to where it would sit naturally.

What you can see during the Richmond draw-off

High tide looks much the same as usual. Low tide is a different picture. The water falls far enough for banks of gravel to appear in the middle of the river, and in places the channel gets shallow enough to almost wade across, though nobody should try it.

Birds make good use of the exposed riverbed. It gives them a feeding ground in mid-river that they rarely get the rest of the year.

Why the PLA lowers the river

The main purpose is practical. The draw-off gives the PLA a chance to make repairs and to remove sediment that would otherwise build up and block the weirs.

Visitors do not need to reach Richmond Lock at the exact moment of lowest tide. An hour or so either side is still a striking sight. The PLA publishes live tide times on its website, which is the easiest way to plan a visit.