Moston Brook

Moston Brook is a stream in Greater Manchester in north-west England and a tributary of the River Irk. The brook is formed at the confluence of Bower Brook and Hole Bottom Brook. This occurs near the Rochdale Canal in Failsworth in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. It flows southwest, forming the border between Moston, Manchester and Failsworth before being culverted almost all of the remaining route to its meeting the River Irk. It has a total length of about 3.7 miles (6 kilometres). The river was used industrially during the Cottonopolis period of Manchester's history, such as for the washing, bleaching and dyeing of yarns, although Moston was mostly noted for silk weaving. Clay and sand pits, which once fed brickworks, were later used for landfill sites. These landfills were later expanded by culverting the brook, though the last one closed in the 1990s. The brook's heavy industrial use and urban location led to it becoming badly polluted. In the early 2000s, the brook was identified as one of the most polluted bodies of water in Greater Manchester, if not the whole of the North West of England. However, this was the beginning of an ongoing concerted effort to enhance the water quality of the brook. This included work to divert and renovate combined sewer overflows, and the installation of drainage channels to divert surface water from nearby industrial sites and leachate from historic landfills. Work continues to improve the environment around the brook. Reprofiling and landscaping in the 1980s and environmental improvements in the 21st century mean that the brook is now seen as a community asset and an area of biodiversity. The remaining parts of the brook that avoided being culverted are used for recreation by the local community.