River Douglas, Lancashire

Douglas
River Douglas at Appley Bridge, West Lancashire
Location
Country	England
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Winter Hill
Mouth	confluence with River Ribble
• coordinates	53°44′4.92″N 2°51′18.26″W / 53.7347000°N 2.8550722°W / 53.7347000; -2.8550722
Length	56 km (35 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• right	River Yarrow

The River Douglas, also known as the River Asland or Astland,^[1] flows through parts of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. It is a tributary of the River Ribble and has several tributaries, the major ones being the River Tawd and the River Yarrow.

In 1720, an Act of Parliament authorized Thomas Steers and William Squire to make the River Douglas navigable to small ships between Wigan and its mouth. Despite financial irregularities, the Douglas Navigation was not completed until 1742. By 1783, it had been replaced by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal,^[2] and the river reverted to its natural state. Although the remnants of several locks are still visible between Parbold and Gathurst.^[3] The Rufford Branch of the canal joins the river at Tarleton. The river rises on Winter Hill in the West Pennine Moors, and flows for 35 miles (56 km) through several towns before reaching the Ribble estuary near Tarleton, with the last 10 miles (16 km) being tidal. In 1892, the Douglas was diverted in Wigan to allow the construction of Wigan Central railway station.