resembles the western of the Ash. It takes water from the Thames much further west to works at Hanworth and Hampton. To cross this and meander, the river is in a culvert next to: Birch Green; Shortwood Allotments; and Queen Mary Reservoir. The mid-course was shifted a little west to make way for the Queen Mary Reservoir in Littleton. A slight trace of the original course is near the reservoir's pumping station. In the early 1960s, the outflow (source) from the Colne was moved back south. Further east; 100 metres is diverted to make way for the Staines Bypass (the A30). It then flows underground for 270 metres beneath the Crooked Billet roundabout. 1947 and 2014 flooding Short residential streets in north-eastern Staines upon Thames were flooded in February 2014. At least 80 homes reported internal, outhouse or grounds flooding to the Environment Agency. Causes were complicated by the interweaving of an aqueduct which overflowed and various sluices; one found to be inadequate, another not best-operated. A precedent for the river was in 1947 when flooding was widespread in the Thames Valley. Flood risk alleviation Upgrade of the fresh water treatment works at Ashford Common (1994–95) by Thames Water Utilities caused greater steady outflow east of the M3. This heightened flood risk to properties abutting in Shepperton. Public budget work then arose, the River Ash Flood Alleviation Scheme of the Environment Agency. Deep holding troughs exist before the works run-off discharge and in Sunbury Golf Course a relief channel exists, bridged twice, built in January to May 1995 for £450,000. Listed bridge Squires Bridge is a long two-arch bridge which has substantial neat (ashlar) stone-dressings, such as seven balusters across six lightly recessed stone panels, each side, each arch. It has statutory protection and recognition in the initial starting category (Grade II). It was built in about 1870, partly by commission of the Wood family whose Manor House, standing at today's Shepperton Studios, had a costly fire in 1874. Its central newel (pilaster) as to its outer, upstream side has a coat of arms with three swords, not the family's which was that of a bull, instead that of Middlesex. Nature reserve and biodiversity woodland Ash Link Local Nature Reserve, the first nature reserve in Spelthorne, was opened by the Mayor of Spelthorne in June 2012. It is managed by volunteers from Spelthorne Natural History Society and subgroup of its