- River discharge: The amount of water flowing through the river.
- Channel slope: The steepness of the riverbed.
- Channel roughness: The presence of obstacles such as rocks, sand, and vegetation.
- Wind speed: The speed and direction of the wind.
- Tides: The rise and fall of the sea level.
The River Thames is a tidal river, which means that its flow is influenced by the tides. The tides cause the river to flow in both directions, with the flow reversing twice a day. The speed of the river flow also varies throughout the day, with the fastest flow occurring during high tide and the slowest flow occurring during low tide.