The river was previously tidal from the Viaduct, revealing dark mud at low tide.

Despite the expense of its construction, the Ouseburn barrage has had operational problems and was left open for a length of time while they were corrected.

In Roman times the lower Ouseburn Valley was crossed by Hadrian's Wall, but there are now no visible traces to be seen.

This section of the Wall was the later extension from the Roman fort of Pons Aelius (Newcastle) to that of Segedunum (Wallsend).

This newer section of the Wall was not backed by the Vallum ditch, because the River Tyne rendered it superfluous.