Type your full postcode (e.g. SW1A 1AA, TS17 6DA). The tool geocodes the postcode to a lat/long via Postcodes.io and finds all Environment Agency river-monitoring stations within 10 miles using the Haversine distance formula.

Postcodes are not stored or logged. Geocoding happens in your browser using the public Postcodes.io API.

The risk badge synthesises the highest individual station risk into one of four bands: Normal, Elevated, High, or Severe. The calculation considers each station's current level versus its typical range, plus 24h rainfall forecast.

Severe = at least one station above 110% of its typical maximum AND >20mm forecast rainfall. High = above typical maximum. Elevated = upper third of typical range. Normal = below upper third.

Each station card shows: river name, location, current level (in metres), typical minimum, typical maximum, last update timestamp, and the station's individual risk badge.

If a station is critical to you (e.g. the river closest to your home), bookmark its EA station page for live updates beyond this tool. The official EA flood-information service updates faster during incidents.

The Warnings tab pulls active warnings and alerts from the EA Flood Monitoring API for the area surrounding your postcode. Each is colour-coded by severity (yellow alert, orange warning, red severe warning) with the official EA description.

If a severe warning is in force for your area, follow emergency-services instructions immediately. Call 999 if in danger; use 0345 988 1188 (Floodline) for non-urgent advice.

The Rainfall tab uses Open-Meteo to forecast rain for the next 24 and 72 hours, plus thunder alerts. Heavy rainfall combined with already-elevated rivers is the classic flood precursor.

If forecast 24h rainfall is over 20mm, even normal river levels can flip to elevated within hours. Check the trend: rising levels + heavy rainfall = act now.

The Action Checklist adapts to the highest risk band detected. At Normal: review your flood plan, know your sandbag suppliers. At Elevated: clear gutters, prepare grab-bag. At High: deploy flood barriers, move ground-floor valuables. At Severe: prepare to evacuate; do not enter floodwater.

Print the checklist or screenshot it before any incident — at high water you may lose power and internet.

The Environment Agency's public Hydrology API exposes 1,500+ stations across England, with parallel services in Wales (Natural Resources Wales) and Scotland (SEPA). Each reading is a stage measurement (water height above an arbitrary datum), not flow rate.

"Typical range" is a 30-day rolling 5th–95th percentile, which means seasonal variation is real — a 2.5m level on a winter day might be normal but the same level in August would be high. The tool uses station-specific calibrated thresholds where available.

For the most reliable interpretation, cross-reference with the EA station page (linked from each card), which shows historical context, the 5-day rolling average, and any equipment outages. During incidents, the EA may also issue ad-hoc level data via Twitter @EnvAgency.

Flood Re is a government-backed reinsurance pool that lets UK insurers offer affordable flood cover to homes in high-risk areas. Without it, premium quotes for flood-zone properties can be £2,000–£5,000+ per year; with it, the flood element is capped based on council tax band (e.g. Band A = £222 cap on flood premium).

Eligibility: residential properties built before 1 January 2009 (intentionally excluded: post-2009 builds, to discourage building in flood zones). Most UK insurers participate — when shopping insurance, ask explicitly if a quote uses Flood Re.

Flood Re runs until 2039, with the industry transitioning to risk-reflective pricing thereafter. If you live in a flood zone, factor potential post-2039 premium increases into long-term financial planning.

Beyond sandbags, property-level flood resilience (PFR) measures can reduce damage by 70%+ in surveyed homes. Common installations: flood doors (£3,000–£6,000), automatic air-brick covers (£300 each), non-return valves on drains (£200–£500), and waterproof rendering up to 1m.

Internal "wet-proofing" includes raised electrical sockets (60cm+), ceramic-tiled instead of carpeted ground floors, and lift-up kitchen units. Government grants of up to £5,000 per property are available after a flood event via the Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme.

For new purchases in flood zones, commission a flood survey (£300–£500) before exchange and budget £8,000–£15,000 for full PFR retrofit. The investment usually pays back within one major flood event.

UK floods come in three main types with different warning systems. Fluvial (river) flooding is what this tool primarily tracks — river levels rising over banks. Surface water (pluvial) flooding happens when drainage capacity is exceeded, often with no nearby river — particularly common in urban areas during summer storms.

Coastal flooding combines tide, storm surge and wave action; check the EA tidal forecast and Met Office storm warnings for at-risk coastal postcodes. Groundwater flooding affects chalk areas (Hampshire, Sussex) and can persist for weeks.

Check your specific risk on gov.uk/check-flood-risk — it shows fluvial, surface water and coastal risk separately by address. A property might be low-risk for rivers but high-risk for surface water if on a hill bottom or near blocked culverts.

Evacuation triggers: a severe flood warning is issued; floodwater enters the property faster than it can be controlled; gas/electricity becomes a hazard; or you have vulnerable household members (children, elderly, mobility issues) with rising water.

Key contacts: 999 for immediate danger; 0345 988 1188 (Floodline, 24/7) for advice; 0800 80 70 60 for Environment Agency incident reports. Local council emergency lines handle sandbag requests and rest-centre information.

Never drive through floodwater — 30cm of moving water can sweep a car away, and just 15cm can stall the engine. Walking through floodwater carries similar risks plus contamination from sewage. Wait for the water to recede.