Flood Alert Issued for Combe Haven and Powdermill Stream in East Sussex

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Alert (Severity Level 3) for the Combe Haven area within the Solent and South Downs region. The alert was officially raised on February 19, 2026, following significant rainfall on Wednesday.

Affected Areas

The alert covers the Combe Haven and Powdermill Stream in East Sussex. Specific locations impacted include:

• Crowhurst: Riverside property gardens, Crowhurst Recreation Ground, local roads, and fields.
• Bulverhythe: Bexhill Road Recreation Ground and gardens that back onto the recreation ground or are situated near the Combe Haven.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised to consider activating any flood protection products they may have. Specifically, the Environment Agency recommends the installation of flood protection products in Crowhurst. Residents should continue to monitor local conditions as unsettled weather is expected to persist throughout February.

Expected Conditions

Minor flood impacts are currently affecting riverside properties and public grounds. In Crowhurst, the Powdermill Stream is higher than normal but is now falling. In Bulverhythe, the Combe Haven is still slowly rising, though it is not expected to rise significantly higher. The forecast calls for only isolated showers through Thursday afternoon, Friday, and over the weekend. While river levels will begin to fall, they are expected to remain higher than normal into next week.

Timeline

The alert was issued at 12:20 PM on February 19, 2026. River levels in Bulverhythe are expected to begin falling by 16:00 on February 19, 2026, though the recession will be slow. In Crowhurst, river levels are anticipated to return to near-normal levels by Friday afternoon, February 20. This message is scheduled to be updated by 20:00 on February 20, 2026.