Flood Alert Issued for Groundwater in Vernham Dean, Upton, and Bourne Valley

Source: Environment Agency · Hampshire

This alert is no longer in effect.

Environment Agency issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this Environment Agency flood warning directly from Environment Agency's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for Hampshire's Bourne Valley as high groundwater levels affect cellars and septic tanks in Upton.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Flood Alert
Affected area
Hampshire
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
Environment Agency

Flood notices turn on location and timing. Treat the named area as this record's scope; do not assume nearby counties, parishes, or waterways were included.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Hampshire.

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Alert for groundwater flooding in the Solent and South Downs area. The alert was raised following high groundwater levels recorded in the Bourne Valley region.

Affected Areas

The alert covers several locations within Hampshire, specifically:

  • Vernham Dean
  • Upton
  • The Bourne Valley
  • Hurstbourne Tarrant
  • Stoke
  • St Mary Bourne

What You Should Do

Residents across the Bourne Valley are advised to take the following actions:

  • Prepare property resilience measures to protect against water ingress.
  • Ensure that any installed pumps are in working order in case levels begin to rise again.
  • Monitor septic tanks, as they may struggle to operate properly due to the high water table.

Expected Conditions

Groundwater levels in the Bourne Valley are currently high. In Upton, levels are reported as high but steady, with flooding already affecting a small number of cellars. At the borehole in Vernham Dean, levels peaked on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, and have since fallen by 29cm. While septic tanks are struggling, no property impacts are currently expected in Vernham Dean, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Stoke, or St Mary Bourne.

Timeline

The alert was issued on March 3, 2026. Mostly dry weather is forecast from Tuesday, March 3, through Saturday, March 7, 2026, which should allow groundwater levels to continue a slow decline over the next week. The Environment Agency is monitoring the situation closely and will provide an update by 18:00 on March 10, 2026.

Original source: Environment Agency Official Notice ↗

All Flood Warnings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this Environment Agency flood warning.

What is this Environment Agency flood warning about?
The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert for Hampshire's Bourne Valley as high groundwater levels affect cellars and septic tanks in Upton.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by Environment Agency. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "medium" severity. Stay informed and follow agency guidance.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Hampshire. Check with Environment Agency for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Flood Warnings updates?
Browse the full Flood Warnings feed on Areazine at areazine.com/uk/floods/ for the latest updates from Environment Agency and other agencies.