Flood Alert Issued for Lambourn Valley Catchment in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Alert (Severity Level 3) for the Lambourn Valley catchment. The alert was officially raised at 12:28 PM on February 17, 2026, due to rising groundwater levels.

Affected Areas

The geographic scope of this alert includes the Lambourn Valley catchment area, specifically impacting regions within Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. High groundwater levels have been specifically identified at the Longacre borehole.

What You Should Do

Residents in the warning area are advised to prepare property resilience measures and verify that any installed pumps are in good working order. Commuters should take particular care when driving through flood water for their own safety and to prevent creating waves that could lead to the flooding of nearby properties.

Expected Conditions

Groundwater levels are currently high and are expected to remain elevated over the next few weeks. The Environment Agency indicates that levels will remain sensitive to any further sustained rainfall. Due to the specific nature of groundwater flooding, these conditions could continue for several weeks or longer.

Timeline

The alert was issued on February 17, 2026, and is expected to remain in effect for several weeks. The Environment Agency will provide an update on the situation by 12:00 PM on February 24, 2026, or sooner if conditions change.