Flood Alert Issued for River Ock and Letcombe Brook in Oxfordshire

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Alert (Severity Level 3) for the River Ock and Letcombe Brook. The alert was officially raised at 8:53 AM on February 15, 2026, in response to rising river levels in the Thames area.

Affected Areas

The alert covers the River Ock from Watchfield to Abingdon, as well as the Letcombe Brook at Wantage, Grove, and East Hanney. Flooding of low-lying land and roads is specifically expected to continue today in the Charney Bassett and Wantage areas.

What You Should Do

Residents in the warning area are advised to take the following actions:

• Avoid using low-lying footpaths and roads near rivers, as these areas may be submerged.
• Monitor local weather conditions and river levels.
• Visit the River Levels Online service for real-time updates on the situation.

Expected Conditions

River levels are currently high on sections of the River Ock and Letcombe Brook. Further rainfall is forecast for today, February 15, 2026, which has the potential to be heavy at times. Due to the saturated conditions and ongoing precipitation, the Environment Agency expects river levels to remain high over the coming days.

Timeline

The alert is effective immediately as of February 15, 2026. High river levels are expected to persist for several days. The Environment Agency will provide an update on the situation by 12:00 PM on February 16, 2026, or sooner if conditions change significantly.