Flood Alert Issued for Upper River Ems Valley in West Sussex Due to High Groundwater
This alert is no longer in effect.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 the upper River Ems Valley, warning of high groundwater levels affecting roads and cellars in West Sussex through mid-March.
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- Record type
- Flood Alert
- Affected area
- West Sussex
- 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 West Sussex.
Alert Details
The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Alert (Severity Level 3) for groundwater flooding in the upper River Ems Valley within the Solent and South Downs area. Issued on February 23, 2026, the alert notes that while groundwater levels at the Compton borehole are currently falling slowly, they remain high and very close to the surface.
Affected Areas
The alert specifically covers regions in West Sussex, including:
- Stoughton: Main road and a small number of cellars.
- Walderton: Areas between Cooks Lane and Barley Mow, including local cellars.
- East Marden: The road leading from the village.
- B2146: Near Woodlands Lane.
Residents may observe springs appearing in fields and water flowing across local roadways in these specific geographic zones.
What You Should Do
Residents in the warning area are advised to take the following actions:
- Road Safety: Exercise extreme caution when traveling on flooded roads, particularly in Stoughton and Walderton.
- Equipment Check: Ensure that any basement or cellar pumps are in good working order to manage potential water ingress.
- Stay Informed: Monitor local weather updates as conditions are expected to change by the end of the week.
Expected Conditions
Currently, groundwater is high but receding slowly. Isolated showers are forecast from Monday through Wednesday, February 25. However, a weather front is forecast to bring widespread rainfall on Thursday, February 26, 2026. While there is uncertainty regarding exact rainfall amounts, it is probable that groundwater at the Compton borehole will rise again starting Friday, February 27. Levels are not expected to rise significantly higher than they have been so far this winter.
Timeline
- Effective Date: February 23, 2026
- Short-term Forecast: Isolated showers through February 25; widespread rain expected February 26.
- Expected Rise: Groundwater levels likely to rise again from Friday, February 27, through next week.
- Duration: Groundwater flood impacts are expected to continue until the middle of March.
- Next Update: The Environment Agency will update this alert by 18:00 on February 27, 2026.
Original source: Environment Agency Official Notice ↗
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