Flood Warning Issued for Ebble Valley as Groundwater Levels Rise in Wiltshire

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Warning (Severity Level 2) for the Ebble Valley. This alert is managed by the Wessex area office and was triggered by high groundwater levels in the region.

Affected Areas

The primary area affected is the Ebble Valley in Wiltshire. Groundwater levels in the nearby Cranborne Chase remain high, contributing to the risk in this specific geographic zone.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected area are advised to take the following precautions:

• Prepare property resilience measures immediately.
• Ensure that water pumps are installed, switched on, and working correctly.
• Prepare for potential power cuts by identifying alternative power sources.
• Be aware that septic tanks and sewer systems may experience inundation.
• Exercise extreme caution when driving on flooded roads to ensure personal safety and to prevent creating wake that could flood nearby properties.

Expected Conditions

Groundwater levels at the Down Barn borehole have been recorded at 73.612m. While current data suggests that levels are starting to plateau, they are expected to remain high over the coming days. Expected impacts include the flooding of local roads and the potential failure of private drainage systems.

Timeline

The alert was officially raised on February 23, 2026, at 4:41 PM. The Environment Agency expects conditions to remain hazardous for several days. A formal update to this message is scheduled to be provided by 11:30 AM on March 2, 2026, or sooner if the situation changes significantly.