Flood Warning Issued for Groundwater Flooding Along the River Till in Wiltshire

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Warning (Severity Level 2) for groundwater flooding for the Till. This alert indicates that high groundwater levels are expected to cause flooding in the Wessex area.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically covers geographic regions within Wiltshire. Areas that could be affected include:

• Tilshead
• Orcheston
• Shrewton
• Berwick St James

What You Should Do

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

• Prepare property resilience measures immediately.
• Ensure that water pumps are working and switched on if they have been installed.
• Consider alternative power sources for pumps in the event of power cuts.
• Be aware that septic tanks and sewer systems may become inundated.

Expected Conditions

Groundwater levels in Salisbury Plain are currently high and beginning to plateau. Specific data from the Tilshead borehole shows a level of 99.64m. Expected impacts include the flooding of cellars in affected properties and the flooding of local roads. While the region has experienced a few days of drier weather, groundwater levels remain high and are sensitive to new precipitation.

Timeline

The alert was officially raised on February 25, 2026. Further rainfall is forecast to begin tomorrow, Thursday, February 26, which may cause groundwater levels to rise once again into the weekend. The Environment Agency is closely monitoring the situation and expects to provide an update by 2:00 PM on March 4, 2026, or sooner if conditions change significantly.