Flood Warning Issued for Groundwater in Iwerne Minster, Dorset

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Warning (Severity Level 2) for groundwater flooding for the Iwerne. This alert was officially raised on February 23, 2026, at 4:37 PM following rising groundwater levels in the Wessex area.

Affected Areas

The primary geographic region affected is Iwerne Minster, located within the Dorset Council jurisdiction. Specific impacts are expected near the Iwerne Hill Farm borehole.

What You Should Do

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

• Prepare and deploy property resilience measures immediately.
• Ensure that any installed water pumps are functional and switched on.
• Prepare alternative power sources in the event of local power cuts.
• Do not drive through floodwater, as this can cause bow waves that damage nearby properties.
• Be aware that septic tanks and sewer systems may become inundated.

Expected Conditions

Groundwater levels at the Iwerne Hill Farm borehole have reached 115.012m and are expected to remain high. These conditions are likely to cause flooding in cellars and the inundation of local sewer systems. Road flooding is also expected, and motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution.

Timeline

The alert became effective on February 23, 2026. The Environment Agency is closely monitoring the situation and expects to provide an update by 2:00 PM on March 2, 2026, or sooner if conditions change significantly.