Flood Alert Issued for Bishops Sutton Due to Rising Groundwater Levels

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Alert (Severity Level 3) for groundwater flooding in Bishops Sutton. This alert indicates that flooding is possible due to high groundwater levels in the Solent and South Downs area.

Affected Areas

The primary area affected is Bishops Sutton in the county of Hampshire. The alert specifically targets properties where groundwater levels are expected to impact cellars and local infrastructure.

What You Should Do

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

• Prepare property resilience measures immediately.
• Ensure that any installed water pumps are in good working order.
• Monitor local conditions, as impacts to septic tanks and road flooding are possible.

Expected Conditions

Following 13mm of rainfall recorded on Thursday night, groundwater levels have risen and are now very close to levels that trigger flooding in cellars. While only a small amount of rain is forecast from Friday, March 13, 2026, to Tuesday, March 17, 2026, groundwater levels may rise slightly in response to previous rainfall. Conditions are expected to remain high throughout the remainder of March 2026.

Timeline

The alert was raised on March 13, 2026. Impacts to cellars in a small number of properties are expected to begin within the next 3 days. The Environment Agency is closely monitoring the situation and will provide an update by 6:00 PM on March 20, 2026, or sooner if conditions change significantly.