Flood Warning Issued for Bourne Valley as Groundwater Levels Rise in Hampshire and Wiltshire

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Warning (Severity Level 2) for groundwater flooding in the Bourne Valley - The Winterbournes. The alert was officially raised on March 16, 2026, in response to high groundwater levels currently recorded across Salisbury Plain.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically impacts the Wessex area, covering parts of Hampshire and Wiltshire. Specific locations identified as being at risk include:

• Winterbourne Gunner
• Winterbourne Dauntsey
• Winterbourne Earls
• Laverstock

What You Should Do

Residents in the warning area are advised to take immediate action to protect their property:

• Prepare and deploy property resilience measures.
• Ensure that any installed water pumps are in good working order and switched on.
• Plan for alternative power sources for pumps in case of local power outages.
• Be prepared for the potential inundation of septic tanks and sewer systems.
• Monitor cellars, as these are likely to experience flooding first in the affected areas.

Expected Conditions

Groundwater levels at the Clarendon borehole have reached 71.47m and remain highly reactive to further rainfall. These elevated levels are expected to influence the River Bourne, significantly increasing the risk of fluvial flooding alongside the ongoing groundwater threat. The Environment Agency is closely monitoring the situation as levels remain high.

Timeline

The alert was issued at 2:53 PM on March 16, 2026. This message is scheduled to be updated by 4:00 PM on March 20, 2026, or sooner if the situation changes significantly.