Does Birmingham flood?

What the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data says about Birmingham

Ordnance Survey places 973 postcodes in Birmingham in the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk dataset (Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea). Each postcode is counted once, under the worst band any of its properties reaches; together they hold 13,277 properties in the EA dataset's likelihood bands.

This dataset covers flooding from rivers and the sea only — one of five flood sources. Surface water, groundwater, sewers and reservoirs are assessed separately, so a postcode missing from it is not proof that a place cannot flood. The band describes the land around properties (allowing for defences), not any single address and not today's conditions.

Rivers and live river levels near Birmingham

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Birmingham watch River Rea, River Tame, River Cole.

• Calthorpe Park
  River Rea · 3.1 km away 0.07 mASD
  normal range · steady · 35 min ago
• Brookvale Road
  River Tame · 3.9 km away 0.46 mASD
  normal range · steady · 35 min ago
• Perry Park
  River Tame · 5.6 km away 0.36 mASD
  below normal · steady · 35 min ago
• Selly Park
  River Rea · 6.0 km away -0.08 mASD
  below normal · steady · 35 min ago
• Sandwell Woodend
  River Tame · 7.6 km away 0.52 mASD
  normal range · steady · 35 min ago
• Water Orton Structure
  River Tame · 9.0 km away 0.21 mASD
  controlled by a sluice or weir · 35 min ago
• Bacons End
  River Cole · 9.3 km away 0.14 mASD
  normal range · steady · 35 min ago
• Solihull Lodge
  River Cole · 9.4 km away 0.25 mASD
  normal range · steady · 35 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Birmingham's at-risk postcodes. Tidal and structure gauges are shown as readings only — the tide and sluice gates move them, not floods. A gauge with no recent reading shows no level.

Flood warning areas near Birmingham

32 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Birmingham. The EA has issued 546 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 31 Aug 2026.

• River Rea at Vauxhall, Saltley & Nechells from Lauder Street to A47 including Saltley Business Park
  3 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest May 2018 1.4 km
• River Rea at Highgate, Deritend & Digbeth from Balsall Heath Road to Lawley Middleway 1.6 km
• River Cole at Hay Mills including Speedwell Road, George Road, Fordrough, Coventry Road and Shipway Road
  6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2023 2.9 km
• River Cole at Greet including Warwick Road, Colebrook Road, Manor Farm Road and Tyseley Industrial Estate
  6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2023 3.1 km
• River Rea at Calthorpe from Willows Crescent to Balsall Heath Road 3.2 km
• River Cole at Bordesley Green East including Blakesley Road, Yardley Green Road and Caldecote Grove
  3 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Aug 2023 3.4 km
• River Cole at Stechford including Victoria Road, Frederick Road, Gumbleberrys Close, Cottsmeadow Drive and Everton Road
  3 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Aug 2023 3.4 km
• River Cole at Sparkhill from Bankside to Greet Bridge including Formans Road
  6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2023 3.5 km
• Low-lying land and roads between Longbridge and Nechells on the River Rea
  89 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Aug 2026 3.6 km
• River Tame at Witton and Salford Park from Perry Bridge to Star City
  5 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2022 3.6 km
• River Rea at Edgbaston from Tally Ho to Constance Road
  10 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Nov 2025 3.8 km
• River Tame at Gravelly Hill from Gravelly Industrial Estate to Castle Bromwich Bridge 3.9 km

Recorded floods near Birmingham

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Birmingham, most recent first. Absence of a record does not mean a place has never flooded. See them on the map →

• 6 Aug 2008 — River Rea Flood Event Sept 2008 at Selly Park Main river
• 20 Jul 2007 — July 2007 Brook Vale Road Main river

Rainfall near Birmingham

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (1.0 km away), recorded 0.0 mm in the last 24 hours and 17.2 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 35 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Birmingham

Every postcode Ordnance Survey places in Birmingham that appears in the EA's rivers-and-sea dataset, worst band first. Each links to its own flood-risk page.

High likelihood (268)

Medium likelihood (228)

Low likelihood (357)

Very low likelihood (120)

Postcode districts

Sources

FloodRadar summarises public flood data. It is not a flood-risk survey of any property, and it does not replace official GOV.UK flood warnings or the GOV.UK long-term flood risk service.