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Freshwater Flooding

Isle of Wight • Live river level monitoring on Western Yar
1 monitoring station
1 river
8 warning areas
🏠 Thinking of buying in Freshwater? Get the detailed Property Flood-Risk Report for any Freshwater postcode — official risk band, recorded floods since 1703, warning history, river behaviour and nearby storm overflows. £19 one-off, instant. Learn more →

Does Freshwater flood? 24 postcodes in Freshwater are in the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data (20 High likelihood) — the breakdown is further down this page.

Flood risk in Freshwater today: Normal

No official flood warning is active nearby and the closest river stations are within normal ranges.

Updated 2026-10-10 12:32:56 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Freshwater
Freshwater
Village on the Isle of Wight, England

Freshwater is a large village and civil parish at the western end of the Isle of Wight, England. The southern, coastal village is Freshwater Bay, named for the adjacent small cove. Freshwater sits at the western end of the region known as the Back of the Wight or the West Wight, a popular tourist area.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Flood Contacts
Floodline 24hr
0345 988 1188
Emergency
999
The map of Freshwater’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.
Recent Flood Events
28 Feb 2026 17:16 Flood Alert
Eastern Yar
26 Feb 2026 17:58 Flood Alert
Eastern Yar
25 Feb 2026 14:25 Flood Alert
Eastern Yar
18 Feb 2026 20:28 Flood Warning
Blackwater and Newport on the River Medina
18 Feb 2026 19:49 Flood Warning
Whitwell, Wroxall, Langbridge, Alverstone on the Eastern Yar
18 Feb 2026 19:00 Flood Warning
Carisbrooke and Hunny Hill on the Lukely Brook

Does Freshwater flood?

Ordnance Survey places 24 postcodes in Freshwater 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 179 properties in the EA dataset's likelihood bands.

EA likelihood bandPostcodes (worst band)Properties in the EA datasetof which homes
High2013194
Medium01610
Low22919
Very low233
All bands24179126

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.

The 24 at-risk postcodes in Freshwater, worst band first

High likelihood (20)

Low likelihood (2)

Very low likelihood (2)

Postcode districts

Flood-risk bands: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved. Some features of this map are based on digital spatial data from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, © NERC (CEH). © Crown Copyright and Database Rights 2025 OS AC0000807064. This product is produced in part from PAF® and Multiple Residence Data, the copyright in which is owned by Royal Mail Group Limited and/or Royal Mail Group plc. All rights reserved. Licence number AC0000807064.

Place names: Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026. Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

All data sources & licences

The watercourse nearest Freshwater

The nearest watercourse on the river map is an unnamed stream, about 10 m from the middle of Freshwater's gauges. It flows into the River Yar about 330 m downstream.

A gauge downstream shows water that has already passed this point; one upstream sees it first. Distances along the river are from the point on an unnamed stream nearest the middle of Freshwater's gauges. From Ordnance Survey’s river map (OS Open Rivers), which leaves out small streams, ditches and culverts, so a nearer one may exist. This describes where water goes on the map; it says nothing about flooding at any address. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026.

Useful Links
Flood Monitoring in Freshwater

Freshwater is monitored by 1 Environment Agency river level station on the Western Yar, in Isle of Wight. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.

Monitoring Stations

The Western Yar is monitored by 1 station (Freshwater). Each station records water levels continuously, with data synced to FloodRadar every 5 minutes.

Flood Warning Areas

There are 8 Environment Agency flood warning areas within 10km of Freshwater. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: Afton to School Green Road and Brookside Road at Freshwater; Western Yar through Freshwater; Isle of Wight Coast at Freshwater Bay, including Fort Albert; Coastal areas at Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.

Sewage Discharge Monitoring

There are 18 storm overflows within 5km of Freshwater. None of the 17 with a reporting monitor are currently discharging (1 has no live status right now). Enable "Sewage" on the map above to see their locations.

6 of them, nearest first, with their own page of live status and past discharges:

What To Do During A Flood

If flooding is forecast in Freshwater, call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for the latest information. Move valuables upstairs, turn off gas and electricity if safe to do so, and avoid walking or driving through flood water. Sign up for flood warnings on any station page above to receive email alerts when water levels rise. For emergency numbers, a preparation checklist and insurance guidance, see our flood help & preparation guide.

How much rain falls on Freshwater

Freshwater gets about 824 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 107 mm; driest July, 45 mm). That is 29% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. See the rain gauges →

A thirty-year average for the area, not a forecast and not a flood risk on its own. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 1.6 km away. Average rainfall: HadUK-Grid v1.3.2, Met Office. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Recorded floods near Freshwater

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of the town centre — most recent first. These are records of mapped extents, not a full list of floods. See them on the map →

  • 2008-03-10 — 10/03/2008 Yarmouth Harbour (Sea)
  • 1999-06-01 — 06/1999_Western Yar_Freshwater (Main river)
  • 1999-06-01 — 06/1999_Western Yar_Freshwater (Main river)
  • 1999-06-01 — 06/1999_Western Yar_Freshwater (Main river)
  • 1993-12-30 — 30/12/93_Danes Stream_Milford-on-Sea (Main river)
  • 1989-12-14 — 14/12/1989_Coast_Lymington/Keyhaven(3)
  • 1989-12-14 — 14/12/1989_Coast_Lymington/Keyhaven(2)
  • 1989-12-14 — 14/12/1989_Coast_Lymington/Keyhaven (Other)
  • 1982-11-01 — Nov1982_Danes Stream_Milford(2) (Main river)
  • 1982-11-01 — Nov1982_Danes Stream_Milford(1) (Main river)
  • 1900-01-01 — S24 Observed Outlines
  • 1900-01-01 — S24 Observed Outlines

Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded.

Frequently asked questions

Is there flooding in Freshwater today?

Current verdict: Normal. No official flood warning is active nearby and the closest river stations are within normal ranges.

Which rivers affect Freshwater?

Freshwater has river level monitoring on Western Yar — 1 monitoring station in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Freshwater?

Use the GOV.UK Check for Flooding service (check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk) or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 (24 hours). You can also set up free FloodRadar email or browser alerts from any station page above.

What should I do during a flood warning?

Follow official advice: move valuables and vehicles to safety, never walk or drive through flood water, turn off gas and electricity if safe, and check on vulnerable neighbours. See our flood preparation guide at floodradar.co.uk/flood-help.

Has Freshwater flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 5 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 1999. That is a count of mapped extents, not of separate floods. Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded. See the flood history link below.

🏠 Buying or renting around here? Get the Property Flood-Risk Report for any English postcode — official risk band, recorded floods, warning history, river behaviour and nearby storm overflows. £19 one-off. Learn more →