Does Halstead flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 34 postcodes in Halstead 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 453 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 Halstead

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Halstead watch River Colne, River Blackwater, River Stour.

• Earls Colne
  River Colne · 4.4 km away 0.16 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Stisted
  River Blackwater · 6.5 km away 0.51 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Poole Street
  River Colne · 7.1 km away 0.07 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Lamarsh
  River Stour · 9.4 km away 0.43 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Halstead'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 Halstead

6 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Halstead. The EA has issued 158 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 16 Feb 2026.

• The River Colne from Castle Hedingham to upstream of Halstead, including Sible Hedingham
  13 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2024 4.3 km
• The River Colne from Great Yeldham to Colchester, including Castle Hedingham, Sible Hedingham, Halstead, Earls Colne, Wakes Colne, Chappel and Fordstreet
  86 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2026 4.8 km
• The Rivers Pant and Blackwater from, Great Bardfield to Langford including Braintree, and the River Brain from, Black Notley to Witham
  47 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2026 7.8 km
• The River Pant, from Great Bardfield to Braintree, including Shalford
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2014 9.1 km
• The upper River Colne and surrounding tributaries, through Great Yeldham to Castle Hedingham
  no warning on record since 2006 9.3 km
• The River Colne from Halstead to Lexden, including Wakes Colne
  10 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2021 10.0 km

Recorded floods near Halstead

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Halstead, most recent first. Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded. See them on the map →

• 5 Dec 2013 — 2013 Flood Outline Sea
• 9 Jan 2009 — 2009 Flood Outline Main river
• 21 Oct 2001 — 2001 Flood Outline Main river
• 12 Jan 1968 — 1968 September Flood Outline Main river
• 1 Jun 1958 — 1958 Flood Outline Other
• 31 Jan 1953 — 1953 Coast Flood Outline Essex Sea
• 13 Feb 1947 — 1947 Flood Outline Main river

Rainfall near Halstead

Halstead gets about 613 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month August, 63 mm; driest March, 36 mm). That is 47% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 2.4 km from the place centre.

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (2.9 km away), recorded 3.6 mm in the last 24 hours and 41.4 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 33 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Halstead

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

High likelihood (22)

Medium likelihood (4)

Low likelihood (8)

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.