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Lower Shiplake Flooding

Oxfordshire • Live river level monitoring on River Thames
1 monitoring station
1 river
8 warning areas
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Does Lower Shiplake flood? 23 postcodes in Lower Shiplake are in the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data (8 High, 2 Medium likelihood) — the breakdown is further down this page.

Flood risk in Lower Shiplake today: Normal

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

Updated 2026-10-09 18:46:20 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Lower Shiplake
Lower Shiplake
Civil parish in Oxfordshire, England

Shiplake consists of three settlements: Shiplake, Shiplake Cross and Lower Shiplake. Together these villages form a civil parish situated beside the River Thames 2 miles (3 km) south of Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. The river forms the parish boundary to the east and south, and also the county boundary between Oxfordshire and Berkshire. The villages have two discrete centres separated by agricultural land. The 2011 Census records the parish population as 1,954 and containing 679 homes. The A4155 main road linking Henley with Reading, Berkshire passes through the parish.

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 Lower Shiplake’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.
Recent Flood Events
30 Aug 2026 09:17 Flood Alert
River Cole, Dorcan Brook and South Marston Brook
29 Aug 2026 14:44 Flood Alert
River Cole, Dorcan Brook and South Marston Brook
14 Apr 2026 11:18 Flood Alert
Groundwater flooding in the Lambourn Valley catchment
7 Apr 2026 11:28 Flood Alert
Groundwater flooding in the Lambourn Valley catchment
31 Mar 2026 15:20 Flood Alert
Groundwater flooding in the Lambourn Valley catchment
29 Mar 2026 07:57 Flood Alert
River Pang from East Ilsley to Pangbourne and Sulham Brook

Does Lower Shiplake flood?

Ordnance Survey places 23 postcodes in Lower Shiplake 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 231 properties in the EA dataset's likelihood bands.

EA likelihood bandPostcodes (worst band)Properties in the EA datasetof which homes
High84728
Medium22720
Low13157135
Very low000
All bands23231183

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 23 at-risk postcodes in Lower Shiplake, worst band first

High likelihood (8)

Medium likelihood (2)

Low likelihood (13)

Postcode districts

Places nearby with a page of their own

Caversham · Winnersh

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 Lower Shiplake

The nearest watercourse on the river map is the River Thames, about 100 m from the middle of Lower Shiplake's gauges. It flows on to the sea.

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 the River Thames nearest the middle of Lower Shiplake'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 Lower Shiplake

Lower Shiplake is monitored by 1 Environment Agency river level station on the River Thames, in Oxfordshire. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.

Monitoring Stations

The River Thames is monitored by 1 station (Shiplake Lock). 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 Lower Shiplake. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: River Thames from Shiplake to Bolney Court near Henley including Lower Shiplake, Wargrave including Loddon Drive, and Thames Drive, Charvil; River Thames for Shiplake, Lower Shiplake, Wargrave including Loddon Drive, and Thames Drive, Charvil; Lower River Loddon at the River Thames confluence including Twyford, Charvil and Wargrave including Loddon Drive; River Loddon at Twyford, Charvil and Wargrave including Loddon Drive, Berkshire.

Sewage Discharge Monitoring

There are 2 storm overflows within 5km of Lower Shiplake. None of the 2 with a reporting monitor are currently discharging. Enable "Sewage" on the map above to see their locations.

Each has its own page of live status and past discharges:

What To Do During A Flood

If flooding is forecast in Lower Shiplake, 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 Lower Shiplake

Lower Shiplake gets about 680 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 77 mm; driest March, 43 mm). That is 42% 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), 1.2 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 Lower Shiplake

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 →

  • 2013-11-23 — Winter 2013/2014 (Other)
  • 2013-11-23 — Winter 2013/2014 (Main river)
  • 2009-02-09 — Wargrave_Fluvial (Main river)
  • 2009-02-09 — Henley_Fluvial (Main river)
  • 2009-02-09 — Henley_Fluvial (Main river)
  • 2009-02-09 — Henley_Fluvial (Main river)
  • 2009-02-09 — Wargrave_Fluvial (Main river)
  • 2009-02-09 — Henley_Fluvial (Main river)
  • 2009-02-09 — Wargrave_Fluvial (Main river)
  • 2007-07-20 — Thames SE area July 2007 (Main river)
  • 2007-07-20 — Thames SE area July 2007 (Main river)
  • 2007-07-20 — Thames SE area July 2007 (Main river)

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

Frequently asked questions

Is there flooding in Lower Shiplake today?

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

Which rivers affect Lower Shiplake?

Lower Shiplake has river level monitoring on River Thames — 1 monitoring station in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Lower Shiplake?

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 Lower Shiplake flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 57 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 2007. 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 →