Does Oswaldtwistle flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 34 postcodes in Oswaldtwistle 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 233 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 Oswaldtwistle

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Oswaldtwistle watch River Hyndburn, River Blakewater, River Darwen, Ewood Mill Race, Folly Clough, Ogden Brook, Shaw Brook Tributary.

• Milnshaw
  River Hyndburn · 2.4 km away 0.25 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Gorse Street
  River Blakewater · 4.1 km away 0.04 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Harrison Street
  River Blakewater · 6.1 km away 0.41 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Ewood
  River Darwen · 6.2 km away 0.32 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Ewood Ashville Terrace South
  Ewood Mill Race · 6.3 km away -0.03 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Ewood Ashville Terrace North
  Ewood Mill Race · 6.4 km away -0.04 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Blackburn Waterfall
  River Darwen · 6.5 km away 0.46 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Hardman Way
  River Darwen · 7.0 km away 0.07 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Darwen Clough Street Overflow
  River Darwen · 7.5 km away 0.52 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago
• Folly Clough Brook Structure
  Folly Clough · 7.6 km away 0.23 m
  controlled by a sluice or weir · 33 min ago
• Little Bridge
  Ogden Brook · 7.8 km away 0.05 m
  normal range · rising · 33 min ago
• Dryden Street
  Shaw Brook Tributary · 8.3 km away 0.17 m
  normal range · steady · 33 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Oswaldtwistle'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 Oswaldtwistle

29 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Oswaldtwistle. The EA has issued 135 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 8 Dec 2025.

• River Hyndburn, Woodnook & Broad Oak Water, Antley Syke, Pleck, Hynburn, Tinker, Lottice and Whiteash Brooks in Accrington and Oswaldtwistle. Comprising Dunnyshop, Baxenden, Lower Fold, Peel Bank, Barnfield and Little Moor End
  4 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 2.4 km
• Properties at risk of flooding from the River Blakewater and Knuzden Brook in the Whitebirk Drive, Blakewater Road, Greenbank Road, Gorse Street, Gladstone Street and Stanley Street areas of Blackburn 4.2 km
• River Blakewater at Blackburn Wranglings, including Railway Road, Darwen Street, Canterbury Street, Harrison Street and Whalley Banks 5.5 km
• Properties at risk of flooding from the River Blakewater in Blackburn from Cob Wall and Brookhouse to the town centre 5.5 km
• Ewood Mill Race at Ewood, Blackburn, including Bolton Road, Nuttall Street and Ashville Terrace 6.2 km
• Properties adjacent to the River Darwen, including Ewood Park, Stancliffe Street, Griffin Mill and River Mill
  5 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 6.2 km
• Properties in the Lower Darwen Bridge, Bolton Road, Waterfall, Griffin and Witton areas 6.5 km
• Properties in the Hollins Grove area of Darwen off the Blackburn Road between Bright Street and Clarence Street
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Jul 2012 6.7 km
• Properties in the Livesey Fold area of Darwen leading off Duckworth Road between Bright Street and Vale Street 6.8 km
• River Blakewater at Blackburn Wranglings, areas around George Street West, Whalley Banks, Pleasington Street and Garden Street
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Dec 2015 6.8 km
• Properties in the Hardman Way, Church Street, Shorey Bank and Hollins areas of Darwen 7.0 km
• Areas at risk include properties on Riverbank Mews and along Love Clough Fold 7.1 km

Recorded floods near Oswaldtwistle

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

• 16 Jun 2020 — Whalley New Road
• 9 Feb 2020 — Bold Street Main river
• 9 Feb 2020 — Broad Oak Road Main river
• 9 Feb 2020 — Mount Street. Main river
• 9 Feb 2020 — Water Street
• 9 Feb 2020 — Waverly Road
• 9 Feb 2020 — Haslingden Old Road Haslingden Old Road Haslingden Old Road Haslingden Old Road Main river
• 9 Feb 2020 — Fernlea Avenue
• 22 Nov 2017 — Black Water Street Drainage
• 22 Nov 2017 — Exchange Street
• 21 Oct 2017 — River Darwen 21st October 2017 Main river
• 26 Dec 2015 — Orchard Drive, Oswaldtwistle

…and 9 earlier recorded floods on the map.

Rainfall near Oswaldtwistle

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (4.9 km away), recorded 2.3 mm in the last 24 hours and 49.2 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 33 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Oswaldtwistle

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

High likelihood (4)

Medium likelihood (9)

Low likelihood (21)

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.