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Smallbridge Flooding

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

Flood risk in Smallbridge today: Watch

Conditions are worth watching: heavy rain has fallen nearby (29.6 mm in the last 24 hours at Rainfall station). Keep an eye on updates if heavy rain continues.

Updated 2026-10-09 15:10:51 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Smallbridge
Smallbridge
Human settlement in England

Smallbridge is a district of Rochdale in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the foothills of the Pennines, in the northeast of Rochdale, contiguous with Buckley, and to the south of the village of Wardle. The Rochdale ward is called Smallbridge and Firgrove. This ward had a population of 11,469 at the 2011 Census.

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 Smallbridge’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.

Does it flood near Smallbridge?

Towns and villages near Smallbridge with a page of their own: the homes in a flood risk area there, the nearest river gauges, and recorded floods.

Whitworth · Shaw · Middleton

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.

The watercourse nearest Smallbridge

The nearest watercourse on the river map is the River Roch, about 40 m from the middle of Smallbridge's gauges. It flows into the River Irwell about 20 km 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 the River Roch nearest the middle of Smallbridge'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 Smallbridge

Smallbridge is monitored by 1 Environment Agency river level station on the River Roch, in Greater Manchester. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.

Monitoring Stations

The River Roch is monitored by 1 station (Albert Royds Bridge). 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 Smallbridge. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: Areas at risk include properties at the north end of Park Road, All Saints Works, Heybrook School, and properties on Hector Ave.; Areas at risk include properties on Park Road, Buckley Road, Morley Street, Colley Street and Fox Street; The area from Roch Valley Way to Yorkshire Street and Albert Royds Street. Including the Sewage works, Corporation Rd, Norman Rd, Bridgefield Street, The Esplanade, South Parade, the Bus Station, Entwisle Rd and Belfield Rd.; Properties at Milnrow Precinct, on and around Stonefield Street, Station Road, Clifton Street, Whitworth Street, Dale Street, Edmund Street and Lily Street. Also around Charles Lane, Church Terrace, Lambourne Grove, Ladyhouse Lane and Ashfield Lane.

Sewage Discharge Monitoring

There are 43 storm overflows within 5km of Smallbridge. 2 are currently discharging. 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 Smallbridge, 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 Smallbridge

Smallbridge gets about 1,243 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month December, 143 mm; driest April, 72 mm). That is close to 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), 2.6 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 Smallbridge

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 →

  • 2025-01-01 — Rochdale Newhey - NYE/NYD 25 (Main river)
  • 2024-12-05 — 1 - 7 Daniel Street - Storm Darragh (Main river)
  • 2022-02-20 — 2022 February Flood Incident -Storm Dudley, Eunice and Franklin (Main river)
  • 2020-02-15 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Dennis (Drainage)
  • 2020-02-15 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Dennis (Ordinary watercourse)
  • 2020-02-15 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Dennis (Main river)
  • 2020-02-15 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Dennis (Ordinary watercourse)
  • 2020-02-15 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Dennis (Main river)
  • 2020-02-15 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Dennis (Drainage)
  • 2020-02-15 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Dennis (Main river)
  • 2020-02-08 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Ciara (Main river)
  • 2020-02-08 — 2020 February Flood Incident - Storm Ciara/Dennis (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 Smallbridge today?

Current verdict: Watch. Conditions are worth watching: heavy rain has fallen nearby (29.6 mm in the last 24 hours at Rainfall station). Keep an eye on updates if heavy rain continues.

Which rivers affect Smallbridge?

Smallbridge has river level monitoring on River Roch — 1 monitoring station in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Smallbridge?

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 Smallbridge flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 48 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 2020. 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 →