Does South Woodham Ferrers flood?

What the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data says about South Woodham Ferrers

Ordnance Survey places 62 postcodes in South Woodham Ferrers 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 822 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 South Woodham Ferrers

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of South Woodham Ferrers watch River Crouch, Sandon Brook.

• Wickford
  River Crouch · 7.3 km away 0.16 m
  normal range · steady · 28 min ago
• Sandon Bridge
  Sandon Brook · 9.9 km away 0.09 m
  normal range · steady · 28 min ago

Distances are from the middle of South Woodham Ferrers'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 South Woodham Ferrers

5 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of South Woodham Ferrers. The EA has issued 56 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 13 Jun 2025.

• Hullbridge waterside properties and the Dome Caravan Park
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2017 3.4 km
• The tidal River Crouch from Creeksea to Battlesbridge, including north and South Fambridge, Hullbridge and South Woodham Ferrers
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Dec 2013 3.7 km
• The River Roach, Prittle Brook and Eastwood Brook at Southend
  41 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jun 2025 8.6 km
• The Eastwood Brook from downstream of Rayleigh Weir and the Prittlewell Brook, to Southend Airport
  8 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2024 8.9 km
• The south bank of the Blackwater estuary from Maldon to Maylandsea, including Northey Island
  3 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Dec 2013 9.6 km

Recorded floods near South Woodham Ferrers

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of South Woodham Ferrers, 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
• 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
• 31 Jan 1953 — 1953 tidal flooding Essex Sea
• 13 Feb 1947 — 1947 Flood Outline Main river

Rainfall near South Woodham Ferrers

South Woodham Ferrers gets about 571 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month October, 62 mm; driest March, 35 mm). That is 51% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 1.6 km from the place centre.

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (3.4 km away), recorded 3.4 mm in the last 24 hours and 42.2 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 28 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in South Woodham Ferrers

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

High likelihood (6)

Medium likelihood (1)

Low likelihood (8)

Very low likelihood (47)

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.