Does St Helens flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 95 postcodes in St Helens 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 1,051 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 St Helens

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of St Helens watch Sutton Mill Brook, Black Brook, Millingford Brook, Sankey Brook, Netherley Brook.

• Ellamsbridge Road, St Helens
  Sutton Mill Brook · 2.7 km away 0.16 m
  normal range · steady · 32 min ago
• Haydock West End Road
  Black Brook · 3.3 km away 0.10 m
  normal range · rising · 32 min ago
• Ivy Street, Ashton-In-Makerfield
  Millingford Brook · 8.2 km away 0.24 m
  normal range · steady · 32 min ago
• Causey Bridge
  Sankey Brook · 8.3 km away 0.34 m
  normal range · steady · 32 min ago
• Lincoln Drive
  Millingford Brook · 8.8 km away 0.28 m
  normal range · steady · 32 min ago
• Winster Drive
  Netherley Brook · 9.0 km away 0.62 m
  normal range · falling · 32 min ago
• Higham Avenue
  Sankey Brook · 9.9 km away 0.52 m
  normal range · rising · 32 min ago

Distances are from the middle of St Helens'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 St Helens

18 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of St Helens. The EA has issued 170 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 3 Sep 2026.

• Land and property adjacent to Windle Brook between the allotments and Dilloway Street. This includes Percival way, Ruskin Drive, Coleridge Way, Rivington Road and some properties on Kiln Lane 1.7 km
• Areas at risk include properties on Washbrook Close and some properties on Millbrook Lane, Wokefield Way, Cranston Close and Kiln Lane. Also at risk are properties on Dodd avenue, Percival Way, and the recreation ground. 2.0 km
• Areas at risk include land and property on landsdowne Court, parts of Waterdale Crescent, Boscow Crescent, Dawsone Avenue, and Gerrards Lane. Also at risk, land alongside Sutton Mill Brook from Waterdale Crescent to Damhouse Bridge, Sutton Mill Dam
  6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2025 2.9 km
• Areas at risk include land and properties at St Cuthberts school, Berrys Lane, Watery Lane, Portland Way and The Moss Nook
  6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2025 3.0 km
• Areas at risk include land and property at Berrington Road Cottage, between Grey House Farm and the river, Windle Park Wood, and some properties on Woodside and Birch Tree Avenues
  7 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 3.1 km
• Properties on Blackbrook Road and West End Road
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Jan 2025 3.3 km
• Areas at risk include land and properties at Pasture Lane Business Centre, Pasture lane Bridge (lesser), and Villbrook Business centre
  7 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 5.4 km
• Areas at risk include properties on Whiston Lane, Pluckington Road, Brook House and Wood Lane 6.2 km
• The Sankey catchment includes Black, Barkers, Windle and Whittle Brooks and their tributaries. Other locations which may be affected are around Rainford, Billinge, Prescot, Newton-le-Willows, Haydock, Ashton-in-Makerfield and Golbourne
  46 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2026 7.7 km
• Areas at risk include land and properties at Siding lane, Lords Fold and Lower Shades. Also at risk, are some properties on Beech Gardens
  8 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 8.3 km
• Properties around Wigan Road and Princess Road between the Library and Mill Street. Also properties on Old Road, King George Close, Gerrard Street, Monmouth Crescent, on and adjacent to Lincoln Drive and near Jack Brook on Bowland Avenue and Jubilee Park
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Aug 2026 8.5 km
• Areas at risk include land, and some property along Winster Drive 9.0 km

Recorded floods near St Helens

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

• 26 Dec 2015 — ea013_PeasleyCross,St.Helens Other
• 26 Dec 2015 — West End Road Other
• 24 Sep 2012 — ea01316_24_September_2012_BlackBrook_StHelens Main river
• 21 Jan 2008 — EA01316_21 January 2008_Sankey Brook_Broad Oak, Me Main river
• 21 Jan 2008 — EA01316_21 January 2008_Rainford Brook_Broad Oak, Main river
• 8 Dec 2007 — EA01316_08December2007_WindleBrook_14DillowaySt Main river
• 20 Aug 2004 — EA01316_20 August 2004_Mill Brook (Eccleston) Main river
• 10 Aug 2004 — EA01316_10 August 2004_Sutton Mill (1)
• 10 Aug 2004 — EA01316_10 August 2004_Sutton Mill_WheatsheafHotel Drainage
• 3 Aug 2004 — EA01316_03_August_2004_SuttonMill1_StHelens Main river
• 9 Sep 2002 — PEN2
• 14 Jun 2002 — CLIP Ordinary watercourse

…and 7 earlier recorded floods on the map.

Rainfall near St Helens

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (7.2 km away), recorded 4.0 mm in the last 24 hours and 18.4 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 32 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in St Helens

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

High likelihood (28)

Medium likelihood (6)

Low likelihood (58)

Very low likelihood (3)

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.