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Sunderland Bridge Flooding

County Durham • Live river level monitoring on River Browney & River Wear
2 monitoring stations
2 rivers
8 warning areas
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Flood risk in Sunderland Bridge today: Normal

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

Updated 2026-10-09 15:12:45 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Sunderland Bridge
Sunderland Bridge
Bridge in County Durham, England

Sunderland Bridge is a bridge just outside the village also called Sunderland Bridge in County Durham, England. It crosses the River Wear close to its confluence with the River Browney.

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 Sunderland Bridge’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.
Recent Flood Events
20 Aug 2026 09:33 Flood Alert
Lower River Wear
20 Aug 2026 09:28 Flood Alert
Rivers Derwent, Team, Don and estuarine tributaries
19 Aug 2026 17:08 Flood Alert
Lower River Wear
19 Aug 2026 17:03 Flood Alert
Rivers Derwent, Team, Don and estuarine tributaries
18 Jul 2026 11:40 Flood Alert
Tyne and Wear coast
17 Jul 2026 15:48 Flood Alert
Tyne and Wear coast

The watercourse nearest Sunderland Bridge

The nearest watercourse on the river map is the River Browney, about 200 m from the middle of Sunderland Bridge's gauges. It flows into the River Wear about 1.4 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 Browney nearest the middle of Sunderland Bridge'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 Sunderland Bridge

Sunderland Bridge is monitored by 2 Environment Agency river level stations on the River Browney, the River Wear, in County Durham. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.

Monitoring Stations

The River Browney is monitored by 1 station (Burn Hall). The River Wear is monitored by 1 station (Sunderland 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 Sunderland Bridge. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: Properties and low lying areas around the Old Bridge House and the Honest Lawyer Hotel; Lower River Wear from Escomb to Sunderland including the Rivers Browney, Cong Burn and Lumley Park Burn; Properties and low lying areas around Page Bank Post Office, Stanners Farm and Park Hill Lodge; Properties along Durham Riverside including Houghall, Elvet Bridge, High Street and the access road below The Gates Shopping Centre.

Sewage Discharge Monitoring

There are 58 storm overflows within 5km of Sunderland Bridge. None of the 53 with a reporting monitor are currently discharging (5 have no live status right now). 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 Sunderland Bridge, 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 Sunderland Bridge

Sunderland Bridge gets about 705 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 75 mm; driest March, 44 mm). That is 39% 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), 1.6 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 Sunderland Bridge

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 →

  • 2020-02-15 — Storm Dennis at Durham - 15th Feb 2020 (Main river)
  • 2015-12-05 — Durham Tidal 05/12/15 (Main river)
  • 2012-09-25 — Durham Fluvial 25/09/12 at approx 15.50hrs (Main river)
  • 2009-07-19 — Durham Fluvial floods 19/07/09 (Main river)
  • 2009-07-18 — Sunderland Bridge, County Durham (Main river)
  • 2009-07-18 — Shincliffe, County Durham (Main river)
  • 2009-07-18 — Durham City, County Durham (Main river)
  • 2009-07-18 — Stonebridge, Neville's Cross, Durham (Main river)
  • 2007-07-18 — NR,THE HONEST LAWYER,CROXDALE, (Sewer)
  • 2007-07-18 — COMMUNITY CENTRE,DURHAM ROAD,BOWBURN,DURHAM,NEAR A (Sewer)
  • 2007-07-18 — BTM,BURNS STREET,BOWBURN,DURHAM, (Sewer)
  • 2007-07-18 — SOMERFIELD,FRONT STREET,LANGLEY MOOR,DURHAM, (Sewer)

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

Frequently asked questions

Is there flooding in Sunderland Bridge today?

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

Which rivers affect Sunderland Bridge?

Sunderland Bridge has river level monitoring on River Browney, River Wear — 2 monitoring stations in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Sunderland Bridge?

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 Sunderland Bridge flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 7 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 1968. 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 →