Does Swindon flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 208 postcodes in Swindon 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 2,195 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 Swindon

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Swindon watch River Ray, River Cole, South Marston Brook, Dorcan Brook, River Key, Brinkworth Brook, River Thames, Ampney Brook.

• Rodbourne
  River Ray · 2.1 km away 0.29 m
  normal range · falling · 43 min ago
• Rushey Platt
  River Ray · 3.0 km away 0.78 m
  normal range · 43 min ago
• Lower Stratton
  River Cole · 3.7 km away 2.05 m
  normal range · 43 min ago
• Highworth Bridge
  South Marston Brook · 4.6 km away 0.16 m
  normal range · 58 min ago
• Kestrel Drive
  Dorcan Brook · 4.8 km away 0.77 m
  normal range · 43 min ago
• Purton Stoke
  River Key · 7.1 km away 0.68 m
  normal range · 58 min ago
• Water Eaton
  River Ray · 7.4 km away 1.49 m
  normal range · falling · 43 min ago
• Hancocks Water Reservoir Structure
  Brinkworth Brook · 8.3 km away 4.36 m
  controlled by a sluice or weir · 43 min ago
• Cricklade Structure
  River Thames · 9.3 km away 0.10 m
  controlled by a sluice or weir · 43 min ago
• Sheeppen Bridge Structure
  Ampney Brook · 9.5 km away 0.10 m
  controlled by a sluice or weir · 43 min ago
• Hannington Bridge
  River Thames · 9.8 km away 2.75 m
  normal range · steady · 43 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Swindon'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 Swindon

13 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Swindon. The EA has issued 389 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 23 Oct 2026.

• River Ray from the Wootton Bassett Road down to and including the sewage works, Barnfield Road in Swindon
  no warning on record since 2006 2.2 km
• River Cole for the Covingham and Lower Stratton areas in Swindon including Greenbridge Industrial Estate
  1 warning or alert since 2006, latest Sep 2023 3.2 km
• River Ray and Swinbourne for the West Swindon Area down to but not including Water Eaton
  43 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Nov 2025 3.8 km
• River Swin Bourne in the Even Swindon, West Kingshill & Westleaze areas in Swindon
  no warning on record since 2006 3.9 km
• Dorcan Brook in the Dorcan, Eldene and Coate areas in Swindon
  no warning on record since 2006 4.4 km
• Properties closest to the South Marston Brook including Quarrybrook Close, Byron Court, Greenfields and Chapel Lane
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Nov 2025 4.9 km
• River Ray from the Elborough Bridge near the B4553 Purton Road area in Swindon down to but not including Water Eaton
  no warning on record since 2006 5.1 km
• Flagham Brook, The Swill Brook, The Hankerton Brook, The Hykemeres Stream, The Derry Brook and The River Key
  68 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2026 7.3 km
• River Key from the Bentham area to Cricklade including Purton Stoke
  3 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Nov 2024 7.3 km
• River Cole, Dorcan Brook and South Marston Brook for the East Swindon and South Marston areas down to above Buscot Wick
  202 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Oct 2026 7.4 km
• River Thames and its small tributaries from Calcutt to Lechlade including The Marston Meysey Brook and The Downington Brook
  63 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Mar 2026 9.4 km
• River Thames from Calcutt to Lechlade including Hannington Wick
  2 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Nov 2024 9.6 km

Recorded floods near Swindon

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of Swindon, most recent first. Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded. See them on the map →

• 19 Jul 2007 — Covingham CP_Fluvial Water Main river
• 19 Jul 2007 — Westlea_Fluvial Water Main river
• 19 Jul 2007 — Westlea_Surface Water Drainage
• 19 Jul 2007 — Covingham_Fluvial Water Main river
• 19 Jul 2007 — South Marston_Fluvial Water Main river
• 19 Jul 2007 — Bourton_Fluvial Water Main river
• 19 Jul 2007 — BD Medical 2007 Surface water Drainage
• 6 Jul 2006 — Rodbourne_fluvial Main river
• 1 Jan 1971 — 06JuneSummer1971 Main river
• 1 Jan 1968 — 06SeptemberAutumn1968 Main river
• 1 Jan 1947 — 06MarchSpring1947 Main river

Rainfall near Swindon

Swindon gets about 718 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month December, 75 mm; driest March, 46 mm). That is 38% drier than the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 2.3 km from the place centre.

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (2.0 km away), recorded 0.0 mm in the last 24 hours and 81.8 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 43 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Swindon

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

High likelihood (86)

Medium likelihood (10)

Low likelihood (91)

Very 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.