Does Water flood?

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

Ordnance Survey places 22 postcodes in Water 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 181 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 Water

Environment Agency gauges within 10 km of Water watch Folly Clough, Whitewell Brook, Limey Water, River Irwell, River Calder, Ogden Brook, River Brun.

• Folly Clough Brook Structure
  Folly Clough · 2.7 km away 0.23 m
  controlled by a sluice or weir · 37 min ago
• Thornfield Avenue
  Whitewell Brook · 3.4 km away 0.37 m
  normal range · steady · 37 min ago
• Rawtenstall
  Limey Water · 3.5 km away 0.15 m
  normal range · rising · 37 min ago
• Holt Mill Bridge
  River Irwell · 3.7 km away 0.18 m
  normal range · rising · 37 min ago
• Throstle Mill
  River Irwell · 4.1 km away 0.48 m
  normal range · rising · 37 min ago
• Portsmouth Lennox Road
  River Calder · 6.0 km away 0.43 m
  normal range · steady · 37 min ago
• Oxford Road
  River Calder · 6.7 km away 0.23 m
  normal range · steady · 37 min ago
• Irwell Vale
  River Irwell · 7.2 km away 0.36 m
  normal range · rising · 37 min ago
• Little Bridge
  Ogden Brook · 7.3 km away 0.05 m
  normal range · rising · 37 min ago
• Active Way
  River Calder · 7.3 km away 0.59 m
  normal range · steady · 37 min ago
• Thompson Park
  River Brun · 8.0 km away 0.28 m
  below normal · steady · 37 min ago
• Stubbins
  River Irwell · 8.2 km away 0.14 m
  normal range · rising · 37 min ago

Distances are from the middle of Water'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 Water

36 Environment Agency flood warning areas lie within 10 km of Water. The EA has issued 169 flood warnings and alerts for them since 2006, most recently on 20 Sep 2025.

• Areas at risk include properties along Burnley road between Riverside Park and Ashworth road. Also at risk are properties on Riverside Mews, Some property on Brock Clough Road and Shaw Clough Street.
  4 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Nov 2024 2.0 km
• Properties adjacent to Brook including Globe, Dale, Gaghills, Mill End and Albion Mills. Waterfoot Business Centre. Properties on Burnley Road East, Rose, Booth and Clarke Holme Streets, the Close and Thornfield Avenue including the bakery
  9 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 2.8 km
• Areas at risk are properties along Burnley Road between Adelaide Street and Forest Bank Road. This includes Britannia Mill, Quakers Friend Meeting House and Mansion House Buildings, parts of Water Street and the Library on Adelaide Street.
  3 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2020 2.9 km
• Areas at risk include properties adjacent to Limy Water from Brittania Mill to Mill Road. Including Stoneholme road, Crawshaw Grange and Burnley Road 3.3 km
• Areas at risk include properties on Riverbank Mews and along Love Clough Fold 3.5 km
• Areas at risk include properties adjacent to the A681 Bacup Road between Holt Mill Road and Spring Gardens Street. Also at risk, Victoria Parade, and parts of Schofield Street and Holt Mill Works
  6 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Nov 2024 3.7 km
• Areas at risk include Burnley Road around Bacup Leisure Hall to St James Square, along Market St, Henrietta St and Park Rd Industrial Estates. Also properties around the Library and St James Street to Lumb Scar, Beech Industrial Estate and Vale Street
  10 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 3.9 km
• Areas at risk include properties at Stubbylee Bridge including Stuart, Herbert and Branch Streets, the Ambulance station on Commercial Street, Brandwood Park and Waterbarn Lane areas of Stacksteads, and part of Glen Crescent and Toll Bar Business Park
  9 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 4.0 km
• Properties on and adjacent to Burnley Road; south of Constable Lee Bridge. Bocholt Way and Bacup Road from Bury Road to Lench Road. Properties near Hareholme mill, Victoria Works and Holme Lane including parts of New Hall Hey Road
  9 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Jan 2025 4.0 km
• Areas at risk include land and properties along the river in Stubbylee Bridge and Stacksteads, including Futures, Acres and Stubbylee Parks and parts of Newchurch Road, Farholme Lane and Brandwood.
  7 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Sep 2025 4.1 km
• Area closest to the River Calder at Fulledge including Unity College, Towneley Holmes Road, Holmes Street, Richard Street, Plumbe Street and Lutner Street
  3 warnings and alerts since 2006, latest Feb 2020 6.5 km
• Properties in Fulledge from Culshaw Street to Plumbe Street including those on and in the vicinity of Mitella Street, Lyndhurst Road, Brunshaw Road, Higgin Street, Todmorden Road, Oxford Road 6.9 km

Recorded floods near Water

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

• 5 Dec 2024 — The Mason's Arms Pub, Burnley Rd E - Storm Darragh 254 Burnley Rd E, Rossendale BB4 9HU Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — 3 Paradise Street, Waterfoot - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — Dog Groomers, 7 Burnley Road East - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — The loading bay, Waterfoot Business Centre, Burnley Rd E, Waterfoot, Rossendale BB4 9HR - Storm Darragh Ordinary watercourse
• 5 Dec 2024 — 552 Burnley Road East - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — 546 Burnley Road East - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — 2 Rockcliffe Road, Bacup - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — 2 Manor Street, Bacup - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — Drury Adams Limited, New Hey Mill, Newchurch Road - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — Do Dahs Café Wine Bar,103-105 Bank St - Storm Darragh Drainage
• 5 Dec 2024 — Castleton Textiles, Plantation mill industrial estate, Market Street - Storm Darragh Main river
• 5 Dec 2024 — 341 Burnley Road East - Storm Darragh Drainage

…and 89 earlier recorded floods on the map.

Rainfall near Water

The nearest rain gauge, Rainfall station (3.3 km away), recorded 2.0 mm in the last 24 hours and 49.2 mm in the last 7 days (latest reading 37 min ago).

At-risk postcodes in Water

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

High likelihood (7)

Medium likelihood (1)

Low likelihood (14)

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.