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Water Level Rising
Up 0.19 m since 08:30, still rising (0.27 m/h)
0.19

Swaton

South Forty Foot Drain
Witham catchment • Swaton • Lincolnshire • ID: E4485 • Level
(21m ago) • 4 readings/hr • 179 views

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Not an emergency service — if in danger call 999. Alerts rely on EA/SEPA/NRW data and are best-efforts. Terms

Current Level
0.187 mASD
▲ Rising (+27cm/hr)
24h Max
0.201 mASD
24h Min
0.014 mASD
Typical Range
0.15 - 1.45
mASD
Highest Recorded
2.63 mASD
EA official record
2.65 in our data (since Nov 2012)
Current level is 7% of this
🚽 Sewage overflows nearby

Recent Water Levels

🌍 floodradar.co.uk
1 day

Recent Readings

Rising · +17 cm over 5h
08 Oct 16:45 ▼ -0.2 cm 0.187 mASD
08 Oct 16:30 ▲▲ +14 cm 0.189 mASD
08 Oct 16:15 ▼▼ -12 cm 0.054 mASD
08 Oct 16:00 ▲▲ +7 cm 0.169 mASD
08 Oct 15:45 ▼ -3 cm 0.100 mASD
08 Oct 15:30 ▲▲ +9 cm 0.128 mASD
08 Oct 15:15 ▲ +0.5 cm 0.043 mASD
08 Oct 15:00 ▲ +1 cm 0.038 mASD
08 Oct 14:45 ▼▼ -13 cm 0.025 mASD
08 Oct 14:30 ▲ +3 cm 0.153 mASD
08 Oct 14:15 ▲▲ +7 cm 0.120 mASD
08 Oct 14:00 ▼▼ -13 cm 0.053 mASD
08 Oct 13:45 ▲▲ +9 cm 0.182 mASD
08 Oct 13:30 ▼▼ -11 cm 0.090 mASD
08 Oct 13:15 ▲▲ +6 cm 0.201 mASD
08 Oct 13:00 ▲▲ +9 cm 0.137 mASD
08 Oct 12:45 ▲ +1 cm 0.048 mASD
08 Oct 12:30 ▲ +0.8 cm 0.035 mASD
08 Oct 12:15 ▲ +0.8 cm 0.027 mASD
08 Oct 12:00 0.019 mASD

Station Details

Technical details: references, datum, range, flow archive
  • Station Reference: E4485
  • RLOI id: 6223 (the EA's check-for-flooding station id)
  • EA Gauge ID: E4485-level-stage-i-15_min-mASD
  • Parameter: Level
  • Unit: mASD
  • Typical rise rate: 44 cm/hr (p95 sustained over 90 days)
  • Typical data delay: ~22 min (measured reading→publication lag)
  • Tidal: No
  • Lock / structure: No
  • Catchment Area: Witham
  • Datum: 2.650m AOD
  • Typical Range: 0.150 – 1.450 mASD
  • EA Cross-check: 0.05 mASD (EA at 8 Oct 16:15)

Geographic coordinates may reflect the access point for the gauge, and not the precise location in the watercourse that it is taking readings from.

Nearby Stations

Gauges connected to this river, and others nearby. A distance “by river” follows the river on the map; any other is in a straight line.

Connected downstream

Same river system, separate branch

Nearby

Distances by river: OS Open Rivers. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026.

💧 Storm overflows upstream of this gauge

None of the storm overflows FloodRadar holds is traced upstream of this gauge on the mapped river network. That is not the same as none: the map leaves out many small streams and culverts, so an overflow it cannot place may still drain here, and not every company publishes every overflow. Those nearby are listed below.

Nearby, connection not known

Within 6 km in a straight line, but the river map cannot say whether their water passes this gauge.

💧
Anglian Water · into Helpringham Eau South Forty Fo · 3.7 km away in a straight line · its recorded watercourse is not the one mapped beside it
7 spills · 70 hours in 2025
Not discharging now · last
💧
Anglian Water · into S.beck N.beck South Forty Foot · 5.6 km away in a straight line · its recorded watercourse is not the one mapped beside it
29 spills · 220 hours in 2025
Not discharging now · last

1 other overflow within 6 km is downstream of this gauge or on another branch of the river network, so it is not listed.

These are the water companies' monitor statuses; a spill does not by itself explain a change in the gauge level. River connections and distances are traced on OS Open Rivers (edition 2026-04), which leaves out many small channels. Explore the sewage map →

Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026.

Rainfall & Weather

Loading rainfall and weather data...

How often this river runs high

In a typical year this gauge reaches its typical high of 1.45 m on about 7 days. This year so far: 6 days.

2026 6 days, 3 of them high · 3 high so far
2025 5 days, 4 of them high · 4 high
2024 11 days, 8 of them high · 8 high
2023 13 days, 5 of them high · 5 high
2022 2 days
2021 7 days, 3 of them high · 3 high
2020 6 days, 3 of them high · 3 high
2019 19 days, 15 of them high · 15 high
2018 2 days, 2 of them high · 2 high
2017 0 days

Counted from each day's highest reading. Days with missing or implausible readings are left out. The darker part is days above 1.68 m, the level this gauge tops only a few days a year.

Flood history near this gauge

Official Environment Agency warnings issued since 2007 for the 6 flood areas linked to this gauge (nearest 0.2 km away).

29flood warnings 56flood alerts

Most recent flood warning: 9 Jan 2026 — Swaton Eau in Swaton Village

Year by year
YearWarningsAlerts
2026 1 4
2025 4 3
2024 5 6
2023 5 4
2022 0 2
2021 1 3
2020 2 4
2019 1 9
2018 0 2
2016 0 3
2014 0 3
2013 0 5
2012 3 4
2009 0 1
2007 7 3

Warnings apply to a whole flood area, not necessarily this exact spot. Years before 2006 aren't covered by the EA's historic record. See also the Swaton flood history.

Flood areas linked to this gauge

Flood warnings and alerts are issued for whole areas. These are the 6 areas linked to this gauge, nearest first.

Frequently asked questions

Is the South Forty Foot Drain at Swaton flooding today?

The current level is 0.19m, which is within the typical range of 0.15 to 1.45m. Flooding is unlikely at this level.

Is the river level rising or falling at Swaton?

Based on the most recent readings, the level is currently rising. The chart above shows the last 12 hours of measurements by default (up to 7 days), updated roughly every 15 minutes.

What is a normal level for the South Forty Foot Drain at Swaton?

The typical range at this station is 0.15m to 1.45m, based on Environment Agency historical data. Levels above 1.45m are higher than usually seen and may indicate a flood risk.

How often is this river level data updated?

Readings are supplied by the Environment Agency gauge. FloodRadar checks for updates roughly every 15 minutes; the timestamp above shows how recent the latest available reading is.

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📮 Flood risk by postcode near this gauge

Postcodes within 5 km with properties in the Environment Agency’s rivers-and-sea flood-risk bands:

Check any UK postcode’s flood risk →

🏠 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 →