About
groundwater
flooding
This page will help you understand what groundwater flooding is and how you can find out about your risk.
Groundwater flooding is one of the least understood types of flooding in the UK, yet it can be devastating, often causing disruptions that last for weeks or even months.
It causes damage to property, buildings and roads. It can overwhelm drainage and sewer networks, contaminate water, and make toilets and showers unusable for long periods.
Because we know so little about it, people are often unprepared for it, making it harder to recover.
Understanding groundwater
While groundwater flooding can be difficult to experience, understanding it is the first step in being prepared.
Watch our video, or read on, to find out more.
Groundwater is simply water that’s stored in the ground
Water is always moving through our environment. It evaporates from the oceans, condenses into clouds and then falls as rain.
Some of it flows into rivers and back into the sea, and some of it drains into the ground, resulting in groundwater. The water fills the spaces between soil particles and fills porous rocks like chalk and limestone. We call these acquifers.
The water may be close to the surface and just a few hours old, or it may lie hundreds of feet below and have been there for thousands of years.
When heavy rainfall soaks into the ground over weeks or months, groundwater levels push up towards the surface. Eventually, the water breaks through, flooding low-lying valleys and hilltops.
Will I be flooded?
We don’t have a full picture of who will be affected by groundwater flooding because there isn’t enough research available. That’s why our work is important. Our trials, to produce maps, monitoring and warning systems, will help.
What can I do today?
Check to see if you are in an area covered by the Environment Agency’s groundwater flood alerts.
Find out if you are in our trial areas where we have risk maps and flood warnings.
Learn more about the geology of your local area to see if you live in an area where groundwater typically gathers underground.
Find out what to do in a groundwater flood.
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