The Environment Agency has lifted a flood alert for the River Kennet and its tributaries in the Swindon area, though a separate alert for groundwater flooding in the Lambourn Valley remains in place as of 8 April 2026.
The alert for the River Kennet, which covered the stretch from Berwick Bassett down to Newbury, was officially removed on 2 April 2026. This decision followed a period of high water levels that had previously affected the River Dun in Hungerford.
Meanwhile, the groundwater flood alert for the Lambourn Valley, first issued on 31 March 2026, continues to be active. The Environment Agency reports that while groundwater levels are slowly falling at the Longacre borehole, they remain high enough that flooding is still considered possible.
These recent alerts are part of a wider groundwater issue across Dorset and Wiltshire triggered by Storm Chandra in late January 2026. The rainfall from that storm caused water levels to rise to heights matching or exceeding those seen during the major flooding events of 2013 and 2014.
Despite the ongoing groundwater alert, the broader flood risk outlook for the Swindon area over the next five days is assessed as very low. The agency reminds residents that the region faces a long-term risk of flooding from various sources, including rivers, surface water, and groundwater.
Residents can continue to monitor their local situation through the government flood information service.
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