River Kennet breaks record water level this morning (Thurs) as weather improves

At 9am today, the last of the yellow warnings for rain – for the south west of England and southern Wales – was removed, however the Environment Agency has warned that the accumulative affect of the heavy rainfall – with 200mm of water having fallen in three weeks – will still cause water levels to rise.
This morning, the River Kennet through Newbury broke its record water level, as measured by the Environment Agency, sitting at 1.39metres at 7.30am. Its record level was 1.36m.
The River Pang was at 1.05m, just four centimetres below its highest recorded level.
Some rivers, while still high, are not close to breaking their records - such as the River Lambourn at Lambourn, which is at 1.08m compared to a high of 1.43m and the River Enborne at Brimpton, at 0.91m compared to 1.82m - however the Environment Agency has said that this does not mean they are not at risk of flooding.
A red flood warning – which indicates that flooding is expected and immediate action is required – is still in place for the River Thames at Purley, Pangbourne and Whitchurch and also between Goring and Streatley.
Another red warning is in place for the River Kennet from Theale to Reading, including Burghfield, Calcot, Southcote and at The Oracle shopping centre.
Meanwhile, an amber flood alert has been applied to the River Pang from East Ilsley to Pangbourne and Sulham Brook, including Compton, Hampstead Norreys, Frilsham, Bucklebury, Stanford Dingley, Bradfield and Tidmarsh, Theale and Pangbourne.
An amber flood alert – warning residents that flooding is possible and to be prepared – remains in place for the River Lambourn and its tributaries from Upper Lambourn down to Shaw, including Eastbury, East Garston, Welford, Easton, Boxford, Woodspeen, Bagnor, Donnington, Great Shefford on the Great Shefford Stream and Winterbourne on the Winterbourne Stream.
An amber alert also remains for the River Kennet and its tributaries from Berwick Bassett down to Newbury, including in Ramsbury, Hungerford, Denford, Kintbury and Newbury, and also from Thatcham to Reading including Burghfield, Colthrop, Woolhampton, Aldermaston, Theale, Calcot and Southcote.
The River Enborne and Foudry Brook has also been issued an amber alert for flooding, from Gore End to Aldermaston, including the Ecchinswell Brook and the Kingsclere Brook; also the Foudry Brook and its tributaries from Scotsman’s Green to Green Park including Stratfield Mortimer and Tadley on the Bishopswood Stream.
The Met Office has forecast no further rain and sunny intervals for West Berkshire today (Thurs), with no showers expected until 6pm tomorrow.
Several parts of the district have been severely affected by flooding this week, including in Purley (pictured) and Pangbourne.
For full details and photographs sent in by our readers, pick up a copy of today’s Newbury Weekly News.
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