River levels already rising ahead of months worth of rainfall by weekend

The Met Office has warned that up to 70mm of rain is expected to fall between Wednesday and Sunday – more than the average rainfall for the whole of February – and a amber rain warning is due to come into force at 3pm today (Thurs) to last until the early hours of Sunday morning.
The forecast shows almost continuous rain until Monday.
Residents in Eastbury (pictured, Tobi Corney Photography) have already reported flooded properties, while parts of Bagnor, Boxford, Bucklebury (cover image) Lambourn, Newbury, and Speen have also been affected by the downpours.
In January, many waterways in West Berkshire broke record highs for water levels and they are yet again rising.
At 4.30am this morning, the Environment Agency recorded the River Kennet in Newbury to be at 1.32metres – seven centimetres below its record high as set in January – and in Theale at 1.44m (highest 1.57m) ; The River Lambourn was at 1.11m in Lambourn (highest 1.43); The Dunn at Hungerford was at 0.27m (highest 0.31m); Kingsclere Lock was at 0.26m (highest 0.36m) and the Thames downstream at Goring Lock was at 4.80m (highest 5.44m).
Red flood warnings – which indicate that flooding is expected and immediate action is required – have been reinforced on the River Thames at Purley Village and the River Kennet from Denford to Marsh Benham, including in Kintbury.
Amber flood alerts remain for the River Thames in Pangbourne, Whitchurch and Purley, and also for its tributaries which include Goring and Streatley.
Two amber alerts also still apply on the River Kennet for its tributaries from Berwick Bassett to Newbury and also from Thatcham to Reading, including in Burghfield, Colthrop, Woolhampton, Aldermaston, Theale, Calcot and Southcote.
The River Pang from East Ilsley to Pangbourne and Sulham Brook has the same amber alert, as does the River Lambourn, including in Shaw, Eastbury, East Garston, Welford, Easton, Boxford, Woodspeen, Bagnor, Donnington, Great Shefford on the Great Shefford Stream and Winterbourne on the Winterbourne Stream.
The Environment Agency is also warning residents to be prepared for groundwater flooding in the area, as rain falls on already saturated ground.
There are currently amber groundwater flood alerts in place in the Upper Aldbourne Valley and in the Lambourn valley, including in Great Shefford.
Don’t forget to keep updated of flooding in your area.
You can send you photographs and information to reporter Ellis Barker by emailing ellis.barker@newburynews.co.uk or you can tweet us directly on @NewburyToday or @ellisb_nwn
For more information on how flooding has affected the district so far, pick up a copy of today's Newbury Weekly News.