Official Statistics: West Thames: groundwater situation

This document provides information on the groundwater situation for:

• West Berkshire
• Wiltshire
• Surrey
• Windsor
• Maidenhead
• north east Hampshire
• Buckinghamshire
• Vale of White Horse

Flooding from groundwater can happen when the level of water within the rock or soil that makes up the land surface (known as the water table) rises. The level of the water table changes with the seasons due to variations in long term rainfall and water abstraction. When the water table rises and reaches ground level, water starts to emerge on the surface and flooding can happen.

Lead local flood authorities (the unitary or County Council) are responsible for managing the risk of flooding from groundwater. They set out how they plan to do this in their local flood risk management strategies.

The Environment Agency has a strategic overview for all sources of flooding including groundwater. This means they will provide support to other risk management authorities. They supply information in the form of monitored groundwater levels. In some areas that have historically experienced groundwater flooding, the Environment Agency provide a groundwater alert or warning service.