“No more property flooding reported”: Somerset Levels and Moors flood briefing 31 January 2026
This is a briefing prepared on Saturday 31 January 2026 by local Environment Agency staff.
In summary, no more property flooding has been reported for Somerset, and levels on the River Tone have stabilised. The Environment Agency is opening Monk’s Leaze Clyse at the entrance to the River Sowy, also known as the Parrett Flood Relief Channel. Water flows into the Sowy not far from Langport, goes down to King’s Sedgemoor Drain (KSD), then goes back into the Parrett through Dunball Sluice, north of Bridgwater. The aim is to move as much water as possible, to help reduce the impact of high tides next week.
The Environment Agency has also installed contingency pumps at Aller Drove and Westonzoyland (pictured at the top of this page).
The Environment Agency is a partner in Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA), along with Somerset Council, the Parrett and Axe Brue Internal Drainage Boards, Natural England, the Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and Wessex Water.
Current situation
No further property flooding has been reported overnight for Somerset, and levels on the River Tone have stabilised. A Met Office Yellow Weather Warning for rain is in place from 12pm Monday to 9am Tuesday, and further unsettled weather is forecast for the week ahead.
There are currently 5 Flood Warnings and 11 Food Alerts in place across Somerset. We encourage people to continue to check details daily.
We are also responding to incidents in Wiltshire and Dorset, where groundwater levels have risen to record highs following last week’s heavy rainfall. Because we acted early on the Somerset Levels, we are in a strong position to continue supporting local communities here while also deploying additional resources to areas now experiencing the greatest pressure.
This is the final briefing of this kind we will be sending out. From Monday 2 February we will be moving to a single, joint stakeholder briefing with our multi-agency partners, led by Somerset Council. This will ensure communities receive clear, consistent information in one place. We will continue to share these joint updates with you.
What we’re doing
Pumps continue to operate as river levels allow.
We continue to use the Bridgwater Taunton Canal as a relief channel.
To help us move the maximum amount of water through the system and reduce the impact of high tides next week, we are opening Monk’s Leaze Clyse. Flows in the Parrett from Langport have reduced enough that we can safely monitor and divert flood water down the Parrett Flood Relief Channel. This will help to lower the levels on the Tone and reduce the flow into Currymoor. It will also help lower the water level upstream of Langport.
We have also installed contingency pumps at Aller Drove and the Westonzoyland Flood Alleviation Schemes.
We are reviewing flow restrictions on the main drains feeding the pumping stations. This is to ensure we can maximise the use of the pumps.
Staff are on the ground inspecting assets to ensure they are fully operational and to identify any issues early.
What you need to do
To ensure your safety, please do not walk or drive through flood water. Flood water may be deeper than it looks and contain sewage and hidden hazards.
We encourage you to report any property flooding as soon as you can. Reporting helps organisations coordinate support and prioritise response. You can do this by calling the Environment Agency Incident Hotline 0800 80 70 60.
Since a major incident was declared, multi-agency response to the flooding has been stepped up.
For welfare needs, including animal welfare, please contact Somerset Council on 0300 123 2224.
Preparing for flooding
Sign up for flood warnings at gov.uk/get-flood-warnings
Call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for updates, to sign up for warnings, or to report flooding
Visit gov.uk/prepare-for-flooding for advice on what to do
During a flood
Call 999 if there is a risk to life
Report flooding to:
Environment Agency (main rivers or sea): 0800 80 70 60
Somerset Council (ordinary watercourses): 0300 123 2224
Wessex Water (sewers): 0345 600 4600
Check for flooding updates at check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk
Visit gov.uk/help-during-flood or somersetprepared.org.uk for guidance