Kent groundwater situation: March 2025
Updated 2 April 2025
Applies to England
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Current situation
Widespread rainfall was recorded at the end of February, which maintained the upward trend in groundwater levels. However, the rise has stopped due to the lack of significant rainfall since the end of February. Levels are now starting to fall.
Groundwater levels are normal for this time of year in the eastern Kent area.
Short term forecast聽
Predominantly dry weather conditions are likely to continue with a chance of some spells of rain or showers predicted for the latter half of the next 2 weeks. No heavy rainfall is currently expected in the south east.
Longer term forecast聽
Predominantly drier and brighter periods are expected in the next three to four weeks. However, some unsettled weather may develop in the south of the UK. The rainfall that could be associated is not currently predicted to be intensive enough to reverse the current emerging trend, indicating that groundwater levels are now starting to fall.
If contrary to the current weather forecast, there is extremely heavy rainfall over the next few weeks, groundwater could start to rise again. In turn, this could still cause groundwater flooding of low-lying land and basements. This could also result in winter bournes such as the Nailbourne and Alkam Bourne, beginning to flow. Bournes are rivers that flow in winter because of high groundwater levels.
However, at this time of the year, rather than starting rise again, we would expect groundwater levels to continue falling until the onset of the next recharge season. This also considers the weather forecast that does not predict rainfall to be intensive over the next 4 weeks.
Graph showing the trend of groundwater levels since June 2023 at the Little Bucket Farm Observation Borehole at Petham in North Downs of East Kent overlying a background of colour banding indicating relatively high and low conditions. Levels are normal for this time of the year on 31 March 2025.
What the Environment Agency is doing聽
We will continue to monitor groundwater levels across east Kent and provide situation report updates, if the outlook changes. If there is no significant change to the current outlook, the next report will be published post the onset of the next recharge season.
We will take evidence-based decisions. If conditions deteriorate, we will notify our partners (including lead local flood authorities and water companies). We will also actively engage with our partners to help them prepare for incident response.
Actions and advice
There is practical advice on what to do before, during and after groundwater flooding, and further guidance about groundwater flooding, how it might affect you and what to do.
Next update
We will continue to monitor groundwater levels closely and we will provide further updates at the beginning of the next recharge season later in the year, unless there are any significant changes.
Further information
You can view:
Contacts
If you have any questions, email聽[email protected].
The Environment Agency offers free Groundwater Flood Alerts. You can:
- call Floodline on 0345 988 1188
- visit
- follow and #floodaware on Twitter for the latest flood outlook