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SwedenCardington water level
River gauge, River Great Ouse, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
Right now
Below the normal range
Water level
History
What this means
Low water at Cardington: the gauge reads 1.25 m, below normal.
The usual range here runs from 1.25 m to 1.58 m.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 1.24 m – 1.25 m.
Autumn rain usually starts to lift rivers again after the summer low.
Compared with the normal range the agency publishes for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Normal range
- 1.25 m – 1.58 m
- Highest on record
- 2.30 mDecember 26, 2020
- Lowest on record
- 0.77 mSeptember 17, 2013
For anglers and canoeists
Low rivers are hard going for paddlers, with exposed gravel and weirs that are awkward to shoot. Salmon and sea trout usually wait for the next spate to run.
Many angling and canoe clubs check gauges like this one before heading out.
About the River Great Ouse
The River Great Ouse is a river in England, the fifth longest in the United Kingdom, and longest of several British rivers called "Ouse". It flows mostly north and east, from Syresham in Northamptonshire, through Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, before draining into the Wash and the North Sea near Kings Lynn. Authorities disagree both on the river's source and its length, with one quoting 160 mi (260 km) and another 143 mi (230 km). The Great Ouse has been historically important for commercial navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows; its best-known tributary is the Cam, which runs through Cambridge. Its lower course passes through drained wetlands and fens and has been extensively modified, or channelised, to relieve flooding, stabilise its path, and provide a better route for barge traffic.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 4.8 mm. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the River Great Ouse
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BedfordRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.28 m | Normal | ±0 | 2.3 km |
| Castle MillRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.12 m | Lowest on record | −0.01 m | 2.7 km |
| BromhamRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 28.99 m | Normal | −0.01 m | 6.7 km |
| RoxtonRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.31 m | Low | +0.02 m | 9.3 km |
| SharnbrookRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.18 m | Normal | ±0 | 12 km |
| Eaton SoconRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.05 m | Normal | +0.01 m | 14 km |
| TurveyRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.29 m | Normal | +0.01 m | 14 km |
| St NeotsRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.87 m | Normal | +0.04 m | 17 km |
| OlneyRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.08 m | Normal | ±0 | 19 km |
| Newport Pagnell CemeteryRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.06 m | Very low | +0.02 m | 20 km |
| Newport PagnellRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.15 m | Low | ±0 | 20 km |
| OffordRiver gauge, River Great Ouse | 0.44 m | Normal | −0.03 m | 22 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BlunhamRiver gauge, River Ivel | 0.21 m | Low | +0.01 m | 7.9 km |
| SheffordRiver gauge, River Flit | 0.24 m | Normal | +0.02 m | 11 km |
| BiggleswadeRiver gauge, River Ivel | 0.16 m | Normal | +0.04 m | 12 km |
| RiseleyRiver gauge, River Kym | 0.34 m | Normal | +0.06 m | 14 km |
Questions and answers
What is the typical range for the River Great Ouse at Cardington?
The Environment Agency gives a typical range of 1.25 m to 1.58 m for this gauge.
Is the river level the same as the depth of the water?
No. The reading is measured from a fixed zero mark at the gauge, so 1.25 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Cardington today?
On 19 Oct 2026, 02:00 BST, the water level was 1.25 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Cardington rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Cardington normal?
Below the normal range. Compared with the normal range the agency publishes for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cardington?
The highest level on record is 2.30 m on December 26, 2020. The lowest is 0.77 m on September 17, 2013.
How often is this data updated?
The Environment Agency publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment Agency
- Station code
ea:E44566(Agency page)- Coordinates
52.12633, -0.42911(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- station datum
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Environment Agency data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface elevation | – | – | – |
| Water level | 1.25 m | 2026-10-19 01:00 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
Environment Agency: Cardington (ea:E44566). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/bedfordshire/cardington
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer