Cambridge water level

Name: Cambridge water level (Environment Agency)
Creator: Environment Agency
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

River gauge, River Cam, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Directions

Far below the normal range

Water level

0.08m Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured 18 Oct 2026, 09:15 BST (48 min ago)

History

7 days

Water level Top of normal rangeBottom of normal range

What this means

Low water at Cambridge: the gauge reads 0.08 m, far below normal.

The usual range here runs from 0.14 m to 1.25 m. The lowest reading on record is 0.03 m (August 22, 2003).

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 0.02 m – 0.10 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: 0.14 m – 1.25 m
Highest on record: 1.38 mJuly 20, 2007
Lowest on record: 0.03 mAugust 22, 2003

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 Cam

The River Cam is a chalk river and the main river flowing through Cambridge in eastern England. After leaving Cambridge, it flows north and east before joining the River Great Ouse to the south of Ely, at Pope's Corner. The total distance from Cambridge to the sea is about 40 mi (64 km) and is navigable for punts, small boats, and rowing craft. The Great Ouse also connects to England's canal system via the Middle Level Navigations and the River Nene. In total, the Cam runs for around 69 kilometres (43 mi) from its furthest source to its confluence with the Great Ouse.

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 4.7 mm. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 13° 3° 0.2 mm, 31% Wind 22 km/h

19 Mon 14° 7° 4.9 mm, 92% Wind 18 km/h

20 Tue 11° 5° 3.3 mm, 76% Wind 8 km/h

21 Wed 11° 5° 4.2 mm, 65% Wind 28 km/h

22 Thu 14° 5° 3.0 mm, 67% Wind 18 km/h

23 Fri 10° 5° 18 mm, 82% Wind 30 km/h

24 Sat 10° 4° 1.4 mm, 58% Wind 28 km/h

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:12 PM Daylight 10 hr, 33 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the River Cam

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
CamRiver gauge, River Cam	0.89 m	High	±0	3.4 km
Weston BampfyldeRiver gauge, River Cam	−0.01 m	Lowest on record	±0	80 km

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
EastingtonRiver gauge, River Frome (Severn)	0.19 m	Lowest on record	±0	3.8 km
EpneyRiver gauge, River Severn	3.44 m	Normal	±0	7.5 km
Ebley MillRiver gauge, River Frome (Severn)	0.12 m	Low	−0.03 m	8.0 km
BerkeleyRiver gauge, Little Avon River	0.14 m	Low	−0.01 m	8.4 km
SharpnessRiver gauge, River Severn	1.06 m	Lowest on record	−2.34 m	8.4 km
MerrywalksRiver gauge, Slad Brook	0.15 m	Lowest on record	±0	10 km
Slad RoadRiver gauge, Slad Brook	0.00 m	Lowest on record	±0	10 km
Egypt MillRiver gauge, Nailsworth Stream	0.37 m	Normal	±0	11 km

Questions and answers

What is the typical range for the River Cam at Cambridge?

The Environment Agency gives a typical range of 0.14 m to 1.25 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 0.08 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.

What is the water level of Cambridge today?

On 18 Oct 2026, 09:15 BST, the water level was 0.08 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Cambridge rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Cambridge normal?

Far below the normal range. Compared with the normal range the agency publishes for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cambridge?

The highest level on record is 1.38 m on July 20, 2007. The lowest is 0.03 m on August 22, 2003.

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:2603 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 51.73043, -2.36222 (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
Water level	0.08 m	2026-10-18 08:15	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/1952?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Cambridge water level"></iframe>

How to cite

Environment Agency: Cambridge (ea:2603). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/gloucestershire/cambridge

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