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SwedenSt Bedes water level
River gauge, River Swift, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Right now
Low for mid-October
Surface elevation
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at St Bedes: the gauge reads 36.35 m, below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 36.41 m, based on 21 years of readings, so the river level is 0.05 m below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 36.32 m, a difference of +0.03 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 36.35 m – 36.41 m.
Autumn rain usually starts to lift rivers again after the summer low.
Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 36.41 m0.05 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 36.33 m – 36.51 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 36.32 m+0.03 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 36.35 m – 36.41 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 36.29 m – 36.73 m
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 Swift
The River Swift is a 14-mile (23 km) long tributary of the River Avon that rises in south Leicestershire, and flows through the town of Lutterworth before joining the Avon at its confluence at Rugby in Warwickshire in the English Midlands.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 5.7 mm. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DurngateRiver gauge, River Itchen | 37.20 m | High | ±0 | 0.3 km |
| City MillRiver gauge, River Itchen | 0.32 m | Low | −0.01 m | 0.6 km |
| Wharf MillRiver gauge, River Itchen | 0.34 m | Normal | ±0 | 1.0 km |
| EastonRiver gauge, River Itchen | 0.54 m | Very low | −0.01 m | 3.6 km |
| Highbridge weirRiver gauge, River Itchen | 0.27 m | Low | +0.01 m | 8.7 km |
| Borough Bridge weirRiver gauge, Candover Stream | 0.14 m | Low | ±0 | 8.8 km |
| Allbrook weirRiver gauge, River Itchen | 0.30 m | Normal | ±0 | 9.1 km |
| Sewards BridgeRiver gauge, Cheriton Stream | 0.13 m | Very low | ±0 | 9.2 km |
Questions and answers
Is the River Swift at St Bedes higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.03 m higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 36.32 m.
What is a normal level for the River Swift at St Bedes in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 36.41 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 36.33 m and 36.51 m, based on 21 years of records.
Is St Bedes really 36.35 m deep?
No. 36.35 m is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.
What is the water level of St Bedes today?
On 18 Oct 2026, 20:00 BST, the surface elevation was 36.35 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is St Bedes rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.01 m over the last 7 days.
Is the level of St Bedes normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year.
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:E12493(Agency page)- Coordinates
51.06674, -1.31018(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- ODN
- 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 | 36.35 m | 2026-10-18 19:00 | 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: St Bedes (ea:E12493). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/hampshire/st-bedes
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