Heyford Bridge water level
River gauge, River Cherwell, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Heyford Bridge: the gauge reads 0.31 m, far below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 0.47 m, based on 21 years of readings, so the river level is 0.15 m below typical. A year ago it stood at 0.31 m as well. The lowest reading on record is 0.29 m (October 19, 2003).
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.
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
- 0.47 m0.15 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.33 m – 0.96 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
- Normal range
- 0.36 m – 1.30 m
- Same day last year
- 0.31 m0.00 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.27 m – 1.55 m
- Highest on record
- 2.57 mJuly 21, 2007
- Lowest on record
- 0.29 mOctober 19, 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 Cherwell
The River Cherwell is a tributary of the River Thames in central England. It rises near Hellidon, Northamptonshire and flows southwards for 40 miles (64 km) to meet the Thames at Oxford in Oxfordshire.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the River Cherwell
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enslow Weir ARiver gauge, River Cherwell | 0.15 m | Very low | ±0 | 6.6 km |
| ThruppRiver gauge, River Cherwell | 0.79 m | Normal | ±0 | 8.9 km |
| BanburyRiver gauge, River Cherwell | 0.08 m | Low | ±0 | 16 km |
| Kings MillRiver gauge, River Cherwell | 1.59 m | Very low | ±0 | 19 km |
| Oxford Botanical GardensRiver gauge, River Cherwell | 4.64 m | Lowest on record | ±0 | 19 km |
| Cropredy BridgeRiver gauge, River Cherwell | 0.94 m | Very low | ±0 | 22 km |
| Woodford HalseRiver gauge, River Cherwell | 0.95 m | Normal | ±0 | 28 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WoodstockRiver gauge, River Glyme | 0.04 m | Low | ±0 | 7.2 km |
| WendleburyRiver gauge, Wendlebury Brook | 0.98 m | Normal | +0.01 m | 9.8 km |
| BloxhamRiver gauge, Bloxham Brook | 0.59 m | Lowest on record | ±0 | 12 km |
| Langford VillageRiver gauge, Langford Brook | 0.25 m | Normal | +0.01 m | 12 km |
| IslipRiver gauge, River Ray | 6.76 m | Normal | ±0 | 12 km |
| BodicoteRiver gauge, Sor Brook | 0.06 m | Low | ±0 | 12 km |
| Lower ArncottRiver gauge, River Ray | 0.45 m | Normal | ±0 | 14 km |
| Kings LockRiver gauge, River Thames | 0.03 m | Very low | ±0 | 15 km |
Questions and answers
Is the River Cherwell at Heyford Bridge higher than last year?
It is about the same as on this day last year, when the reading was 0.31 m.
What is a normal level for the River Cherwell at Heyford Bridge in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.47 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.33 m and 0.96 m, based on 21 years of records.
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 0.31 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Heyford Bridge today?
On 15 Oct 2026, 22:00 BST, the water level was 0.31 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Heyford Bridge rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Heyford Bridge normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Heyford Bridge?
The highest level on record is 2.57 m on July 21, 2007. The lowest is 0.29 m on October 19, 2003.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment Agency
- Station code
ea:1453TH(Agency page)- Coordinates
51.92057, -1.30637(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 | 0.31 m | 2026-10-15 21:00 | 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: Heyford Bridge (ea:1453TH). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/oxfordshire/heyford-bridge
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