Water Orton water level
River gauge, River Tame, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Water Orton: the gauge reads 0.21 m, below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 0.27 m, based on 21 years of readings, so the river level is 0.06 m below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 0.20 m, a difference of +0.01 m.
It is still going down, by 0.01 m over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 0.19 m – 0.52 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
- 0.27 m0.06 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.20 m – 0.80 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
- Normal range
- 0.27 m – 1.44 m
- Same day last year
- 0.20 m+0.01 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.19 m – 0.52 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.20 m – 1.95 m
- Highest on record
- 3.43 mJuly 11, 1968
- Lowest on record
- 0.08 mNovember 11, 1990
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 Tame
The River Tame is a river in the West Midlands of England, and one of the principal tributaries of the River Trent. The Tame is about 95 km (59 mi) long from the source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e., the Tame and its main tributaries, is about 285 km (177 mi).
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 Tame
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lea MarstonRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.35 m | Normal | ±0 | 4.4 km |
| Brookvale RoadRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.48 m | Normal | −0.01 m | 8.8 km |
| Perry ParkRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.40 m | Low | −0.01 m | 11 km |
| TamworthRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.81 m | Very low | −0.02 m | 13 km |
| Sandwell WoodendRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.51 m | Low | −0.04 m | 13 km |
| HopwasRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.40 m | Low | −0.05 m | 14 km |
| BescotRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.85 m | Low | −0.01 m | 16 km |
| Park HillRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.20 m | Low | −0.01 m | 17 km |
| ElfordRiver gauge, River Tame | 1.13 m | Lowest on record | −0.02 m | 19 km |
| SheepwashRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.28 m | Low | −0.01 m | 20 km |
| PortwoodRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.13 m | Low | −0.01 m | 104 km |
| Broomstairs BridgeRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.25 m | Normal | ±0 | 106 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swans BarnRiver gauge, River Cole | 0.88 m | Normal | −0.05 m | 3.5 km |
| Bacons EndRiver gauge, River Cole | 0.13 m | Low | −0.02 m | 4.2 km |
| Castle FarmRiver gauge, River Blythe | 0.66 m | Normal | −0.06 m | 5.0 km |
| HintsRiver gauge, Bourne Brook | 1.24 m | High | ±0 | 11 km |
| Calthorpe ParkRiver gauge, River Rea | 0.08 m | Very low | ±0 | 12 km |
Questions and answers
Is the River Tame at Water Orton higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.01 m higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.20 m.
What is a normal level for the River Tame at Water Orton in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.27 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.20 m and 0.80 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 0.21 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Water Orton today?
On 18 Oct 2026, 16:00 BST, the water level was 0.21 m. Down 0.01 m over the last 24 hours.
Is Water Orton rising or falling?
Down 0.01 m over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Water Orton normal?
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 Water Orton?
The highest level on record is 3.43 m on July 11, 1968. The lowest is 0.08 m on November 11, 1990.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment Agency
- Station code
ea:4003(Agency page)- Coordinates
52.52039, -1.75118(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 | 0.21 m | 2026-10-18 15:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
Environment Agency: Water Orton (ea:4003). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/west-midlands/water-orton
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