Dovecote Hill water level
River gauge, River Gaunless, Durham, United Kingdom
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Dovecote Hill: the gauge reads 0.46 m, far below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 0.51 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 0.44 m, a difference of +0.02 m. The lowest reading on record is 0.38 m (November 24, 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 0.46 m – 0.49 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
- 0.51 m0.05 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.47 m – 0.70 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
- Normal range
- 0.47 m – 2.20 m
- Same day last year
- 0.44 m+0.02 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.46 m – 0.49 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.44 m – 4.49 m
- Highest on record
- 2.79 mAugust 20, 2004
- Lowest on record
- 0.38 mNovember 24, 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 Gaunless
The Gaunless is a tributary river of the Wear in County Durham, England. Its name is Old Norse, meaning "useless". The Gaunless Viaduct, built in 1825, was the tallest viaduct on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the River Gaunless
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South ChurchRiver gauge, River Gaunless | 0.04 m | Lowest on record | ±0 | 0.8 km |
| West AucklandRiver gauge, River Gaunless | 0.13 m | Normal | ±0 | 3.3 km |
| Spring Gardens DamRiver gauge, River Gaunless | 0.10 m | Lowest on record | ±0 | 4.7 km |
| Ramshaw MillRiver gauge, River Gaunless | 0.07 m | Very low | ±0 | 5.7 km |
| LowlandsRiver gauge, River Gaunless | 0.08 m | Normal | ±0 | 8.2 km |
| CopleyRiver gauge, River Gaunless | 0.07 m | Very low | ±0 | 13 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakley Cross BeckRiver gauge | 0.20 m | Low | ±0 | 4.0 km |
| Witton ParkRiver gauge, River Wear | 0.31 m | Very low | ±0 | 4.8 km |
| Crook West Bridge StreetRiver gauge, Crook Beck | 0.01 m | Lowest on record | ±0 | 8.8 km |
| BedburnRiver gauge, Bedburn Beck | 0.10 m | Very low | ±0 | 10 km |
| Sunderland BridgeRiver gauge, River Wear | 0.25 m | Very low | −0.01 m | 11 km |
Questions and answers
Is the River Gaunless at Dovecote Hill higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.02 m higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.44 m.
What is a normal level for the River Gaunless at Dovecote Hill in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.51 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.47 m and 0.70 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 0.46 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Dovecote Hill today?
On 18 Oct 2026, 06:45 BST, the water level was 0.46 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Dovecote Hill rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Dovecote Hill 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 Dovecote Hill?
The highest level on record is 2.79 m on August 20, 2004. The lowest is 0.38 m on November 24, 2003.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment Agency
- Station code
ea:024016(Agency page)- Coordinates
54.64665, -1.67299(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 | 0.46 m | 2026-10-18 05:45 | 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: Dovecote Hill (ea:024016). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/durham/dovecote-hill
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