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Irwell Vale water level

River gauge, River Irwell, Lancashire, United Kingdom

Directions

Within the normal range

Water level

0.34m Down 0.03 m over the last 24 hours

0 1 3 4 Highest onrecord 3.43 m Lowest on record 0.19 m

History

0.30.40.5mOct 11Oct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Bottom of normal range0.30.40.5mOct 11Oct 14Oct 18Bottom of normal range
0.20.40.60.8mSep 18Sep 25Oct 3Oct 10Oct 18Bottom of normal range0.20.40.60.8mSep 18Oct 3Oct 18Bottom of normal range
Water level Top of normal rangeBottom of normal range

What this means

The gauge at Irwell Vale reads 0.34 m, a normal level.

The usual range here runs from 0.24 m to 1.60 m.

The level is falling, down 0.03 m over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.24 m and 0.79 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
0.24 m – 1.60 m
Lowest and highest in 30 days
0.24 m – 0.79 m
Lowest and highest in 12 months
0.25 m – 0.58 m
Highest on record
3.43 mDecember 26, 2015
Lowest on record
0.19 mJune 23, 2010

On the river at Irwell Vale

A level in the typical range is usually good news for both anglers and canoeists, but conditions can change quickly after rain in the hills.

Flood warnings for the area come from the Environment Agency.

About the River Irwell

River Irwell

The River Irwell is a tributary of the River Mersey in north-west England. It rises at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately 1+1⁄2 miles north of Bacup and flows southwards for 39 mi (63 km) to meet the Mersey near Irlam Locks. The Irwell marks the boundary between Manchester and Salford, and its lower reaches have been canalised and now form part of the Manchester Ship Canal.

Read more on Wikipedia

Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:42 AM Sunset 06:08 PM Daylight 10 hr, 26 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the River Irwell

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
StubbinsRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.14 m Normal −0.04 m 1.4 km
Ramsbottom WeirRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.35 m Normal −0.03 m 3.0 km
Holt Mill BridgeRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.19 m Normal −0.02 m 4.3 km
Throstle MillRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.48 m Normal −0.02 m 8.0 km
Bury GroundRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.35 m Normal −0.03 m 8.8 km
Pioneer MillsRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.29 m Very low −0.06 m 13 km
KearsleyRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.80 m Normal −0.07 m 15 km
Littleton Road RiverRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.82 m Low −0.06 m 19 km
Manchester RacecourseRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.92 m Normal −0.06 m 20 km
Adelphi WeirRiver gauge, River Irwell 0.25 m Normal −0.05 m 22 km

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Little BridgeRiver gauge, Ogden Brook 0.04 m Low −0.02 m 1.2 km
RawtenstallRiver gauge, Limey Water 0.16 m Normal −0.03 m 3.8 km
Thornfield AvenueRiver gauge, Whitewell Brook 0.39 m Low −0.02 m 4.7 km
Darwen Clough Street OverflowRiver gauge, River Darwen 0.53 m Normal −0.01 m 9.1 km
MilnshawRiver gauge, River Hyndburn 0.26 m Normal ±0 9.3 km

Questions and answers

What is the typical range for the River Irwell at Irwell Vale?

The Environment Agency gives a typical range of 0.24 m to 1.60 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 0.34 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.

What is the water level of Irwell Vale today?

On 18 Oct 2026, 10:15 BST, the water level was 0.34 m. Down 0.03 m over the last 24 hours.

Is Irwell Vale rising or falling?

Down 0.03 m over the last 24 hours. Down 0.05 m over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Irwell Vale normal?

Within the normal range. Compared with the normal range the agency publishes for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Irwell Vale?

The highest level on record is 3.43 m on December 26, 2015. The lowest is 0.19 m on June 23, 2010.

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:690140 (Agency page)
Coordinates
53.67738, -2.31710 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 0.34 m 2026-10-18 09:15 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

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How to cite

Environment Agency: Irwell Vale (ea:690140). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/lancashire/irwell-vale

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