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Kings Lock water level

River gauge, River Thames, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

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Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

0.03m Steady over the last 24 hours

-1 0 1 Highest onrecord 0.98 m Lowest on record -0.81 m

History

History
-0.00.10.20.3mOct 16Oct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 18Top of normal rangeBottom of normal range-0.00.10.20.3mOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Top of normal rangeBottom of normal range
-0.00.20.4mOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Top of normal rangeBottom of normal range-0.00.20.4mOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Top of normal rangeBottom of normal range
-0.00.20.4mJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-0.00.20.4mJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Top of normal rangeBottom of normal range

What this means

Low water at Kings Lock: the gauge reads 0.03 m, far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.07 m below the median of 0.11 m for mid-October, based on 21 years of readings. A year ago it stood at −0.03 m (+0.06 m). The lowest reading on record is −0.81 m (October 8, 2003).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 0.02 m – 0.05 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
0.11 m0.07 m below the median for this date
Normal for this date
0.04 m – 0.17 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
Normal range
0.00 m – 0.30 m
Same day last year
−0.03 m+0.06 m
Lowest and highest in 30 days
0.02 m – 0.05 m
Lowest and highest in 12 months
−0.03 m – 0.50 m
Highest on record
0.98 mJune 28, 2006
Lowest on record
−0.81 mOctober 8, 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 Thames

River Thames

The River Thames, or simply the Thames, known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.

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 07:35 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 10 hr, 32 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the River Thames

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Godstow LockRiver gauge, River Thames −0.17 m Very low −0.02 m 1.5 km
Eynsham LockRiver gauge, River Thames 0.04 m Very low ±0 3.8 km
Pinkhill LockRiver gauge, River Thames 0.01 m Very low +0.02 m 4.9 km
Osney LockRiver gauge, River Thames −0.01 m Normal −0.01 m 5.1 km
FarmoorRiver gauge, River Thames 0.76 m Very low +0.02 m 5.4 km
Iffley LockRiver gauge, River Thames 0.07 m Low +0.01 m 8.1 km
Northmoor LockRiver gauge, River Thames 0.12 m Normal ±0 9.3 km
Sandford-on-ThamesRiver gauge, River Thames 0.07 m Normal −0.01 m 10 km
Abingdon LockRiver gauge, River Thames 0.05 m Very low −0.01 m 13 km
Shifford LockRiver gauge, River Thames 0.15 m Normal −0.01 m 14 km
Culham LockRiver gauge, River Thames 0.16 m Normal −0.01 m 16 km
Sutton CourtenayRiver gauge, River Thames 2.07 m Normal −0.02 m 16 km

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cassington Weir ARiver gauge, River Evenlode 0.08 m Very low ±0 3.1 km
Cassington Weir BRiver gauge, River Evenlode 0.14 m Very low ±0 3.1 km
Minns EstateRiver gauge, Seacourt Stream 1.08 m Normal ±0 4.2 km
New BotleyRiver gauge, Bulstake Stream 0.78 m Very low −0.01 m 4.4 km
IslipRiver gauge, River Ray 6.76 m Normal ±0 5.6 km

Questions and answers

How does the River Thames at Kings Lock compare with last year?

It is 0.06 m higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was −0.03 m.

What is a normal level for the River Thames at Kings Lock in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 0.11 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.04 m and 0.17 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 0.03 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.

What is the water level of Kings Lock today?

On 18 Oct 2026, 19:00 BST, the water level was 0.03 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Kings Lock rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Kings Lock 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 Kings Lock?

The highest level on record is 0.98 m on June 28, 2006. The lowest is −0.81 m on October 8, 2003.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
Environment Agency
Station code
ea:1301TH (Agency page)
Coordinates
51.78931, -1.30693 (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 0.03 m 2026-10-18 18:00 Provisional

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How to cite

Environment Agency: Kings Lock (ea:1301TH). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/oxfordshire/kings-lock

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.