Selly Park water level
River gauge, River Rea, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Right now
Lower than ever recorded here
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Selly Park: the gauge reads −0.04 m, at a record low.
That is below the previous record low of 0.00 m (January 10, 2017), so the gauge is setting a new low. The median for mid-October is 0.01 m, based on 14 years of readings, so the river level is 0.05 m below typical. On the same day last year the reading was −0.01 m, a difference of −0.03 m.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is −0.07 m – 0.24 m.
Autumn rain usually starts to lift rivers again after the summer low.
Compared with the highest and lowest levels the agency has recorded at this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.01 m0.05 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- −0.03 m – 0.27 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (14 years of records)
- Normal range
- 0.00 m – 1.10 m
- Same day last year
- −0.01 m−0.03 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- −0.07 m – 0.24 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- −0.09 m – 1.16 m
- Highest on record
- 1.82 mMay 27, 2018
- Lowest on record
- 0.00 mJanuary 10, 2017
- Lowest on record
- 0.04 m below the lowest level on record
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 Rea
The River Rea is a small river which passes through Birmingham, England. It is the river on which Birmingham was founded by the Beorma tribe in the 7th century.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 3.5 mm. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the River Rea
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calthorpe ParkRiver gauge, River Rea | 0.08 m | Very low | −0.01 m | 3.0 km |
| LongbridgeRiver gauge, River Rea | 0.27 m | Normal | −0.01 m | 6.8 km |
| Newnham BridgeRiver gauge, River Rea | 0.54 m | Normal | ±0 | 43 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solihull LodgeRiver gauge, River Cole | 0.26 m | Normal | −0.01 m | 5.8 km |
| Halesowen Manor WayRiver gauge, Illey Brook | 0.09 m | Normal | ±0 | 8.7 km |
| Halesowen Dogkennel LaneRiver gauge, River Stour | 0.07 m | Normal | ±0 | 9.1 km |
| Brookvale RoadRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.49 m | Normal | −0.02 m | 9.2 km |
| Cheswick GreenRiver gauge, River Blythe | 0.24 m | Low | −0.01 m | 9.4 km |
| Perry ParkRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.40 m | Low | −0.01 m | 10.0 km |
| HalesowenRiver gauge, River Stour | 0.51 m | Very low | −0.01 m | 10 km |
| Sandwell WoodendRiver gauge, River Tame | 0.52 m | Normal | −0.01 m | 11 km |
Questions and answers
Is the River Rea at Selly Park higher than last year?
No, it is 0.03 m lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was −0.01 m.
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 −0.04 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Selly Park today?
On 18 Oct 2026, 11:00 BST, the water level was −0.04 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Selly Park rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Selly Park normal?
Lower than ever recorded here. Compared with the highest and lowest levels the agency has recorded at this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Selly Park?
The highest level on record is 1.82 m on May 27, 2018. The lowest is 0.00 m on January 10, 2017.
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:4206(Agency page)- Coordinates
52.43523, -1.91350(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 | −0.04 m | 2026-10-18 10:00 | 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: Selly Park (ea:4206). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/west-midlands/selly-park
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