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SwedenGreat Chesterford water level
River gauge, River Cam, Essex, United Kingdom
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Great Chesterford reads 0.13 m, a normal level for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 0.12 m, based on 21 years of readings, and the gauge is right on it. A year ago it stood at 0.14 m (−0.02 m).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.12 m and 0.13 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
- 0.12 m0.00 m above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.10 m – 0.18 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
- Normal range
- 0.11 m – 0.33 m
- Same day last year
- 0.14 m−0.02 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.12 m – 0.13 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.11 m – 0.33 m
- Highest on record
- 0.70 mFebruary 5, 2001
- Lowest on record
- 0.06 mOctober 6, 2011
On the river at Great Chesterford
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 Cam
The River Cam is a chalk river and the main river flowing through Cambridge in eastern England. After leaving Cambridge, it flows north and east before joining the River Great Ouse to the south of Ely, at Pope's Corner. The total distance from Cambridge to the sea is about 40 mi (64 km) and is navigable for punts, small boats, and rowing craft. The Great Ouse also connects to England's canal system via the Middle Level Navigations and the River Nene. In total, the Cam runs for around 69 kilometres (43 mi) from its furthest source to its confluence with the Great Ouse.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 2.1 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 Cam
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DernfordRiver gauge, River Cam | 0.08 m | Low | +0.01 m | 8.8 km |
| Cambridge Jesus LockRiver gauge, River Cam | 0.72 m | Normal | −0.01 m | 18 km |
| Cambridge Baits BiteRiver gauge, River Cam | 0.21 m | Low | +0.03 m | 19 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LintonRiver gauge, River Granta | 0.06 m | Normal | +0.04 m | 7.6 km |
| BabrahamRiver gauge, River Granta | 0.05 m | Very low | −0.01 m | 7.8 km |
| StaplefordRiver gauge, River Granta | 0.02 m | Very low | −0.01 m | 9.5 km |
| ClaveringRiver gauge, River Stort | 0.02 m | Very low | ±0 | 11 km |
| Haslingfield Burnt MillRiver gauge, River Rhee | 0.08 m | Low | ±0 | 13 km |
| Cambridge Byron's PoolRiver gauge, River Rhee | 0.46 m | Low | ±0 | 14 km |
| WhaddonRiver gauge, Whaddon Brook | 0.43 m | High | +0.01 m | 15 km |
| Furneux PelhamRiver gauge, River Ash | 0.12 m | Very low | +0.07 m | 16 km |
Questions and answers
How does the River Cam at Great Chesterford compare with last year?
It is 0.02 m lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.14 m.
What is a normal level for the River Cam at Great Chesterford in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.12 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.10 m and 0.18 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 0.13 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Great Chesterford today?
On 19 Oct 2026, 15:30 BST, the water level was 0.13 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Great Chesterford rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Great Chesterford normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Great Chesterford?
The highest level on record is 0.70 m on February 5, 2001. The lowest is 0.06 m on October 6, 2011.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment Agency
- Station code
ea:E21778(Agency page)- Coordinates
52.06173, 0.19428(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 | 0.13 m | 2026-10-19 14:30 | 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: Great Chesterford (ea:E21778). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/essex/great-chesterford
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