Fairburn Sluices water level
River gauge, Aire Washlands, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Fairburn Sluices: the gauge reads 0.34 m, below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 0.41 m, based on 20 years of readings, so the river level is 0.07 m below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 0.34 m, a difference of −0.01 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 0.34 m – 0.36 m.
Autumn rain usually starts to lift rivers again after the summer low.
Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.41 m0.07 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.31 m – 0.61 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
- Normal range
- 0.30 m – 2.05 m
- Same day last year
- 0.34 m−0.01 m
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.34 m – 0.36 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.32 m – 1.36 m
- Highest on record
- 3.92 mJune 25, 2007
- Lowest on record
- 0.15 mJuly 23, 2018
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.
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 4.4 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 Aire Washlands
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allerton IngsRiver gauge, Aire Washlands | 0.03 m | Normal | ±0 | 5.0 km |
| Mickletown IngsRiver gauge, Aire Washlands | 0.24 m | Very low | −0.11 m | 5.2 km |
| West Holme WashlandsRiver gauge, Aire Washlands | 0.46 m | Normal | +0.02 m | 5.6 km |
| Oulton St AidansRiver gauge, Aire Washlands | −0.04 m | Lowest on record | −0.01 m | 8.8 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrybridge LockRiver gauge, River Aire | 0.12 m | Low | ±0 | 3.1 km |
| Ferrybridge FishergateRiver gauge, Wash Dike | 0.02 m | Low | −0.01 m | 3.6 km |
| Pontefract Wash DikeRiver gauge, Wash Dike | 0.14 m | Normal | ±0 | 4.3 km |
| CastlefordRiver gauge, River Aire | 1.12 m | Very low | −0.05 m | 4.5 km |
| Knottingley Bank Dole LockRiver gauge, River Aire | 0.51 m | Low | −0.08 m | 5.3 km |
| MethleyRiver gauge, River Calder | 1.14 m | Normal | −0.08 m | 6.2 km |
| Beal Weir BridgeRiver gauge, River Aire | 0.38 m | Low | −0.08 m | 6.3 km |
Questions and answers
Is the Aire Washlands at Fairburn Sluices higher than last year?
No, it is 0.01 m lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.34 m.
What is a normal level for the Aire Washlands at Fairburn Sluices in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.41 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.31 m and 0.61 m, based on 20 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 0.34 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Fairburn Sluices today?
On 18 Oct 2026, 13:00 BST, the water level was 0.34 m. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Fairburn Sluices rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Fairburn Sluices normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Fairburn Sluices?
The highest level on record is 3.92 m on June 25, 2007. The lowest is 0.15 m on July 23, 2018.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment Agency
- Station code
ea:L1711(Agency page)- Coordinates
53.73825, -1.29059(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 | 0.34 m | 2026-10-18 12:00 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
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How to cite
Environment Agency: Fairburn Sluices (ea:L1711). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-kingdom/north-yorkshire/fairburn-sluices
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