Frequently asked questions
The main reason that SEPA records river levels is to calculate the flows in the river. Knowledge of the flow of water in a river is important to effectively manage that water. River flow information is also useful in evaluating changes in the environment due to changes in land use or climate change.
Flood warning is one of the main drivers for collecting river level data.
Data is collected by our data management system using several strategies. Some of our data is pushed automatically onto our system every 15 minutes and most of the rest is pulled every 2 hours. At some stations where communications or other issues exist the data are collected only once per day.
This web site is updated from our data management system once every 15 minutes.
For flooding information, we would advise users to visit the flooding pages for the most up to date information on flooding in their area.
The information on this site is intended to give users a general picture of river levels over the past few days. Additional information, such as maximum recorded level, has been provided to help put the current levels into context. While every effort has been made to provide accurate information, it is possible that the information on the site is not the most up to date or accurate information available. SEPA would not recommend using the information given here as the basis for any sort of formal assessment.
SEPA’s Hydrometry team will repair issues at gauging stations as soon as practically possible within operational constraints. Some of the things that can affect our gauging stations can be major issues that can take a long time to repair.
Some issues, such as issues with the telephone network, are out of SEPA control.
The ranges have been set to help users put the last recorded river level into the context of previously recorded levels at that station. The ranges have been defined as;
- High – Above the median annual maximum level
- Normal – Between the median annual minimum and the median annual maximum
- Low – Below the median annual minimum
The definition of these ranges is indicative only. Levels in the normal range may still be considered high in some respect and may be extremely dangerous for some purposes. Likewise, levels in the Low range may be higher or lower than other management thresholds.
Email hydrometry-requests@sepa.org.uk
Alternatively, if you have coding experience or access to coding resource, you can register and self-serve data requests by interacting with our programmable interface (API).
The data on this web site is provided under the Open Government Licence, but if you make use of the data please acknowledge SEPA as the owner of the data.
Disclaimer
Water level data is gathered by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to help it fulfil its statutory duties. We publish it online because we recognise that this information may also be useful for others, but we cannot guarantee its currency or availability. There may be occasions when data will not be have been collected from a gauging station, therefore results will not appear until the next data collection.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, neither SEPA, nor its employees or agents can be held responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. All data should be regarded as provisional and may be subject to later revision.