Pioneering new flood alarm system offers reassurance for residents
A new flood warning systems designed to give communities more accurate, localised information about flood risk is being introduced in Lincolnshire
Special remote measuring sensors, known as river alarms are being placed in local rivers and streams in 64 towns and villages at risk of flooding in what is being described as the first hyperlocal flood warning system in the UK.
The initiative forms part of Project Groundwater Greater Lincolnshire, which is funded by Defra as part of the £200m Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes, managed by the Environment Agency and the alerts will help communities prepare for flooding.
The telemetry devices monitor water levels and send updates every 15 minutes to an online ‘dashboard’. If water rises to certain levels, the system raises the alarm by text or email to town and parish leaders and emergency teams.
Local residents can sign up too, to help them be more prepared for flooding and be able to take action. Around 97 properties were affected by flooding in Lincolnshire caused by Storms Babet and Henk in recent years.
Locations to benefit from the devices include towns such as Alford, Louth, Boston, Sleaford, Horncastle, Caistor and Market Rasen, but also areas previously affected by smaller tributaries such as Billingborough, Burgh le Marsh, Chapel St Leonards, Digby, Folkingham, Great Steeping, Halton Holegate, Ingoldmells, Mareham Le Fen, Middle Rasen, Minting, Pickworth, Pointon, Stickford, Swaton, Timberland, Wainfleet All Saints, Welbourn, Woodhall Spa and Wyberton.
Billingborough residents suffered flooding in January 2025 ruining downstairs furniture and some had to move out while repairs were done.
Andy and Julie Leigh were affected and welcomed the localisation of specific alerts for communities compared to the more generalised alerts issued by the Environment Agency.
Andy said: “The other thing is, once the water comes, it comes quickly, so an extra few minutes of shifting stuff about makes a difference.
“We'd never been flooded in nearly 40 years, beyond the road outside being awash a couple of times. We got the generic flood warning at four in the morning, but never in a million years thought it included us. Could we have saved more, specifically the two cars, if we'd got a heads up that armageddon was on the way to us specifically? Probably.
“The point should be that we have infrastructure in place so we don't need flood warnings in the first place. But that's another issue.”
Coun Danny Brookes, executive member for environment at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Many people are already signed up to the flood alerts and flood warnings that are issued by the Environment Agency, which use monitoring devices on main rivers and other waterways.
“This doesn’t replace those flood alerts, but takes this great idea and goes that bit further, to better prepare localised communities which have suffered flooding in the past. So far, we’ve identified 64 areas where extra monitoring devices would help provide a localised alarm system.
“We’ve already been working with emergency groups and local leaders in these areas, and carrying out drop-in sessions in each community to encourage residents to sign up too. It’s early warnings made hyper-local.”
The new campaign was recognised in the 2025 Environmental Monitoring Awards, where it was highly commended in the ‘New Initiative’ category.
For more information, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/projectgroundwater.