New river alarms for hyper-local flooding notifications

Flooding in a UK village

As part of Project Groundwater, we’re launching a new initiative to help communities prepare for flooding through early notification systems in local rivers and streams.

As part of Project Groundwater Greater Lincolnshire, special measuring devices are being installed in streams and rivers across 64 Lincolnshire towns and villages that are at risk of 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.

Cllr 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.

Project Groundwater Greater Lincolnshire is funded by Defra as part of the £200m Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes, which is managed by the Environment Agency.

For more information visit Project Groundwater

We’ve installed new telemetry devices in:

  • Alford
  • Bardney
  • Barlings
  • Billingborough
  • Blyton
  • Boston
  • Bourne
  • Brant Broughton
  • Burgh Le Marsh
  • Caistor
  • Chapel St Leonards
  • Cherry Willingham
  • Cranwell
  • Digby
  • Dunston
  • Fiskerton
  • Folkingham
  • Gainsborough
  • Grantham
  • Great Steeping
  • Greatford
  • Halton Holegate
  • Heighington
  • Heydour
  • Holbeach
  • Little Bytham
  • Horncastle
  • Hough on the Hill
  • Ingoldmells
  • Kirkby on Bain
  • Leasingham
  • Little Pointon
  • Long Bennington
  • Louth
  • Mareham Le Fen
  • Market Rasen
  • Middle Rasen
  • Minting
  • Nettleham
  • Newton near Haceby
  • North Scarle
  • Pickworth
  • Pinchbeck
  • Pointon
  • Ruskington
  • Saxilby
  • Market Deeping
  • Scotter
  • Sedgebrook
  • Sleaford
  • Stamford
  • Stickford
  • Sturton by Stow
  • Surfleet
  • Swaton
  • Tallington
  • Tattersall
  • Thorpe St Peter
  • Timberland
  • Waddington
  • Wainfleet All Saints
  • Welbourn
  • Woodhall Spa
  • Wyberton

Published: 2nd February 2026