Molesey Lock Water levels

Molesey had an Environment Agency ‘Flood Warning’ yesterday and it is still in force. However, what is not widely known is that it is possible to use the link below to monitor (on an hourly basis) the exact level of the River Thames about 100 metres upstream from Molesey lock. This information is very helpful for us ‘Moleseyites’ as you can then assess the risk in relation to where you are.

 

For example, even when the river rose to it’s highest level of 0.7 metres at Molesey lock a few weeks ago, I estimate that it would have had to rise something like an extra 1.2 metres above that before the houses on Hurst Park started to flood.

 

These hourly river levels at Molesey lock are measured by a radar echo-beam sensor on the pedestrian bridge which goes from Molesey lock to the island just upstream of the lock (i.e. the pedestrian bridge which goes over the weir). The sensor then sends each hourly updated reading to the EA website where you can view it using the link below.

 

If this sensor fails (as happened a few weeks ago) you can still use the same website to monitor the river levels upstream and downstream. The next one upstream is “Sunbury lock” and I think that is likely to be only about 100 yards upstream from Sunbury lock. The one downstream from Molesey lock is at “Thames Ditton Island” (but bear in mind that it will be more influenced by tidal fluctuations than Molesey is).

– Paul Gossage

Molesey Lock – Environment Agency –
River levels station data

 

Published on Monday, February 10th, 2014
in General Interest