Stay informed about flood risk with the Oxfordshire Flood Toolkit
Oxfordshire County Council has developed the Oxfordshire Flood Toolkit website to support residents and businesses in understanding and preparing for flood risks.
The website offers a range of resources for effective flood preparation and management:
- flood risk information: enter your postcode to check flood risk levels and view flood maps for river, surface water, and reservoir flooding
- property protection advice: learn how to safeguard your home or business from flooding
- creating a flood plan: find tips on making a flood plan, so you know what actions to take before, during and after a flood to protect yourself and your property
- useful contacts: access contact details for local authorities, water companies, and emergency services for assistance during flood emergencies
- reporting flooding: understand how to report flooding incidents and blocked drains, aiding authorities in identifying flood-prone areas
- applying for flood protection schemes: find out about community flood protection schemes for frequently flooded areas
Flood alerts and warnings
- Sign up for flood warnings on GOV.UK
- Flood alerts and flood warnings for Oxford on GOV.UK
- Information about river levels in Oxford on GOV.UK
What you should consider doing in the event of possible flooding
- monitor local water levels and weather conditions
- get ready to act on your flood plan if you have one
- move your car or other vehicles to higher ground, if it is safe to do so
- prepare a flood kit of essential items including a torch with spare batteries, mobile phone and charger, warm clothes, insurance documents, water, food, first aid kit and any prescription medicines or baby care items you may need
- businesses should inform staff and customers about the situation
- check that you know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water mains supplies
- in rural locations, farmers should consider moving livestock and equipment away from areas likely to flood
- flood water is dangerous and may be polluted - wash your hands thoroughly if you've been in contact with it
Sandbags
- Like all other local authorities in Oxfordshire, Oxford City Council does not provide sandbags to the public except in very exceptional circumstances. We may decide to use sandbags:
- to protect the properties we own as a landlord
- to protect isolated communities
- on a case-by-case assessment, where a member of the public is vulnerable and are unable to protect their own property
- All other citizens and businesses should prepare for possibility of flooding by:
- buying sandbags but check the GOV.UK flood preparation guidelines for the best ways to protect your property
- purchasing sandbags at most builders' merchants, including Buildbase, Wickes, and B&Q
- helping neighbours with sandbag filling or collection
- exploring alternatives to sandbags, such as 'hydrosnake' expanding water barriers from Screwfix
- following the sandbag disposal guidelines on our Clearing up after a flood page
For more information on flood response, visit our what to do if your home or property floods page.
