Flooding

Flooding is a natural event, and no drainage or flood protection system can give absolute protection. Flooding occurs in different ways, such as heavy rainfall, causing rivers and streams to fill beyond capacity, and with nowhere else to go the floodwaters spread into the surrounding land.

Flash flooding can occur when thunderstorms or heavy rain falls over a short period of time, the ground cannot absorb this amount of water quickly enough, drainage systems are overwhelmed and flooding occurs. This flooding is normally short-lived and often there is very little notice.

Within Wiltshire there are areas where the substructure of the land is made up of different layers of rock. These layers of rock hold water and are called aquifers. If it rains continuously for a long period of time these discharge the excess water into streams, rivers and springs, causing groundwater flooding. This type of flooding can occur days or weeks after the rain incident, and is predicted by measuring groundwater levels.

Storm Henk flooding grants, January 2024

If your home or business was significantly impacted Storm Henk flooding, you may be able to apply for Government grant funding.

There are several different types of support, depending on the damage and the type of property affected. To apply for a grant, please download and complete the application form on this page. The forms are available as either PDF files or ODT files. Once you have completed the form, please email it to stormhenksupport@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

Please note: all application forms must be fully completed. Photographic evidence for the damage is required, and flooding insurance and/or an attempt to insure against flooding must be provided from 1 January 2024; a broker/insurers e-mail refusing insurance will be accepted. Failure to provide these minimum information requests will result in a cancelled application.

The grants are as follows:

• Farm Recovery Fund (FRF): the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has confirmed it will be delivering the FRF directly. The scheme eligibility will include local authority areas that are covered by the overarching Flood Recovery Framework for Storm Henk, which does include Wiltshire. The RPA has advised it will soon be writing to eligible applicants directly, letting them know they are eligible and how much funding they can receive.
• Community Recovery Grant: grants of up to £500 to help affected severely affected flooding households with their immediate recovery. Please note this grant has now closed
• Business Recovery Grant: up to £2,500 per small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) to support businesses that have suffered severe impacts from the floods. Please note this grant has now closed.
• Council Tax Discount: 100% council tax relief, for a minimum of three months, for residents whose property has been flooded, or which is considered unliveable, as a consequence of Storm Henk.
• Business Rates Relief: 100% relief from business rates, for a minimum of three months, for businesses directly impacted by Storm Henk.
• Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme: grants of up to £5,000 will be made available to eligible local authorities to help homes and businesses to become more resilient to flooding by helping to pay for a range of property improvements.

We are still awaiting Government guidance on the application process for some of these grants, but if you have been affected by flooding from Storm Henk, please email stormhenksupport@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

Flood warning system

GOV.UK: Environment Agency (opens new window) is able to issue warnings several hours in advance of the possibility of river flooding, using their automatic flood warning systems and also by radio and TV messages. The automated telephone or fax warning system is available to householders whose property has been flooded in the past.

They are also able to provide warning messages about flooding from ground water in some areas. To find out which services are available in your area, or for the latest information on river and coastal flooding, contact Floodline on 0845 988 1188 or via GOV.UK: Environment Agency (opens new window).

Check for flooding in your area, and sign-up for warnings by phone, text, or email:

GOV.UK: Check for flooding in England (opens new window)

Flood warning notices

Frequently asked questions 

Section 19 Reports

Section 19 - West Wilts area (PDF) [516KB] (opens new window)

Section 19 - Hill Street, Trowbridge (PDF) [459KB] (opens new window)

Section 19 - Court Lane, Corsley (PDF) [104KB] (opens new window)

Section 19 - Castle Street Bridge Salisbury (PDF) [106KB] (opens new window)

Section 19 - Granary Close, Amesbury (PDF) [168KB] (opens new window)

Section 19 - High Street, Amesbury (PDF) [138KB] (opens new window)

Section 19 - Tisbury October 2021 (OpenDocument text format) [31KB] (opens new window)

Section 19 - Donhead St Andrew October 2021 (OpenDocument text format) [32KB] (opens new window)