FLOOD ALERT ISSUED FOR THE LOWER IRWELL CATCHMENT

A flood alert for Lower River Irwell catchment including areas in Greater Manchester has been issued by the Environment Agency.

This means that flooding is possible within the catchment area and to be observant of the river levels and act with caution.

It should be noted that this is just an alert and not a warning.

Currently the Irwell River at the Former Manchester Racecourse (Kersal Wetlands) is just above what is considered to be normal levels at around 3.10m which is still far short of the measuring station record of 5.6m (recorded on Boxing Day - 26 December 2015).

The alert was automatically generated.

The Environment Agency does not expect the Irwell to reach such heights and in the event they do, the gates will be opened on the flood defences that were constructed as a result of the boxing day floods in 2015, which left low lying parts of Kersal and Lower Broughton under water.