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Wimborne Minster June 2015Photo: Bellminsterboy · CC BY-SA 4.0
C−Hazard risk Grade
Flood & hazards in Wimborne Minster · Environment Agency

Rivers or the sea put 1.6% of Wimborne Minster’s homes at high or medium flood risk, and surface water 2.1%

On the Environment Agency’s maps, which allow for flood defences, “high or medium” means at least a 1 in 100 chance of flooding from rivers or the sea in any year. Hazard risk puts Wimborne Minster at C−: #22 of 30 in Dorset.

1979worst recorded flood37flood warnings since 200641%in a radon Affected Area
In brief

What stands out about Wimborne Minster’s hazards

From the Environment Agency’s maps and records and the BGS radon atlas, below.

Remembers 1979Floodwater covered 7 hectares of today’s Wimborne Minster in 1979; 35 of today’s households live inside past flood outlines.The River Allen ran its highest in February 20261.12 m at Walford Mill on 19 February 2026, -1 cm under the record set in 2026.37 flood warnings since 2006For the parts of Wimborne Minster the Environment Agency warns directly; the most recent on 7 February 2026.
By hazard

What Wimborne Minster faces

Each hazard against its own yardstick; meters run from low to high on that yardstick.

Rivers and the sea

1.6%of homes at high or medium risk
More than the typical UK town · more than 75% of towns
130 homes by the EA’s own count

Surface water

2.1%of homes at high or medium risk
More than 25% of UK towns
Rivers and sea: 1.6%

Past floods

5years with a recorded flood
Last recorded: January 2014
35 households inside past outlines

The River Allen

1.12 mhighest in winter 2025–26 at Walford Mill
Highest of 35 winters
Record 1.11 m, January 2026

Flood warnings

37flood warnings since 2006
85 flood alerts for the wider area
Last warning 7 February 2026

Radon

41%of the town in a radon Affected Area
Highest band here: 3–5% of homes
No square of 5% or more
Not on this page: coastal erosion, subsidence and shrink-swell ground (the British Geological Survey licenses it), groundwater flooding and reservoir failure.
Hazard risk Grade

Wimborne Minster grades C− for hazard risk

Flood risk from rivers and the sea, against all UK towns.

Homes at high or medium flood risk (1.6%)Fewer than 25% of UK towns

The share of homes at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea, ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more: fewer homes at risk is better. Towns with none at high or medium risk are ordered by their share at low risk, so they don’t all share one score. Surface water and radon aren’t graded: they are described below.

Flood map

Where the water goes in Wimborne Minster

Turn layers on and off. Blue is the risk from rivers and the sea; pink is where heavy rain collects. Both allow for flood defences.

Recorded flood: 1979Recorded flood: 1989Recorded flood: 2009Recorded flood: 2013Recorded flood: 2014© OpenStreetMap contributors · EA NaFRA2
HighMediumLowrivers & seaHighMediumLowsurface waterWimborne Minster’s built-up area

The river and sea risk follows the Groundwater, the River Allen and the River Stour. Surface-water risk is spread across the town, in dips, underpasses and along small streams, which is why more homes are exposed to it.

Rivers and the sea

1.6% of Wimborne Minster’s homes are at high or medium risk from rivers or the sea

The Environment Agency’s national map, allowing for defences. A further 20% are at low risk.

High riskunder 0.1%of homes · 1 in 30 a year or more7 homes, EA count
Medium risk1.5%of homes · 1 in 30 to 1 in 100123 homes, EA count
Low risk20%of homes · 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,0001,625 homes, EA count
Where Wimborne Minster sits among 3,735 UK towns
35%None
23%Under 0.5%
9%0.5–1%
11%1–2%Wimborne Minster
11%2–5%
5%5–10%
3%10–20%
2%20% +

Share of each UK town’s homes at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea. 35% of UK towns have none; Wimborne Minster has more than 75% of towns.

Towns its size: 245th of 336 from the fewest homes at risk
#TownPeopleHigh or med.
1Caterham Surrey22,7570%
2South Ockendon Essex22,4410%
3Reddish Greater Manchester22,1890%
…
243Farnham Surrey20,4991.6%
244Ramsbottom Greater Manchester17,0741.6%
245Wimborne Minster Dorset16,6291.6%
246Haslingden Lancashire16,0051.6%
247Knaresborough North Yorkshire15,7811.6%
…
335Dunscroft and Hatfield South Yorkshire14,00051%
336Goole East Riding of Yorkshire20,17394%

UK towns of 12,000 to 23,000 people.

The Environment Agency’s Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea (NaFRA2, June 2026) counts each postcode’s homes by band; the shares weight those postcodes by Census 2021 households. The EA counts include homes built since 2021.

Surface water

Heavy rain puts about 1.3 times as many Wimborne Minster homes at risk as rivers and the sea do

Surface water is rain that falls faster than drains and the ground can take it. It is mapped separately from rivers and the sea, and it is not in the Hazard risk Grade.

Surface water2.1%
Rivers and the sea1.6%
0%14%28% of homes

About 1.1% of homes are at high risk of surface-water flooding (a 1 in 30 chance or more each year) and 1% at medium risk: roughly 160 households. A further 5% face a low risk from surface water. That is more than 25% of UK towns.

~160
households at high or medium risk
5%
of homes at low risk
25%
of UK towns have a smaller share
9,654
addresses read on the map

Our estimate: every address in the town (ONS NSUL) read on the Environment Agency’s Risk of Flooding from Surface Water map (NaFRA2, 2025), each postcode’s share weighted by its Census 2021 households. Neither agency publishes a count of homes for surface water, so treat it as a guide; one street can differ from the next.

Flood history

Wimborne Minster has flooded in 5 recorded years since 1979, most of all in 1979

Every flood the Environment Agency has mapped inside Wimborne Minster’s built-up area, newest first. The record is fullest for big river floods; small and surface-water floods are often missing.

  1. 2014January 2014: River flooding recorded1 hectare inside today’s built-up area
  2. 2013December 2013: River flooding recordedUnder 1 hectare inside today’s built-up area
  3. 2009February 2009: River flooding recordedUnder 1 hectare inside today’s built-up area
  4. 1989December 1989: River flooding recorded3 hectares inside today’s built-up area · Stour Corfe Mullen to Christchurch
  5. 1979May and December 1979: River flooding recorded7 hectares inside today’s built-up area
The worst: 19797 ha

Floodwater covered 7 hectares of what is now Wimborne Minster in 1979, the largest flood the record holds here (May and December).

35 of Wimborne Minster’s households today live inside the outline of a recorded flood.

Since 1979, the largest recorded flood inside the town covered 3 hectares.

River levels

The River Allen in February 2026 rose to its highest level since 1990

The highest level each winter (October to September) at the Environment Agency’s Walford Mill gauge, since 1990. The river normally runs between 0.09 m and 0.55 m here.

Highest level each winter, metres
Winter 1990–91: highest 0.42 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 1991–92: highest 0.29 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 1992–93: highest 0.66 m · 4 days above the normal rangeWinter 1993–94: highest 0.73 m · 40 days above the normal rangeWinter 1994–95: highest 0.74 m · 48 days above the normal rangeWinter 1995–96: highest 0.51 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 1996–97: highest 0.40 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 1997–98: highest 0.74 m · 30 days above the normal rangeWinter 1998–99: highest 0.71 m · 22 days above the normal rangeWinter 1999–00: highest 0.68 m · 26 days above the normal rangeWinter 2000–01: highest 1.04 m on 13 December 2000 · 123 days above the normal rangeWinter 2001–02: highest 0.56 m · 1 days above the normal rangeWinter 2002–03: highest 0.82 m · 80 days above the normal rangeWinter 2003–04: highest 0.55 m · 1 days above the normal rangeWinter 2004–05: highest 0.39 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2005–06: highest 0.33 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2006–07: highest 0.60 m · 22 days above the normal rangeWinter 2007–08: highest 0.54 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2008–09: highest 0.57 m · 8 days above the normal rangeWinter 2009–10: highest 0.55 m · 4 days above the normal rangeWinter 2010–11: highest 0.44 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2011–12: highest 0.44 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2012–13: highest 0.70 m · 37 days above the normal rangeWinter 2013–14: highest 0.86 m on 17 January 2014 · 71 days above the normal rangeWinter 2014–15: highest 0.54 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2015–16: highest 0.63 m · 45 days above the normal rangeWinter 2016–17: highest 0.41 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2017–18: highest 0.63 m · 17 days above the normal rangeWinter 2018–19: highest 0.44 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2019–20: highest 0.87 m on 27 December 2019 · 87 days above the normal rangeWinter 2021–22: highest 0.41 m · 0 days above the normal rangeWinter 2022–23: highest 0.99 m on 16 January 2023 · 50 days above the normal rangeWinter 2023–24: highest 0.81 m · 75 days above the normal rangeWinter 2024–25: highest 0.56 m · 3 days above the normal rangeWinter 2025–26: highest 1.12 m on 19 February 2026 · 46 days above the normal range’25–26’00–01’22–23Record 1.11 m, 2026Top of normal range
1990–912025–26
The highest days on record
  • 19 February 20261.12 m
  • 30 January 20261.12 m
  • 13 December 20001.04 m
  • 16 January 20230.99 m
  • 10 February 20260.95 m
  • 15 February 19900.88 m

The River Allen has topped its normal range on 840 days since 1990, most in the winters of 2000–01 and 2019–20. By its highest day, the winter of 2025–26 was the highest of the 35.

Environment Agency Hydrology API, Walford Mill (station 43216), daily maximum level; the record and normal range from the EA’s stage scale. Live river levels are on GOV.UK’s Check for flooding.

Flood warnings

No flood warning or alert is in force for Wimborne Minster · 37 warnings in 20 years

The Environment Agency has 4 flood warning areas and 2 alert areas reaching into the town; warnings since the service began in 2006.

Now: no flood warnings or alerts for Wimborne Minster (checked 6 November 2026, 06:59). Check for flooding on GOV.UK →
Warnings and alerts each year for areas in Wimborne Minster
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Flood warning (flooding expected)Flood alert (flooding possible)

The warning area covering the most of Wimborne Minster, Groundwater flooding in the Cranborne Chase area, has not had a flood warning since 2006. Of the 37 warnings, 37 were for Lower Stour from Sturminster Marshall to Christchurch.

2024 had the most warnings (7). The most recent warning was on 7 February 2026.

Show the 6 warning and alert areas
AreaKindSince 2006Now
Lower Stour from Sturminster Marshall to ChristchurchWarning area37None
Groundwater flooding in the Cranborne Chase areaWarning area0None
River Allen at WimborneWarning area0None
River Allen at Wimborne Town CentreWarning area0None
Lower Stour and tributariesAlert area57None
River Allen and tributariesAlert area4None

Environment Agency Historic Flood Warnings (first issues only, not updates; “flood watch” counted as an alert before 2011) and the real-time flood-monitoring API. Sign up for free warnings on GOV.UK or call Floodline, 0345 988 1188.

Radon

Parts of Wimborne Minster are in radon Affected Areas, at the low end

Radon is a natural radioactive gas from the ground; long exposure raises the risk of lung cancer. The atlas gives the chance that a home in each 1 km square is above the UK action level (200 Bq/m³).

SZ0099: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSU0000: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSU0001: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSZ0199: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSU0100: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSU0101: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSZ0299: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSU0200: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSU0201: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSZ0399: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSU0300: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSU0301: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSU0302: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSZ0499: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSU0400: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSZ0599: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSU0500: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSZ0699: Under 1% of homes above the action levelSU0600: Under 1% of homes above the action level© OpenStreetMap contributors · BGS/UKHSA
Under 1%3–5%
Share of the town’s area in each band
Under 1% of homes59%
3–5% of homes41%

41% of Wimborne Minster’s built-up area is in a radon Affected Area (1% of homes or more above the action level).

The squares are indicative: each takes the highest band found anywhere inside it, so most homes in a coloured square are below it. Only a three-month test in the home gives a real answer.

BGS/UKHSA Indicative Atlas of Radon in Great Britain, version 3. Check an address at UKradon.org.

Neighbours

Flood risk in the places around Wimborne Minster

Share of homes at high or medium and at low risk from rivers and the sea. Tap a town for its page.

Merley: Hazard risk B−Bearwood: Hazard risk ACorfe Mullen: Hazard risk AFerndown: Hazard risk AWest Parley: Hazard risk B+West Moors: Hazard risk DSturminster Marshall: Hazard risk DMerleyBearwoodCorfe MullenFerndownWest ParleyWest MoorsSturminster MarshallWimborne Minster
ABCD
TownPeopleHigh or mediumLowHazard
Wimborne Minster16,6291.6%20%C−
Merley5,4890.3%under 0.1%B−
Bearwood4,1340%0%A
Corfe Mullen10,0360%0%A
Ferndown13,2670%0%A
West Parley3,6650%0.1%B+
West Moors10,4324.1%1.9%D
Sturminster Marshall1,5044.9%15%D

Sturminster Marshall, 4.7 miles west, has the most homes at risk around Wimborne Minster (4.9% at high or medium).

Be ready

Get ready for what Wimborne Minster faces

Free warnings, what to do in a cloudburst, and what to check before you move.

Get the warnings
  • Sign up free for Environment Agency flood warnings by text, call or email.
  • Floodline: 0345 988 1188, 24 hours.
  • Wimborne Minster’s warning areas include Groundwater flooding in the Cranborne Chase area and River Allen at Wimborne.
Sign up ↗
In a cloudburst
  • Surface water rises in minutes, often with no warning issued: stay out of underpasses and dips.
  • Keep the gullies and drains outside your home clear of leaves.
  • Report a blocked road drain to the council.
Radon
  • Test over three months, in a living room and a bedroom.
  • Above 200 Bq/m³, a small sump and fan usually fixes it.
  • New homes in radon areas are built with protection: basic from 3%, full from 10%.
UKradon ↗
Before you buy or rent in Wimborne Minster
  • Check the address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service: it gives rivers and sea and surface water separately.
  • Ask whether the home has flooded or had a flood insurance claim; the TA6 property form asks the seller.
  • Homes built before 2009 can get flood cover through Flood Re, the government-backed scheme; newer homes can’t.
  • Check radon for the address on UKradon.org (a small fee) or ask the seller for a test result.
How to read these numbers

What this data can and can’t tell you

  • Defences are counted. Both agencies’ maps allow for flood defences and the chance they are overtopped or fail, so a town behind a defence scheme can show few homes at high risk and many at low risk.
  • Surface water is our estimate. Neither agency publishes a count of homes at risk from surface water, so we read each address on the map. A flat on a hill and a basement in a dip can share a postcode.
  • Past floods are what was recorded. The flood outlines come from surveys, aerial photographs and reports; many small floods, and most surface-water floods, were never mapped.
  • One town, many streets. Risk is street by street. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service before you buy or rent.

Check the long-term flood risk for an address on GOV.UK →

Questions about flooding and hazards in Wimborne Minster

Does Wimborne Minster flood?

The last flood the Environment Agency recorded inside the town was in January 2014. 1.6% of homes are at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea on the Environment Agency’s maps, which allow for flood defences. About 2.1% of homes are at high or medium risk from surface water, when heavy rain overwhelms the drains. Wimborne Minster grades C− for hazard risk against UK towns.

Which parts of Wimborne Minster are at risk of flooding?

From rivers and the sea, the places the Environment Agency warns directly: Lower Stour from Sturminster Marshall to Christchurch, Groundwater flooding in the Cranborne Chase area, River Allen at Wimborne and River Allen at Wimborne Town Centre. Surface water can collect in low spots anywhere in the town. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service.

When did Wimborne Minster last flood?

The recorded flood outlines inside the town run from 1979 to 2014 (5 years); the largest was in 1979. Flood warnings have been issued for parts of the town since 2006, most recently on 7 February 2026.

Is Wimborne Minster at risk of surface water flooding?

About 1.1% of homes are at high risk and 1% at medium risk from surface water, against 1.6% at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea. Surface water floods come with little warning, and the agencies don’t issue warnings for them.

Is radon a problem in Wimborne Minster?

41% of the town’s built-up area is in a radon Affected Area on the BGS/UKHSA atlas. Most homes are below it; a three-month test is the only way to know.

Are there flood warnings in Wimborne Minster now?

No flood warning or alert was in force near Wimborne Minster at 6 November 2026, 06:59. Live warnings are on GOV.UK’s Check for flooding service and Floodline, 0345 988 1188.

Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and/or database right 2026. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026.

Sources: Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea, postcodes in areas at risk (June 2026); Natural Resources Wales Flood Risk Assessment Wales (May 2026); ONS Census 2021 households by postcode · Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (NaFRA2, 2025) and Natural Resources Wales Flood Risk Assessment Wales surface water and small watercourses, read at every address (ONS National Statistics UPRN Lookup, September 2026) and weighted by Census 2021 households by postcode · Environment Agency Recorded Flood Outlines and Natural Resources Wales historic flood map, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Environment Agency Hydrology API (daily maximum river level) and flood-monitoring stage scales · Environment Agency real-time flood-monitoring API · Environment Agency Historic Flood Warnings (January 2006 to June 2026) and flood warning and alert areas · BGS/UKHSA Indicative Atlas of Radon in Great Britain, version 3, by 1 km square · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.