Is Cornwall at risk of flooding?

Cornwall has 75 designated flood areas monitored by the Environment Agency, giving it a High risk rating. It ranks #26 out of 152 English counties for flood risk.

How many flood warning areas are in Cornwall?

There are 75 flood warning and alert areas in Cornwall, monitored by 0 Environment Agency stations across 39 rivers.

Which rivers flood in Cornwall?

The main rivers in Cornwall include Bodmin Town Leat, Bolingey Stream, English Channel, Mevagissey Stream, Newlyn Coombe River and 34 others. These rivers have monitoring stations tracking water levels in real time.

Do I need flood insurance in Cornwall?

If your property is in or near one of Cornwall's 75 flood areas, flood insurance is strongly recommended. The government's Flood Re scheme helps make flood insurance affordable for at-risk properties.

How can I check flood risk for my postcode?

Use the Environment Agency's flood risk checker or our postcode lookup tool to check the flood risk for your specific address. You can also browse Cornwall's flood areas on this page.

What was the worst flood in Cornwall?

Cornwall has experienced significant flooding events over the years. Check the Environment Agency's historical flood data and our UK Flood History guide for details on major events.

Flood Risk in Cornwall

South West

Flood Areas

Stations

Rivers

Risk Level

High

#26 of 152 counties

Flood Areas in Cornwall

75 designated flood warning and alert areas

Name	River / Sea	Type
River Allen (Camel) at Sladesbridge including Trelawney Garden Centre, Slades House Inn, Industrial Units at Kestle Quarry and the A389	River Allen	Warning
Newquay, Padstow, Wadebridge and Sladesbridge, Bodmin, Lanivet, Boscastle and Camelford	River Camel, River Allen, Bodmin Town Leat, River Valency	Alert
River Allen (Camel) from Newhall Green to Hingham Mill	River Allen	Warning
Chapel Porth to The Rumps including Trevaunance Cove, Perranporth, Newquay, Porth, Mawgan Porth and Polzeath, excluding the tidal Camel Estuary	North Cornwall Coast	Alert
Bodmin Town Leat from Prior's Barn to Bodmin Skate Park including Gilbert Road and Pendower Meadow	Bodmin Town Leat	Warning
South Cornwall Coast, Truro River flood area near Cornwall	South Cornwall Coast, Truro River	Warning
Lizard Point to Gribbin Head including Coverack, the tidal Helford Estuary, Falmouth, St Mawes, Gorran Haven, Portmellon, Mevagissey, Pentewan and Par	South Cornwall Coast	Alert
Lands End to Lizard Point including Mousehole, Newlyn, Penzance, Longrock, Marazion, Praa Sands and Porthleven	South Cornwall Coast	Alert
Liskeard, Polperro, Jopes Mill and Hessenford	River Seaton, River Pol	Alert
River Valency flood area near Cornwall	River Valency	Warning
River Tinney flood area near Cornwall	River Tinney	Warning
The Lizard, Penryn, Falmouth, Truro, Ladock, Tresillian and Grampound	River Kenwyn, Rover Allen, River Fal, River Tinney	Alert
River Cober from Wendron to Lowertown including Wendron, Coverack Bridges, Trannack Mill Industrial Estate and Lowertown Methodist Church	River Cober	Warning
River Cober from Trenear to The Loe Valley including Helston	River Cober	Alert
Penzance, Newlyn, Crowlas, Porthleven, St Ives, Hayle, Camborne, Portreath and Perranporth	River Hayle, Perrancoombe Stream, Bolingey Stream, Portreath Stream, Newlyn Coombe River	Alert
Low-lying areas on the tidal Camel Estuary including Rock, Little Petherick and Sea Mills	North Cornwall Coast, Tidal Camel Estuary	Warning
Low-lying areas on the tidal Camel Estuary including Rock, Little Petherick and Sea Mills	North Cornwall Coast, Tidal Camel Estuary	Alert
River Camel from Camelford to Polbrock including Penrose Bridge, Wenford, Helland Bridge, Dunmere and Nanstallon Sewage Treatment Works	River Camel	Warning
River Kenwyn from New Mill Dam to Truro including Coosebean Mill, St Georges Villas and St Georges Road	River Kenwyn	Warning
River Tresillian at Ladock including the B3275, Village Hall, Falmouth Arms, Post Office, Higher Cottages and Lower Cottages	River Tresillian	Warning
Perrancoombe Stream from Rose In Vale to Perrancoombe including Rose In Vale, Whitewalls Court and other riverside properties	Perrancoombe Stream	Warning
River Allen flood area near Cornwall	River Allen	Warning
Lands End to Chapel Porth including Sennen, St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant, Hayle, Portreath and Porthtowan	North Cornwall Coast	Alert
River Fal from Trelion to Tregony including Grampound and Tregony	River Fal	Warning
Low-lying areas around Copperhouse Pool including the B3301	North Cornwall Coast, Copperhouse Pool Hayle	Warning
River Kensey at Newport Industrial Estate from St Thomas Road Bridge to Ridgegrove Bridge	River Kensey	Warning
Lostwithiel, The Glynn Valley, Trago Mills and St Neot	River Fowey	Alert
River Neet flood area near Cornwall	River Neet	Warning
River Cober at Helston including Coronation Park and St Johns Industrial Park	River Cober	Warning
River Hayle from Relubbus to St Erth including Relubbus, St Erth and Hayle Causeway	River Hayle	Warning
River Lynher from Berriowbridge to Notter Bridge including Rilla Mill, Pillaton Mill and the A390	River Lynher	Warning
Rame Peninsula, Callington, Saltash, Rilla Mill, Pillaton and Landrake	River Lynher	Alert
Low-lying areas of Wadebridge, Egloshayle, Padstow harbour, Chapel Amble and Sladesbridge	North Cornwall Coast, Tidal Camel Estuary	Warning
The Rumps to Hartland Point including Port Quinn, Port Isaac, Port Gaverne, Bude, Crooklets and Boscastle	North Cornwall Coast	Alert
Perrancoombe Stream flood area near Cornwall	Perrancoombe Stream	Warning
Portreath Stream flood area near Cornwall	Portreath Stream	Warning
The Rumps to Hartland Point including Port Quinn, Port Isaac, Port Gaverne, Bude, Crooklets and Boscastle	North Cornwall Coast	Warning
River Camel flood area near Cornwall	River Camel	Warning
Lands End to Lizard Point including Porthleven Harbour, Mousehole, Praa Sands and Mullion Cove	South Cornwall Coast	Warning
River Kensey from Newmills to St Leonards including Riverside, West Bridge Road and St Leonards Sewage Treatment Works	River Kensey	Warning
River Par flood area near Cornwall	River Par	Warning
Pentewan, St Blazey, Luxulyan and Mevagissey	River Par, Mevagissey Stream	Alert
Riverside properties at Canworthy Water	River Ottery	Warning
Bolingey Stream from Bolingey to Perranporth including Nansmellyn Farm, South West Water Pumping Station, the Fire Station and Electrical Sub-Station	Bolingey Stream	Warning
River Neet from Woolstone Mill to Rodds Bridge including Rodds Bridge Farm and the A39	River Neet	Warning
Gribbin Head to Rame Head including Fowey, Golant, Lostwithiel, Lerryn, Polruan, Polperro, Looe and the Looe Rivers and Seaton	South Cornwall Coast	Alert
Lands End to Chapel Porth including Sennen, St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant, Hayle, Portreath and Porthtowan	North Cornwall Coast	Warning
River Strat from Bush to Pinch Bridge including Willow Valley Caravan Site, the A3072 and Bush	River Strat	Warning
River Seaton flood area near Cornwall	River Seaton	Warning
River Pol, Langreek Stream flood area near Cornwall	River Pol, Langreek Stream	Warning
Gribbin Head to Rame Head including Fowey, Golant, Lostwithiel, Lerryn, Polruan, Polperro, Looe and the Looe Rivers and Seaton	South Cornwall Coast	Warning
Chapel Porth to The Rumps including Trevaunance Cove, Perranporth, Newquay, Porth, Mawgan Porth and Polzeath, excluding the tidal Camel Estuary	North Cornwall Coast	Warning
River Camel at Camelford including the A39, Market Place and Camelford Sewage Treatment Works	River Camel	Warning
River Kenwyn at Truro including River Street, Victoria Square and Boscawen Street	River Kenwyn	Warning
Lizard Point to Gribbin Head including Coverack, the tidal Helford Estuary, Falmouth, St Mawes, Gorran Haven, Portmellon, Mevagissey, Pentewan and Par	South Cornwall coast	Warning
River Fowey at Lostwithiel including properties along Quay Street and The Parade	River Fowey	Warning
River Par from Luxulyan to Tywardreath Highway including Ponts Mill	River Par	Warning
Riverside properties at Yeolmbridge and Ham Mill	River Ottery	Warning
River Fowey from Trekeivesteps to Restormel including Two Waters Foot, Treverbyn Mill, the Glynn Valley including Trago Mills, the A38 and Respryn	River Fowey	Warning
River Cober at Trenear including Sawyers Court, Poldark Mine and the B3297	River Cober	Warning
South Cornwall coast at Mounts Bay, seafront properties in Newlyn, Penzance, Longrock and Marazion	English Channel	Warning
Bodmin Town Leat from Berrycombe Road to the Royal Mail Depot including Bodmin Health Centre, Station Yard, Bodmin Fire Station and Sainsbury's Car...	Bodmin Town Leat	Warning
River Strat at Stratton including Stratside Arts Centre, Howells Bridge Car Park and Playground, Bridge Street and The Leat	River Strat	Warning
Rivers Strat and Neet at Helebridge including the A3072 and Hele Road	River Strat, River Bush	Warning
South Cornwall coast at Mounts Bay, properties located behind the sea front in Newlyn, Penzance, Longrock and Marazion	English Channel	Warning
Bodmin Town Leat flood area near Cornwall	Bodmin Town Leat	Warning
Bodmin Town Leat at Flaxmoor Terrace, comprising property vulnerable to flooding adjacent to the Flaxmoor Trash Screen	Bodmin Town Leat	Warning
Bodmin Town Leat from Bodmin Skate Park to Church Square including Priory Football Field, Priory Park, the adjacent Car Park and parts of Church Sq...	Bodmin Town Leat	Warning
Bodmin Town Leat from Bodmin Gaol to Bodmin Sewage Treatment Works including Scarlett's Well Road, Car Park and Playing Field, the Camel Trail and ...	Bodmin Town Leat	Warning
Mevagissey Stream flood area near Cornwall	Mevagissey Stream	Warning
St Blazey Stream flood area near Cornwall	St Blazey Stream	Warning
Riverside properties and roads along the Newlyn Coombe River at Newlyn including The Strand, The Coombe and Tolcarne	Newlyn Coombe River	Warning
River Cober at Helston including St Johns Road area	River Cober	Warning
Tidal Fal Estuary at Falmouth, Penryn, Flushing, Perranarworthal, Truro and Tresillian	South Cornwall Coast, Tidal Fal Estuary	Alert
Tidal Fal Estuary at Falmouth, Penryn, Flushing, Perranarworthal and Tresillian	South Cornwall Coast, Tidal Fal Estuary	Warning

Monitoring Stations

0 Environment Agency monitoring stations

Rivers in Cornwall

Bodmin Town LeatBolingey StreamEnglish ChannelMevagissey StreamNewlyn Coombe RiverNorth Cornwall CoastNorth Cornwall Coast, Copperhouse Pool HayleNorth Cornwall Coast, Tidal Camel EstuaryPerrancoombe StreamPortreath StreamRiver AllenRiver CamelRiver Camel, River Allen, Bodmin Town Leat, River ValencyRiver CoberRiver FalRiver FoweyRiver HayleRiver Hayle, Perrancoombe Stream, Bolingey Stream, Portreath Stream, Newlyn Coombe RiverRiver KenseyRiver KenwynRiver Kenwyn, Rover Allen, River Fal, River TinneyRiver LynherRiver NeetRiver OtteryRiver ParRiver Par, Mevagissey StreamRiver Pol, Langreek StreamRiver SeatonRiver Seaton, River PolRiver StratRiver Strat, River BushRiver TinneyRiver TresillianRiver ValencySouth Cornwall CoastSouth Cornwall Coast, Tidal Fal EstuarySouth Cornwall Coast, Truro RiverSouth Cornwall coastSt Blazey Stream

Flood Insurance Warning for Cornwall

Cornwall has 75 designated flood areas and a high flood risk rating. If you live in this area, check your buildings and contents insurance covers flood damage. Homes in high-risk areas may face higher premiums or require specialist cover.

Flood Insurance Guide →Planning & Flood Risk →