Cumberland Flood Risk
In Cumberland, 7,779 of 192,333 properties (4.0%) are in areas at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers and the sea — at least a 1 in 100 chance in any year — per Environment Agency data updated 6 July 2026; that ranks 13th of 296 local authorities in England by number.
By bandProperties in Cumberland by flood-risk band
| Risk band | Chance of flooding each year | All properties | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | 3.3% (1 in 30) or greater chance in any year | 4,822 | 2,650 |
| Medium | between 1% and 3.3% (1 in 100 to 1 in 30) chance in any year | 2,957 | 1,770 |
| Low | between 0.1% and 1% (1 in 1,000 to 1 in 100) chance in any year | 11,308 | 7,898 |
| Very low | less than 0.1% (1 in 1,000) chance in any year | 873 | 640 |
4,420 of the high- or medium-risk properties are homes and 2,234 are non-residential. 1,078 postcodes in Cumberland have at least one property at high or medium risk.
Postcode districtsFlood risk across Cumberland
Counts are for the part of each district inside Cumberland.
| District | Properties | High + medium | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2 | 22,916 | 1,077 | 622 | 4.7% |
| CA7 | 21,898 | 969 | 548 | 4.4% |
| CA13 | 11,456 | 915 | 324 | 8.0% |
| CA12 | 7,192 | 870 | 570 | 12.1% |
| CA28 | 16,063 | 847 | 575 | 5.3% |
| CA6 | 10,326 | 580 | 480 | 5.6% |
| CA15 | 10,732 | 567 | 350 | 5.3% |
| CA14 | 22,300 | 333 | 271 | 1.5% |
| LA18 | 6,086 | 298 | 203 | 4.9% |
| CA22 | 5,804 | 185 | 103 | 3.2% |
| CA8 | 7,206 | 160 | 133 | 2.2% |
| CA5 | 6,113 | 146 | 88 | 2.4% |
| CA4 | 4,640 | 128 | 83 | 2.8% |
| CA3 | 9,078 | 119 | 56 | 1.3% |
| CA20 | 2,911 | 109 | 83 | 3.7% |
| LA19 | 1,250 | 92 | 50 | 7.4% |
| CA23 | 1,069 | 79 | 61 | 7.4% |
| CA19 | 1,436 | 69 | 39 | 4.8% |
| CA25 | 3,592 | 64 | 59 | 1.8% |
| CA18 | 353 | 64 | 40 | 18.1% |
| CA21 | 717 | 58 | 55 | 8.1% |
| CA1 | 14,702 | 22 | 9 | 0.1% |
| LA20 | 183 | 18 | 10 | 9.8% |
| CA27 | 1,213 | 5 | 5 | 0.4% |
| DG16 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 21.4% |
| CA26 | 2,269 | 1 | 1 | 0.0% |
| TD9 | 88 | 1 | 1 | 1.1% |
| CA24 | 726 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Recorded floodsPast floods mapped in Cumberland
The Environment Agency has mapped flood outlines on 72 dates in postcode districts that mostly lie in Cumberland since 1938; the most recent started on 12 Nov 2025.
1930s 1 1960s 4 1970s 3 1980s 4 1990s 10 2000s 28 2010s 17 2020s 5
| Started | Place / name in the record | Source of flooding | Cause | Districts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Nov 2025 – 13 Nov 2025 | Brigham | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA13 |
| 23 May 2024 | Stockdalewath 2 outlines | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA4 CA5 |
| 26 Oct 2021 | Keswick | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA12 |
| 15 Feb 2020 – 16 Feb 2020 | St Johns Storm Dennis 3 outlines | Main river | Overtopping of defences | CA1 CA12 CA3 |
| 9 Feb 2020 – 10 Feb 2020 | Carlisle Storm Ciara 20 outlines | Main river, other | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA1 CA12 CA25 CA28 CA3 CA4 CA5 CA6 |
| 11 Oct 2017 – 12 Nov 2017 | Fluvial & Surface Water Low Lorton 9 outlines | Other, main river | Local drainage/surface water | CA13 CA15 CA22 CA23 CA25 CA26 CA7 |
| 30 Sep 2017 – 1 Oct 2017 | Millom Flooding 2 outlines | Other | Local drainage/surface water | LA18 |
| 14 Aug 2017 – 15 Aug 2017 | Whitehaven 4 outlines | Other | Local drainage/surface water | CA25 CA28 |
| 5 Dec 2015 – 7 Dec 2015 | Bassenthwaite 41 outlines | Main river, other | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA1 CA12 CA13 CA14 CA15 CA4 CA5 CA7 |
| 14 Jan 2015 – 15 Jan 2015 | Littlebeck Warren 2 outlines | Ordinary watercourse, drainage | Obstruction/blockage - bridge | CA14 CA5 |
| 3 Oct 2014 – 4 Oct 2014 | — | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA14 |
| 23 Dec 2013 | Distington 4 outlines | Drainage, other | Local drainage/surface water | CA27 CA28 |
| 21 Dec 2013 | Warwick Bridge flooding | Drainage | Local drainage/surface water | CA4 |
| 5 Aug 2013 – 6 Aug 2013 | Low Lorton Flooding 4 outlines | Ordinary watercourse, other | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA13 CA26 CA4 |
| 28 Jul 2013 | Low Crosby 2 outlines | Drainage, main river | Local drainage/surface water | CA3 |
| 18 May 2013 | Wigton flooding 3 outlines | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA7 |
| 26 Jan 2013 | Calder Bridge | Drainage | Local drainage/surface water | CA21 |
| 30 Aug 2012 – 31 Aug 2012 | Egremont 13 outlines | Other, drainage | Local drainage/surface water | CA18 CA20 CA21 CA22 CA27 |
| 28 Jun 2012 | Wigton 4 outlines | Main river, other | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA13 CA4 CA5 CA7 |
| 23 Jun 2012 | Sebergham 2 outlines | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA19 CA5 |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Great Corby 2 outlines | Ordinary watercourse, main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA1 CA4 |
| 15 Jan 2011 – 16 Jan 2011 | Crosby-on-Eden Flooding | Main river | Overtopping of defences | CA1 |
| 19 Nov 2009 – 22 Nov 2009 | Wigton Novemebr flooding 42 outlines | Main river, sewer | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA1 CA12 CA13 CA14 CA15 CA19 CA21 CA22 CA23 CA26 CA3 CA4 CA7 CA8 LA19 |
| 19 Aug 2009 – 20 Aug 2009 | Egremont | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA22 |
| 12 Jan 2009 | Low Crosby flooding 2 outlines | Main river | Operational failure/breach of defence | CA1 |
| 25 Oct 2008 – 26 Oct 2008 | Cockermouth flood event 4 outlines | Main river | Overtopping of defences | CA13 |
| 23 Oct 2008 – 26 Oct 2008 | Southwaite Mill 6 outlines | Main river, other | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA12 CA13 CA19 |
| 10 Oct 2008 | Mill Cottage, Egremont 3 outlines | Main river, ordinary watercourse | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA22 CA24 CA26 |
| 4 Oct 2008 | Rosthwaite | Main river | Other | CA12 |
| 4 Sep 2008 | Beckermet | Ordinary watercourse | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA21 |
| 21 Jan 2008 | Stockdalewath 5 outlines | Main river, ordinary watercourse | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA5 CA7 |
| 18 Jul 2007 | Ainstable | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA4 |
| 8 Jul 2007 | Gaitsgill | Ordinary watercourse | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA5 |
| 12 Jun 2007 | Whitehaven | Drainage | Local drainage/surface water | CA28 |
| 11 Aug 2006 | Whitehaven | Main river | Not recorded | CA28 |
| 12 Oct 2005 – 13 Oct 2005 | Wiza Beck 10 outlines | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA14 CA15 CA26 CA7 |
| 11 Oct 2005 – 12 Oct 2005 | Carlisle 10 outlines | Main river, ordinary watercourse | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA1 CA12 CA13 CA14 CA2 CA25 CA26 CA3 CA5 CA7 |
| 10 Oct 2005 – 12 Oct 2005 | Keswick 3 outlines | Other, ordinary watercourse | Other | CA12 CA22 CA6 |
| 5 Oct 2005 | Longtown | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA6 |
| 8 Jan 2005 | Simonscales 2 outlines | Main river | Channel capacity exceeded (no raised defences) | CA13 CA15 |
Showing the 40 most recent of 72 dates.
What this page shows, and what it misses
The Environment Agency's count of properties in each postcode that sit in areas of land at very low, low, medium or high risk of flooding from rivers and the sea, allowing for flood defences and their condition, added up here by postcode district and local authority. Every property in England is counted once, so the share is of all properties in the area.
It misses: surface water (heavy rain), groundwater, sewer and reservoir flooding; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; and anything about a single building. A band describes the land a property stands on, not its floor level or flood protection, so it is not a forecast for any one home. Past floods come from the EA's Recorded Flood Outlines and are placed in the postcode district whose centre is nearest (within 12 km), so a flood near a boundary can be listed under a neighbour. Older records are patchy, and a flood with no outline is not listed.
"Cumberland" means the local authority area (ONS code E06000063), not only the town centre.
If you live in Cumberland
- Check your own address on gov.uk; it also covers surface water.
- Sign up for free flood warnings: gov.uk/get-flood-warnings. Floodline: 0345 988 1188.
- What is in force now: flood warnings UK · river levels.
- Never walk or drive through flood water: why shallow water kills.
FAQQuestions people ask
Is Cumberland at risk of flooding?
In Cumberland, 7,779 of 192,333 properties (4.0%) are in areas at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers and the sea — at least a 1 in 100 chance in any year — per Environment Agency data updated 6 July 2026; that ranks 13th of 296 local authorities in England by number.
Which parts of Cumberland have the most properties at flood risk?
Postcode district CA2 has the most: 1,077 properties at high or medium risk (4.7% of its properties in Cumberland). The table on this page lists every district.
When did Cumberland last flood?
The Environment Agency has mapped flood outlines on 72 dates in postcode districts that mostly lie in Cumberland since 1938; the most recent started on 12 Nov 2025.
Does this include surface water flooding?
No. These counts cover flooding from rivers and the sea only. Surface water (heavy rain) flooding affects more properties in England; check it for one address on gov.uk's long-term flood risk service.
Flood risk counts: Environment Agency, Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea – Postcodes in Areas at Risk and Recorded Flood Outlines, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved. Some features of this information are based on digital spatial data from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, © NERC (CEH). © Crown Copyright and Database Rights 2025 OS AC0000807064. This product is produced in part from PAF® and Multiple Residence Data, the copyright in which is owned by Royal Mail Group Limited and/or Royal Mail Group plc. All rights reserved. Licence number AC0000807064.
Local authority of each postcode: Office for National Statistics postcode lookup (May 2026), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026. District centres and place names: postcodes.io (ONS/OS open data). Totals, ranks and grouping are Global Incident Tracker's own calculations; the Environment Agency does not endorse them.