Flood risk across Wandsworth
Wandsworth's riverside, from Putney to Battersea, is tidal Thames floodplain protected by river walls and the Thames Barrier. The River Wandle meets the Thames at Wandsworth, and surface water from intense rain — including in July 2021 — is the most common cause of flooding across the borough.
Flood zones only show river and sea flooding, and they ignore flood defences. Surface water and reservoir risk aren’t part of the zones – check them on the Environment Agency’s long-term flood risk service, or get the full report, which covers every source.
Rivers that shape local flood risk
Main rivers are managed by the Environment Agency. Smaller watercourses and drainage are the responsibility of Wandsworth Council and landowners.
River Thames – Tidal along Putney, Wandsworth and Battersea
River Wandle – Earlsfield and Wandsworth Town
Beverley Brook – Putney Vale and Roehampton
Falconbrook – A buried river, now a sewer, under Battersea
Who manages flood risk here
Wandsworth Council is the Lead Local Flood Authority, responsible for surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. The Environment Agency manages main rivers and the sea, and issues flood warnings. The same council also decides planning applications – and asks for a flood risk assessment in Flood Zones 2 and 3.
Getting a written answer for an address
The free check describes the area around your postcode. For a specific property, the full report checks your exact address against every flood dataset and gives you a dated PDF to share with your surveyor, conveyancer or insurer.
For planning decisions, your local council has the final say.
