Floods latest: River Ouse not yet peaked, barriers holding up well
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The River Ouse is set to peak this morning above 4m.
Three flood warnings remain in force for
- River Ouse at Naburn Lock
- River Ouse at York – riverside properties
- River Ouse at York – St George’s Field and Queen’s Staith.
There are also five flood alerts in the area, for the Ouse, Derwent, Wharfe and Nidd.
The river level in the city centre, as measured by the Viking Recorder, hit 3.80m at 6.30am (1.9m is the top of the ‘normal’ range). It is forecast to reach 4.13m at 8.15am.
According to the Friends of Rowntree Park this morning on Twitter: “The riverside path from Millennium Bridge to a Skeldergate, and New Walk are currently under water.
“7am Millennium Bridge passable from both sides at present. Water creeping toward Hospital Field path.”
The park is closed, and could be inundated today if the Ouse does rise to over 4m. The Friends said two days ago: “Everything crossed the river doesn’t reach 4m as then we flood and are closed for weeks!”
In general York’s river defences are holding firm. Thanks to a £7.7 million investment in flood defences by the Environment Agency, the flood gate at the junction of Clementhorpe and Terry Avenue protects residents from the floodwaters.
It means most of the city is unaffected by the floods. St George’s Car Park is underwater but clear of cars.
Rain is forecast for York for what looks set to be a wet and windy weekend. Then drier and colder days over next week.