York floods expected to peak at 4.2 metres this lunchtime

That is above the 3.69 metres reached earlier in the week, but still below the worst floods of last year.

An Environment Agency flood warning remains in place for York’s riverside, including King’s and Queen’s Staith, St George’s Field and Rowntree Park.

“Flooding is expected in this area,” it says. “This means properties are at risk of flooding. Please take action to protect yourself and your property and monitor local weather and river conditions.”

City of York Council flood defence teams swung into action yesterday ahead of today’s expected peak.

Sandbag barriers were put in place at Tower Gardens and Tower Street, and a temporary ‘bridge’ installed in Skeldergate to ensure residents in the City Mills flats are not marooned if the street floods.

Flood pumps and defences will also be deployed for the Fordlands Road and A19 area in Fulford, and Rowntree Park will remain closed due to high river levels.

More than 130 properties in Clementhorpe are now protected by the Environment Agency’s new £7.7 million flood defence scheme, which involved the construction of a 240-metre long semi-permeable underground barrier under Terry Avenue, up to six metres deep.

Councillor Paula Widdowson, city of York Council’s executive member for climate change, said: “We want to reassure residents that we’re doing everything we can to protect our city, as well as provide support and advice at this time.

“Our frontline teams have been deployed in line with our flood plan and flood defences are in place to help protect the city as river levels rise. Whilst the river is high we aren’t expecting at this stage to see river levels as high as we saw last year.”

There is also an Environment Agency flood warning in place at Naburn lock.

Flood alerts have been issued, meanwhile, for the Upper River Ouse from Clifton northwards, for the Lower River Ouse between Naburn and Selby, and for the Lower River Derwent and Lower River Nidd.