Back to Water

Water levels

We continuously monitor and record water levels on lochs, rivers, and coastlines throughout Scotland, generating valuable data used by businesses, households, and recreational users.

Currently, we operate 392 monitoring sites across the country. While most stations are located on rivers, we also collect data from several tide gauges and loch level recorders, ensuring comprehensive coverage of Scotland’s diverse water environments.

Visit water levels

Why do we monitor water levels?

Monitoring water levels plays a vital role in managing our water resources effectively.

At most river gauging stations, water levels are converted into flow measurements. Understanding the flow within a catchment area is essential for:

• Water resource management – such as issuing licenses for water abstraction.
• Pollution control – ensuring water quality is maintained.
• Environmental monitoring – tracking long-term changes like those caused by climate change.

Supporting recreation and safety

Our water level data is also valuable for recreational users. Anglers, canoeists, and other outdoor enthusiasts can use this information to plan their activities safely and enjoyably.

Flood risk management

Accurate water level monitoring is a key component in flood forecasting and response. It helps protect homes, businesses, and infrastructure by informing timely flood warnings and mitigation strategies.

Looking ahead

To help users better understand the importance of water level monitoring and how the data is used, we have created a series of frequently asked questions.

In the future, we plan to expand this section of our website to include additional parameters such as water temperature and water quality, offering a more comprehensive view of our water environments.

How is water level information collected?

Water level data is gathered at gauging stations using a range of electronic sensors and data loggers.

These telemetry stations automatically collect data at least once a day—and often more frequently, depending on the type of telemetry connection or specific operational needs. The collected data is then uploaded to our online platform for public access.

The same data management system that powers our online updates also supports our flood warning service. During flood events, if website data feeds begin to impact the performance of the flood warning system, we may temporarily suspend river level updates on the website. This measure is only taken when absolutely necessary to ensure the reliability of critical flood alerts.

How is the information interpreted?

Our water level website displays recent level readings for 335 of our 392 monitoring stations.

Each station features a graph showing how water levels have changed over the past two days, relative to a local reference point (datum). Please note that this level does not always represent the actual depth of water from the riverbed to the surface.

Understanding water level changes

• Natural influences: Rising water levels are typically linked to rainfall within the catchment area.
• Artificial influences: Some stations are affected by human activity, such as hydropower operations, which can alter river levels.
• Tidal effects: At tidal or tide-influenced sites, water levels can fluctuate by several metres twice daily.

To help users interpret the data, we include historical context for each site:

• Maximum level: The highest level ever recorded at the station (digitally). This may not be exceeded for a long time.
• Minimum level: The lowest recorded level, which may reflect an extreme event. Natural changes in riverbed conditions can affect low-flow readings.
• Average level: A long-term average based on our digital records.
  Please note that some older records may not be available in digital format, so actual historical extremes could differ slightly.

Data availability and accuracy

Occasionally, data may be missing or appear incorrect. This is usually due to:

• Instrumentation faults
• Telemetry communication issues
• Problems with data processing systems

Most issues are resolved within a day, though more complex problems may take up to a week. If a disruption is expected to last longer, we will add a note to the station’s graph page to explain the situation.

Accessing data programmatically

We now offer a service that allows users to access rainfall and river level data via API. You can find guidance and access details on our Time series data service (API) website.