Flood risk & emergency preparedness in Selby
The local picture for Selby households: current flood warnings, your water and power operators, and the short list worth doing before anything happens.
Live data last updated 22/07/2026, 11:14:16
No Environment Agency flood warnings are in force for North Yorkshire right now. We check every six hours.
Yorkshire Water
No temporary use ban is currently listed for Yorkshire Water on our tracker.
Live hosepipe ban tracker →The flood picture in Selby
Selby stands on the tidal River Ouse — the tidal limit is at Naburn Weir upstream, so levels through the town are driven by river flow and tide together — on flat, low-lying ground that has flooded repeatedly through its history, with major floods recorded in 1794, 1866, 1947, 1982 and 2000. The autumn 2000 floods were the worst in generations: the Ouse rose higher than at any point since 1625, defences were overtopped at Selby and Barlby and around 300 properties flooded, with local drainage problems flooding a further 60 in the town. At Barlby the river stood about a foot above the defences and sandbags were all that held it back; had they failed, some 7,500 properties in Barlby and Selby were at risk. A £1.5m upgrade to the defences followed immediately, and the multi-phase Selby flood alleviation scheme of raised embankments and walls running from Barlby through Selby was completed in 2008.
Flood risk varies street by street, so check your exact address on the Environment Agency's free tool — it covers rivers, sea, surface water and groundwater, and takes a minute.
Check your address on GOV.UK →Who to contact in Selby
Dial 105 (free) — you'll reach Northern Powergrid, the network operator for Selby.
Power cut guide →Floodline: 0345 988 1188 (24h). Sign up for free EA flood warnings for your postcode on GOV.UK.
Sign up for warnings →North Yorkshire Council handles local flood response, sandbag policy and road closures.
Council flooding page →If flooding is forecast in Selby
A flood warning usually gives you hours, not minutes. Use them in this order:
- 1Check the warning level. A Flood Alert means be aware; a Flood Warning means act now; a Severe Flood Warning means danger to life. Follow EA updates for the River Ouse warning area.
- 2Move what matters. Take valuables, documents, medicines and irreplaceables upstairs or to high shelves. Move cars to higher ground early — flooded roads close fast.
- 3Deploy your kit. Sandbags or barriers at doors and airbricks if you have them — North Yorkshire Council publishes its sandbag policy on its flooding page.
- 4Prepare to switch off. Know where your electricity, gas and water shut-offs are, and switch off if water is about to enter — never touch electrics standing in water.
- 5Grab bag by the door. If you may need to leave: medicines, documents, chargers, warm clothes. Follow evacuation instructions from the emergency services, not social media.
Prepare your household
The same short list serves every emergency: water, food that needs no cooking, a torch, a charged power bank, and — if you're in a flood-risk street — a plan for moving valuables up and kit for keeping water out.
Flood insurance, and Flood Re
If your home is in a higher-risk part of Selby, check your buildings and contents policies actually cover flooding, and at what excess. Homes that struggle to get affordable cover may be helped by Flood Re — the government-backed scheme that lets insurers pass on the flood part of eligible home policies, which typically makes cover cheaper and easier to find. Your insurer applies it automatically; if you've been quoted badly, ask specifically about Flood Re-backed policies.
After any flood, photograph everything before cleaning up, and contact your insurer before disposing of damaged items.
Nearby areas
Common questions
Is Selby at risk of flooding?
Selby stands on the tidal River Ouse — the tidal limit is at Naburn Weir upstream, so levels through the town are driven by river flow and tide together — on flat, low-lying ground that has flooded repeatedly through its history, with major floods recorded in 1794, 1866, 1947, 1982 and 2000. The autumn 2000 floods were the worst in generations: the Ouse rose higher than at any point since 1625, defences were overtopped at Selby and Barlby and around 300 properties flooded, with local drainage problems flooding a further 60 in the town. At Barlby the river stood about a foot above the defences and sandbags were all that held it back; had they failed, some 7,500 properties in Barlby and Selby were at risk. A £1.5m upgrade to the defences followed immediately, and the multi-phase Selby flood alleviation scheme of raised embankments and walls running from Barlby through Selby was completed in 2008. For your exact address, use the Environment Agency's free long-term flood risk checker — risk varies street by street.
Who supplies water in Selby?
Yorkshire Water supplies most households in Selby. No hosepipe ban is currently listed for Yorkshire Water on our tracker.
Who do I call in a power cut in Selby?
Dial 105, free from any phone — it connects you to Northern Powergrid, the network operator for Selby, regardless of who you pay your bill to.
How do I get flood warnings for Selby?
Sign up for the Environment Agency's free flood warnings (gov.uk) for alerts by phone, text or email, and call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for current information.
Sources: Environment Agency flood-monitoring data and long-term flood risk service (GOV.UK); water company announcements via our tracker; Power Cut 105; North Yorkshire Council. Live figures refresh on a schedule — always follow official warnings first. PreparedBritain is independent and not affiliated with HM Government.
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