Scottish Borders flood warning service improvements

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has enhanced its flood warning service in the Scottish Borders, following an update of their flood forecasting models.

Flood Warnings in the area are delivered through Floodline, which allows people to sign up to receive free messages by phone, text or email when flooding is expected. 

Flood Alerts

A Flood Alert is SEPA’s early heads-up that flooding is possible, giving people time to stay informed and take any necessary preparatory action. As Flood Alerts are issued for large areas, such as the whole Scottish Borders, they cover all potential sources of flooding and may not apply equally to every community. More detailed local Flood Warnings are issued when flooding is expected to impact specific locations. 

For those looking ahead, the Scottish Flood Forecast also provides a three-day national outlook on potential flooding.

Flood Warnings

Across the Scottish Borders, there are 30 established local Flood Warning Areas as well as two new Areas, each designed to reflect local catchments and communities at risk from flooding from both river and coastal flooding. Following this latest update, the service has been strengthened, with more targeted flood warnings being introduced for Selkirk and Preston to Paxton, increasing coverage and improving the information available to communities.

The update uses the latest data and evidence, including previous flooding events and existing and new flood defences, to provide more accurate, locally tailored flood warnings. It also reflects feedback from customers and local communities, helping SEPA to better understand how people receive and use flood information, and ensuring the service continues to evolve to meet their needs.

These improvements are designed to give Floodline users a better experience, with messages that more closely reflect local conditions and the way flooding affects communities. This ensures that people receive clearer, more relevant information to help them take action at the right time.

Thousands of people across the Scottish Borders are already signed up to receive Floodline messages, demonstrating strong community engagement with the service. SEPA continues to encourage more residents and businesses to register, helping to ensure they are better prepared for future flooding events.

What this means for you

If you’re signed up to receive messages from Floodline, the areas you receive flood warning messages for may have changed.

All Floodline customers in the Scottish Borders will be contacted initially by email if their address is registered, or by telephone or text if no email has been provided at registration.

If you’re registered, you can check and update your details by:

SEPA has noticed that many landlines are failing regularly, so customers are encouraged to check the details they hold.

Changes to No Longer in Force messaging

SEPA has also updated how certain flood notifications are issued to customers.

Customers who are signed up to receive the Scottish Borders Flood Alert will no longer receive a direct notification (by text, phone call, or email) when a message is marked as ‘No Longer in Force’.

From now on, ‘No Longer in Force’ notifications will only be sent for:

Prepare and be aware

Flooding can affect anyone. SEPA works 24/7 to help communities prepare for and understand flood risks.

There are three simple actions you can take to be prepared: