Background to the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel

• The 11.6 kilometres long Jubilee Flood Relief Channel is part of the Maidenhead Windsor and Eton Flood Alleviation Scheme (MWEFAS). The channel has been engineered. It is very deep in places around 5 metres and has very steep sides. Although engineered, the channel blends with surrounding landscape with many marginal areas where wildlife can thrive.
• The Jubilee Flood Relief Channel always has some water flowing through it. In flood conditions, we split some of the water away from the River Thames through the Jubilee. The Jubilee provides extra space for this water before it re-joins the River Thames at Datchet.
• We operate weir gates at Taplow to control the amount of water being split into the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel. As the flow in the River Thames increases, we open the gates gradually in small increments to allow water to flow through the channel.
• When the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel reaches capacity and if river levels continue to rise, water would spill out of the River Thames onto the floodplain. It is possible that properties in the area normally better protected by the scheme could flood. As with any area we would issue a flood warning if property flooding is expected.
• With climate change we are seeing more frequent and more intense rainfall, which will lead to flooding more often across the Thames Valley. In response to this we are having to operate the Jubilee more frequently.
• View our video on the main page, to find out more about how the the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel works.