Frequently Asked Questions

There are a few options available for downloading multiple stations.  There’s an NRFA API, an R package (rnrfa) or you can send us a list and we’ll retrieve them direct from the database for you. There is more information about these methods on the Data Accessing page.

Yes! Please cite the image of the hydrograph as National River Flow Archive, URL, Date Accessed e.g. National River Flow Archive, http://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/data/station/info/39001, 6th April 2018. For peak flow data, please also add the WINFAP version. The current version can be found on the WINFAP pages. We love to hear about where our data is being used so do let us know if you wish by emailing nrfa@ceh.ac.uk.

The period of record available for each gauging station is shown on each station page. The data from operational gauging stations are provided to the NRFA by Measuring Authorities through an annual submission programme. Read more about our update schedule. Where more recent river flow data are required, users may be able to source this by contacting the relevant measuring authority:

• Environment Agency (England)
• Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Department for Infrastructure — Rivers (Northern Ireland)

The glossary can be found here, and it contains definitions of commonly used words on the NRFA website. A list of commonly used abbreviations can be found here.

Daily flow data can be downloaded on the station page. Using the 'Search Data' tool, locate your required gauging station, and click on the hyperlinked station number. Once on the Station Information Page, click on the 'Daily Flow Data' tab, and on the left handside you will see the Download data button. You will need to fill in a few of anonymous questions about your use for the data, and then a .csv file of the period of record daily flow data will be downloaded.

The latest and previous Hydrological summaries can be found within the NHMP part of the website under Monthly Hydrological Summary for the UK here. 

The WINFAP-FEH data files can be now found within About Data in the Peak River Flow Data Section of the website here. 

We make ad-hoc changes to the website throughout the year. A new version of the WINFAP-FEH files is released when a significant change has been made to the dataset, for example, the addition of the most recent water year. Information about the WINFAP releases can be found here.