Privacy and disclaimer
Last updated 18 October 2026
Who runs RiverWatch
RiverWatch is run by Chris Renwick, who is responsible for the personal information it holds (the "data controller"). Contact: chris@loop.scot.
Looking at the site
You can read every page without telling us anything. The site sets two cookies that it needs to work: one keeps your visit together and one protects forms from misuse. There are no advertising or tracking cookies and no analytics. Like most websites, the server briefly records visitors' internet addresses to stop abuse, for example too many sign-ups at once.
Flood alert emails
If you sign up for flood alerts we keep:
- your email address, and
- which rivers you chose.
We use these only to send the alerts you asked for, and nothing else. We don't share them, sell them or send anything else. We hold them because you asked us to (your consent), which you can withdraw at any time.
- Until you confirm: a sign-up that isn't confirmed is deleted after 48 hours.
- While you're signed up: we keep your address until you stop the alerts. Every alert email has a link to do that.
- Records of alerts sent, which include the address each went to, are deleted after 12 months.
The companies that host this site and send its emails handle this information only on our behalf. River readings come from RiverTrack and weather from Open-Meteo; neither receives any personal information from us.
No guarantee
RiverWatch is a free community service, provided as it is. River readings come from community sensors and can be wrong, late or missing; forecasts and the AI analysis are estimates; and alert emails can be delayed or fail. It is not an official flood warning service and should not be the only thing you rely on: for official warnings, see SEPA Floodline.
Your rights
You can ask to see the information we hold about you, have it corrected, or have it deleted, by emailing chris@loop.scot. If you're unhappy with how we've handled it, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.