Five areas remain in drought with six more in prolonged dry weather
The National Drought Group met today (Monday 11 August) with the current water shortfall situation in England now defined as a "nationally significant incident."
Five areas are officially in drought, with six more experiencing prolonged dry weather following the driest six months to July since 1976.
Despite the unsettled weather last month, many river flows and reservoir levels in England continued to recede compared to June.
Rainstorms and showers helped mask the fact that July was still the fifth warmest on record.
August has started to see a return of drier conditions and the fourth heatwave of the summer - putting more pressure on already struggling public water supplies and navigational waterways.
The National Drought Group - which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers' Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts - used the meeting to highlight the water-saving measures each sector is taking.
They also praised the public for reducing their own daily usage, with Yorkshire Water reporting a 10% reduction in domestic demand following their hosepipe ban. This equates to saving up to 80 million litres per day - equivalent to 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The less water that is used, the less needs to be abstracted from local rivers - therefore protecting the health of our waterways and wildlife.
The Environment Agency's Director of Water and NDG chair, Helen Wakeham said:
The current situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment.
Water companies must continue to quickly fix leaks and lead the way in saving water. We know the challenges farmers are facing and will continue to work with them, other land users, and businesses to ensure everyone acts sustainably.
We are grateful to the public for following the restrictions, where in place, to conserve water in these dry conditions. Simple, everyday choices - such as turning off a tap or deleting old emails - also really helps the collective effort to reduce demand and help preserve the health of our rivers and wildlife.
The recent rainfall has been welcomed by growers, although the impacts from the dry weather remain as farmers continue their harvest.
The National Farmers Union noted how water shortages have impacted the growing season this year.
NFU Vice-President, Rachel Hallos said:
British farmers and growers continue to face extremely dry conditions, with harvest underway and crop yields proving mixed across the country. Some farms are reporting a significant drop in yields, which is financially devasting for the farm business and could have impacts for the UK's overall harvest.
Farming is a long-term industry and there is growing concern about the months ahead. Minimal grass growth means many livestock farmers are already tapping into winter feed stocks, raising the risk of higher production costs later in the year.
Access to clean, reliable water is essential for food production. What's worked well during this drought has been early, coordinated communication with stakeholders around licence restrictions and drought permits and orders and it's crucial this continues.
To avoid the swing between extreme drought and flooding and to secure water supplies for food production, we urgently need investment in water infrastructure and a more effective planning system.
Periods of dry weather and low rivers reduce oxygen levels in water that can lead to fish kills and more algal blooms. Lower river flows also prevent wildlife from moving up or downstream.
Drying out wetlands can be devastating for species that depend on those habits while England has seen an increase in wildfires, devastating vulnerable areas of heathland and moorland.
The Met Office updated the group on the future weather outlook, noting drier weather has returned.
Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, Dr Will Lang said:
This week is starting off warmer than of late across England and Wales with temperatures getting towards the mid-30s Celsius for some in the south.
While conditions remain mostly settled across the south, the picture is more unsettled further northwest, with rain or showers at times.
As we move into the second half of August, there are indications of high pressure building and therefore largely settled conditions overall. Although dry weather is more likely, rain, showers or thunderstorms cannot be ruled out.
The heat and climate change also impact human health, through issues such as heatstroke, dehydration, and respiratory problems.
Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, have also briefed Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, about the situation.
Speaking after attending the meeting, Water Minister Emma Hardy said:
Working with the National Drought Group, the Government is urgently stepping up its response to ensure we are successfully managing the impacts of ongoing dry weather.
Water companies must now take action to follow their drought plans - I will hold them to account if they delay.
We face a growing water shortage in the next decade. That's why we are pushing ahead with root and branch reform under our Plan for Change, which includes £104 billion of private investment to build nine reservoirs and new pipes to cut leaks.
CURRENT SITUATION
Drought has been declared in: Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, Greater Manchester Merseyside and Cheshire, East Midlands, and the West Midlands.
Areas in prolonged dry weather (the phase before drought) are: Northeast, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, East Anglia, Thames, Wessex, Solent and South Downs.
The remaining areas are normal: Hertfordshire, London, Kent, Devon and Cornwall.
Yorkshire Water has a Temporary Usage Ban (TUB aka hosepipe ban) in place for all its customers.
Thames, South East Water, and Southern Water have postcode-specific bans.
Reservoirs fell by 2% last week and are now 67.7% full on average across England. The average for the first week of August is 80.5%. Last month, the average was 75.6%
The lowest reservoirs are Blithfield (49.1%), Derwent Valley (47.2%), Chew Valley Lake (48.3%), Blagdon (46.3%).
Rainfall in July was 89% of long-term average for the month across England. This is the sixth consecutive month of below average rainfall.
Across the country, 51% of river flows were normal with the rest below normal, notably low or exceptionally low.
Two rivers - Wye and Ely Ouse - were the lowest on record for July
There are currently navigation closures or restrictions across sections of the Leeds and Liverpool, Macclesfield, Trent and Mersey, Peak Forest, Rochdale, Oxford and Grand Union Canal.
