Drought declared in North Wales as dry/scarce status spreads more widely

(by Karma Loveday)

Natural Resources Wales has declared a drought in North Wales and the Upper Severn, and moved all remaining catchments across Wales from 'normal' to 'prolonged dry weather' status – the stage before drought.

This follows continued hot, dry weather. North Wales and the Upper Severn have received less than 2% of the expected rainfall for the month so far, and river flows in both areas are exceptionally low for the time of year.

In England, the Environment Agency changed the drought status of six areas last week: Hertfordshire and North London, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Wessex, West Midlands, Thames and London, and parts of Kent and South London were all moved to ‘prolonged dry weather’, as were the remaining catchments across East Anglia (see map).

Two new hosepipe bans came into force: a company-wide ban for Thames customers from 23 July, and an extension of South East Water’s existing ban for its Kent customers to all remaining customers across Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, from 25 July. Almost 40% of England’s population are now under water use restrictions.

The Environment Agency said it had received and was reviewing a drought permit application from South West Water, and that the potential remains for Southern Water to apply for a River Test drought order. The National Drought Group met last Tuesday.

In Scotland, extensive parts of eastern and southern Scotland are in ‘moderate scarcity’ or ‘alert’ level, but the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency warned on Thursday that without sustained rainfall, ‘significant scarcity’ could be reached in several areas within a week.

• The Government has accepted 11 of the 17 recommendations made by the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee in its Surviving drought: reclaim the rain report, and partially accepted a further four. Lord Krebs, Committee member, commented: “We welcome the Government’s response to our report and for accepting the vast majority of our recommendations. However, it is disappointing that they have rejected our call for water companies to be statutory consultees on all major planning decisions. They have also turned down the opportunity, at a time when farms and businesses need it most, to expand the remits of Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) to support improved water resource management at a local level.

“As we spiral towards another drought with wildfires burning, crops suffering, reservoir levels falling and hose pipes bans being put in place, the Government must act urgently to secure water now and for the future. Otherwise, as our report warns, the taps could run dry.”