July sees river recovery but experts urge caution on drought

July rainfall has helped most rivers return to normal flow ranges following the hottest June on record and low flows, the National Drought Group heard when it met last week.

As of 19 July, total reservoir capacity across England was 79% full and the July rainfall total for England was 65mm.

However, Devon, Cornwall and parts of East Anglia remain in drought, and the West Midlands has moved into prolonged dry weather status. The Environment Agency is working with South West Water to investigate and potentially open up new sources of water to help improve the drought situation in the south west.

The National Drought Group warned that the situation could regress if hot, dry weather returns later in the summer. It championed work to prepare for all eventualities, including drought.

Waterwise’s Dry July campaign is running from 17 - 28 July, highlighting how we can all play our part to use water more wisely and ensure our water consumption is environmentally sustainable.