Farming News - Operational note: National Drought Group: Recent rainfall is still not enough to end current drought
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Operational note: National Drought Group: Recent rainfall is still not enough to end current drought
The Government and Environment Agency continue to act to protect water supplies as most of the country remains in drought despite recent rainfall.
Water companies in the areas of severe drought have been told they need to accelerate their contingency planning, alongside the current daily monitoring of reservoir and river levels.
Transfers of water have been taking place to help the lowest reservoirs while less water is being sent to local rivers to protect public supplies.
Local Resilience Forums are also meeting to coordinate risk assessment and preparedness across local communities after the driest April – September in more than a century across southern England.
Weather whiplash saw a return to wetter conditions at the weekend but while Storms Austen and Boelo provided some short-term hydrological benefit, they have not materially changed the drought outlook.
England still needs at least 120% of average rainfall for the next six months to be considered out of drought by spring. Anything less risks the drought continuing into next year – with Devon & Cornwall and East Anglia (traditionally the driest part of England) most at risk.
The National Drought Group met on Wednesday with water companies told to speed up the fixing of leaks, help customers reduce demand, and escalate any issues early.
The companies in the severe drought areas were also told that the new allowance to leave less water in the environment is temporary – and should be treated as an option of last resort.
Yesterday North West England moved out of prolonged dry weather and into recovery. But 82% of the country remains in drought, with the public again asked to use water wisely, because the recent rainfall is nowhere near enough to reverse the impacts of repeated heatwaves and an extremely dry spring and summer.
Water Minister, Emma Hardy, chaired Wednesday’s meeting and said:
“Despite the recent rain, the situation remains serious. As we move through autumn and winter, we now face the challenge of having drought and flood simultaneously as the rain struggles to be absorbed by the hardened ground.
“Resilience to our changing climate is key and we need to be thinking about next year now. Water companies must continue to take every available measure to secure current supplies while also ensuring that we start the spring in the strongest possible position.
“Although water companies remain responsible for maintaining public water supplies, we can all help by thinking about ways to use water wisely whatever the weather.”
Parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex remain in severe drought. The Government’s declaration was driven by exceptionally low reservoir levels - particularly at Ardingly in West Sussex (run by South East Water), Wimbleball in Somerset (used by both South West Water and Wessex Water) and some smaller reservoirs across the South West.
Severe drought status allows additional proactive steps to be taken to safeguard water before any disruption occurs, such as daily monitoring and enhanced engagement with Local Resilience Forums. The government has told water companies and the Environment Agency to put public supplies first.
Updates from the meeting:
- The North West of England (Cumbria & Lancashire and Greater Manchester, Merseyside & Cheshire) has moved out of prolonged dry weather and into recovery status. This has been driven by the region seeing 120% of average rainfall so far this month.
- Last week was the wettest for two years, with October now seeing 111% of its average rainfall so far. It is set to be mainly dry into the beginning of next month, becoming more unsettled as we go through November.
- Despite the wet October, the dry September has delayed recharge with 11 reservoir or reservoir groups still classed by the Environment Agency as exceptionally low. England’s storage would normally be about 76.5% this time of year.
- Ardingly reservoir is 19% full – a slight increase from last week (17%) because of recent rainfall and actions by the Government, Environment Agency, and South East Water. These measures include reducing the amount of water sent from the reservoir into the River Ouse by three million litres per day, an allowance to continue to abstract from Barcombe Mills when the flow is lower than normal limits, and transferring water from elsewhere in the network.
- Wimbleball reservoir is stable at 14.5% full (compared to 13% last week). The Environment Agency has granted South West Water’s Drought Permit application to reduce the amount of water it sends each day to the River Exe by nine million litres.
- The Environment Agency has been allowing farmers to take water from rivers outside of the traditional abstraction window to allow for early recharge of farm reservoirs. A dry winter would increase the risk of significant impacts on agriculture next year.
This year’s record-breaking heat and unprecedented lack of rain has put an enormous strain on our natural resources. Hot and dry weather not only increases public demand for water, it also results in additional evaporation of moisture from the soil.
Drought is only over when rivers, groundwater and reservoirs are back to normal levels. This recovery would typically begin in the Autumn, but this year’s recharge has been delayed as September only saw 65% of average rainfall.
October has seen a return to wetter conditions, but early rainfall tends to be soaked up by soil or runs off the hardened ground. Only once the soil is wet, does it start to be properly absorbed by the deeper groundwater stores.
These aquifers provide a lot of the drinking water in the south and the east, meaning months of sustained wet weather are needed for all water resources to be considered recovered from drought.
Environment Agency Chief Executive, Philip Duffy, said: “The recent rain is welcome, but the drought isn’t over. A few wet days cannot reverse months of hot, dry weather.
“Our rivers, reservoirs and groundwater need sustained rainfall to recover, and the effects on nature can last much longer.
“Everyone can help. Using a little less water, from taking shorter showers to turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, makes a difference. Saving water now will help our environment and water supplies recover.”