09/05/2011

The driest spring in over half a century has led many to fear that summer could bring with it many parched rivers, which would impact upon the activities of farmers and anglers. Rainfall in March was the lowest since 1953, and with the situation having continued throughout April, the water in many rivers is reportedly a foot below normal summer level.

Officials from both the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the Met Office have expressed concern at the situation, which they say has come at a “pivotal time of the year for rainfall”. A spokesperson for the Centre for Ecology and hydrology said, “The driest March for well over 50 years was followed by one of the driest Aprils ever recorded; Rainfall for April was only around 16 per cent of the long-term average.”

The Environment Agency has forewarned that action may need to be taken, should dryness continue in severely affected regions, such as the Wye Valley in Herefordshire. “There can be an environmental impact such as fish in distress which will need rescuing,” said an EA spokesperson. The Environment Agency announced late last month that, as yet, there were no plans in place to curtail farmers’ abstraction licences.

European farmers still praying for rain

For farmers across Western Europe, the spring has been catastrophic, according to Méteo France. The latest figures show that fully half of Northern France is currently suffering the worst drying of topsoils at this time of year in over 50 years. The combination of unseasonally warm weather with a lack of rain in much of Western Europe has given the region’s farmers amble cause for consternation.

“Not a drop of rain has fallen here for two months. When I planted my maize two weeks ago, the earth was 13°C; I’ve never encountered such heat in May. If it doesn’t rain within the week, my maize crop will be a lost cause,” explains a vexed Bruno Beaudrey, of Etrappe, Doubs. The consequences of continued dryness could be disastrous, particularly for stock prices. Dominique Barrau, of French agricultural union FNSEA said, “We estimate a 30-50% decrease in yield for grasses this harvest.” Such a decrease, spread across several affected regions, could have severe implications for producers, particularly given recent increases in raw materials and fuels costs.