The Environment Agency has confirmed that the entire South West of England has now been placed in drought status. It follows some of the driest conditions reported in nearly 90 years.
Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, South Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire (referred to in the Environment Agency as the Wessex area) have all been moved to drought status today (Tuesday, August 30). They all follow Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which were all declared to be in a drought status earlier this month.
The public and businesses in these areas are being urged to use water wisely as the dry summer impacts the environment. However, Bristol Water has previously said that it will not need to impose a hosepipe ban.
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A decision was made to move to drought status after looking at triggers such as rainfall, river flows, groundwater levels, reservoir levels, and the dryness of soils. On top of this, it was assessed the impact these conditions have on the environment and abstractions.
Despite recent rainfall over the last two weeks, it hasn't been enough to compensate for the long periods of dry spells in recent months. Although essential water supplies are safe, Defra and the Environment Agency are urging water companies to continue with their precautionary planning to protect essential supplies in the event of a dry autumn.
Chris Paul, the Environment Agency’s area drought lead, said: “Despite some heavy rain over the past two weeks, it has not been enough to refill our rivers and aquifers. River levels across our Wessex area are exceptionally low - many showing the lowest flows on record.
"This places incredible strain on local wildlife and this is why we are moving to drought status. We are prioritising our local operations to minimise impacts on the environment.“
Action being taken across the area includes additional monitoring of the effects of the dry weather on rivers and responding to environmental emergencies, such as rescuing stranded fish, wherever possible.
The declaration of drought in Wessex means that 11 of the 14 Environment Agency areas across England have now been declared in drought status. It follows five consecutive months of below-average rainfall across all geographic regions in England.
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