The risk of drought is rising after an unusually dry start to spring has pushed river flow, groundwater and reservoir stores below normal levels across much of the country, especially in central and southern England.
The latest official hydrological outlook, released this week, warns that the rest of the month will likely see “below normal to notably low river flows across central southern England”, which could persist into July.
In its monthly national report on the water situation across the country, the government acknowledged that “April was the second dry month in a row, with most of the country receiving below average rainfall”.
Meanwhile, eastern and southeastern England recorded their driest April since 2011.
Across the country, rainfall over April was 23 per cent below average, Met Office figures show.
The lack of rainfall means soil moisture deficits are now being felt across the country, but most acutely in the south and east, while “monthly mean river flow decreased at all indicator sites in April”. This has left rivers in these areas below normal levels for the time of year.
Groundwater levels have also fallen almost everywhere, the government said, also noting that reservoir storage levels had broadly fallen, but nonetheless largely remained at slightly above average for the time of year.
While drought hasn't struck yet, and more rain is forecast in May, farmers are already concerned about water scarcity in the south and east.
In Cambridgeshire, the county council’s Environment and Green Investment Committee was informed in April this year that current water supplies cannot meet future agricultural and domestic demand.
A £1.38m grant scheme has been launched across the county, aimed at helping farmers to improve water efficiency. Meanwhile, infrastructure projects, including the proposed Fens Reservoir, are now planned for the 2030s to secure future supply in the highly water-stressed region.
Southern Water, the supplier for 2.7 million customers across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and which has recently pleaded guilty to five offences of sewage discharge between 2019 and 2021 – just after the company was handed a record fine for illegal dumping of sewage – said that although April and May have been dry, supplies remain good.
The area has had just 20 per cent of the long-term average rainfall in April, and just 15 per cent to date in May.
The company said reservoir storage was at 92 per cent, and most of the rivers and groundwater stores were stable and in a better position than last year.
“We constantly monitor river and reservoir levels so that when we experience drier periods, as seen throughout April, we ensure we use water as efficiently as possible to maximise the efficient use of water resources,” a Southern Water spokesperson told The Independent.
“While we have seen a very dry period since the start of March, our reservoir storage remains strong, and the majority of river and groundwater levels across our area are currently stable. We start preparations to respond to the risk of drought early, to help minimise any impact on customers and the environment.”
