Overview
- Natural Resources Wales, which declared a drought on Thursday, said Wales has received about 8% of its long-term average July rainfall and that the month is on course to be the driest July in roughly 190 years.
- The majority of Welsh rivers and groundwater are at exceptionally low levels, with the Wye, Usk, Teifi, Clwyd, Conwy and Cleddau among those reporting drying beds, distressed fish and algal blooms.
- Regulators and water firms are using drought plans now, including compensation and regulation releases, targeted reservoir releases and tighter abstraction controls, and are coordinating with the Environment Agency on cross-border rivers.
- Farmers are reporting damaged crops, poor grazing and reduced water for livestock, while dairy farmers say heat stress and lost grazing have already cut milk yields on some farms.
- The Met Office says forecasts do not favour the sustained rainfall needed to recover, officials warn further heatwaves are possible and ministers point to long-term measures such as new reservoirs, leakage reduction and water recycling.