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last mo.

Wales Declared in Drought as Rivers Fall to Exceptionally Low Levels

Authorities are using targeted reservoir releases and stepped-up monitoring to protect wildlife, farms and drinking supplies because July’s record shortfall has pushed river and groundwater levels to critical lows.

Scorched grass on Blackheath in south-east London as Britain endures its second consecutive summer of droughts (Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP)
Swithland Reservoir in Leicestershire which is currently at 41 per cent capacity (Photo: Joe Giddens/PA)
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Overview

  • Natural Resources Wales extended drought status to cover the whole of Wales on Thursday after July delivered about 8% of its long-term average rainfall, leaving most rivers at 'exceptionally low' levels.
  • Dry riverbeds, distressed fish and algal blooms have been reported across many catchments, prompting emergency environmental monitoring and local regulation of water abstraction to protect ecosystems.
  • NRW and water companies are making compensation and regulation releases from reservoirs and say they could instruct further releases from systems such as the Elan Valley if flows deteriorate, although no additional Elan releases have been triggered yet.
  • Water firms have introduced some local restrictions but no uniform hosepipe ban exists across Wales; officials warn falling reservoir stocks and high demand could prompt wider supply measures if conditions do not improve.
  • The drought coincides with rising wildfire risk, mounting farm stress over crops and livestock water, and a wider UK pattern of low reservoir storage that officials say will require long-term investments in new storage, recycling and other measures.