Low rivers after dry April raises drought fears in central and southern England

One of the driest Aprils on record for central and southern England has left river levels below normal, raising fears of drought in some areas over the summer.

The latest UK hydrological survey – which tracks river and groundwater levels – suggests central and southern England and eastern Scotland will experience notably low river flows over the next three months, raising concerns about water shortages if dry weather persists.

Other parts of the UK, however, are likely to fare better with normal- to above-normal river flows in the north-west and western Scotland.

Rainfall in April was 23% less than average according to Met Office figures. In parts of East Anglia and the south-east, rainfall was even less. At Shoeburyness in Essex, April was the driest on record, receiving only 0.6mm of rain in the month – just 2% of the monthly average.

Cambridgeshire – which is one of the most water-stressed areas in the UK – and Bedfordshire received less than 5% of average rainfall.

Met Office forecasts for the rest of May suggest it is likely to be more of a wet month than a dry one.

Farmers in the south and East of England are already concerned about water scarcity. In Cambridgeshire, the environment and green investment committee was told a shortfall in water supply was expected in the future.

Cambridge is regularly cited as being the driest city in the UK, receiving about half the national average rainfall, and East of England is classified as being severely water-stressed.

Southern Water, which provides water for 2.7 million customers across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said the area had 20% of long-term average rainfall in April, and only 15% so far in May.

But reservoir storage was at 92% 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,” the company said.

“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.”