Environment Agency moves Somerset to drought status

The Environment Agency said: "While the area has had some rainfall over the last two weeks, this has not been sufficient to compensate for the long dry period in recent months.

"By waiting until now to declare a drought, it has given our response team time to consider the effects of the rainfall."

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.”

The triggers used to confirm today’s move to drought status for the area include the hydrological position (including rainfall, river flows, groundwater levels, reservoir levels, and the dryness of soils), as well as the impacts these conditions have on the environment and abstractions.

Wimbleball Lake earlier in 2022.

Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, south Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire, known as the Environment Agency’s Wessex area, have all moved to drought status.

These areas join Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which were already in drought, and the move means 11 of the 14 Environment Agency areas in England are now in drought status.

With Wessex now declaring a drought, 11 of the 14 Environment Agency areas in England are now in drought status.

The last drought in England was 2018.

The Environment Agency’s water situation national report for July provides a picture of the rainfall, soil moisture deficit, river flows, groundwater levels and reservoir levels over the last month.

The report highlights that it was the driest July across England since 1935, with monthly rainfall totals for the majority of river catchments classed as exceptionally low for the time of year.