Are we heading towards a drought?

Many landscapers will have welcomed the recent period of dry, sunny weather, making hay while the sun shines, but there may be cause for concern when it comes to water availability over the next few months.

The Environment Agency, which is the government body responsible for managing water resources in England, recently published a blog on the prospect of a drought this summer, acknowledging many are asking the question.

It said that there is a medium risk of drought this summer unless we see sustained rainfall in the meantime, following the driest start to spring for 69 years, particularly in northern England, and significantly lower soil moisture levels.

The Agency also provided an update on the current water resource status, which is said to vary significantly by region:

• Central and northern England: Rivers and public water supply reservoirs are lower than normal, with levels dropping earlier than typically expected
• Southeast and eastern England: River flows remain generally normal, supported by healthy groundwater reserves

BALI members will be keen to learn whether they can expect any temporary use bans (aka hosepipe bans), for which the Agency says there are currently no plans but this may change if the prolonged dry weather continues.

Richard Thompson, the Deputy Director of Water at the Environment Agency, said:

‘The changing climate means we will see more summer droughts in the coming decades.

‘The last two years were some of the wettest on record for England but drier conditions at the start of this year mean a drought is a possibility and we need to be prepared.

‘It’s heartening to see more people looking to reduce their water use and we expect water companies to do more to cut leakage and rollout smart meters.’

Water management is an important issue for BALI and we have previously discussed the benefits of sustainable garden design, rainwater harvesting systems, and water solutions more broadly.