UK Faces Drought Fears as River Levels Plunge After Driest Spring Since 1961
The UK is on alert for a potential summer drought after experiencing its driest spring in over six decades, with river levels dropping alarmingly low across much of the country. The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) reports that river flows may remain below normal in most regions, especially in the north of England, where the year started with the lowest rainfall in nearly a century.
Only the south-west has escaped the immediate threat of unusually low river levels. The Environment Agency has rated the UK’s current drought risk as medium, with experts warning that the next 2–3 weeks will be critical in determining whether official drought status will be declared.
Although the UK is not yet officially in a drought, dry conditions are already having an impact. Farmers across England are being forced to irrigate crops far earlier than usual, a costly and resource-heavy process typically reserved for the summer.
“We’ve been rationing water since March,” said Nick Deane, an arable farmer in Norfolk. “We’re having to prioritize which crops get watered just to keep them alive.”
The UK last experienced a major drought in the summer of 2022, when hosepipe bans affected 19 million people. While last year’s wetter conditions have improved water reserves slightly, this year’s early dry spell is already raising alarms.
The National Drought Group, which includes water companies, government agencies, and farming bodies, is monitoring the situation closely. Chair Richard Thompson has warned that if dry weather continues, water use restrictions may follow, impacting everything from farm irrigation to boat navigation and potentially non-essential water use by businesses.
Reservoirs in some areas are already under strain. Tim Place, one of six farmers who jointly built a £1 million reservoir in eastern England, says it has been essential for surviving this early-season dryness. Already, 15% of their water reserve has been used in just a few months.
But he and others argue that the planning process for new reservoirs is costly and slow, calling on the government to reduce bureaucracy and provide better funding to help farmers become water-resilient.
The water industry, through its trade body Water UK, is also pushing for a long-term solution: a national water grid that could transfer water from wetter regions to areas hit hardest by drought.
“We need to plan ahead, not just react,” said a Water UK spokesperson. “Without investment in infrastructure, we risk water shortages becoming more frequent and severe.”
The CEH says the situation could become much worse if the dry spell continues into summer. And while some rain is forecast toward the end of May, it remains uncertain whether it will be enough to ease the pressure on the nation’s water systems.
Climate scientists say persistent dry spells may become more common in the UK due to climate change, driven by atmospheric “blocking highs”—weather systems that stall and bring prolonged dry periods.
Projections suggest UK summers may get drier, even as winters become wetter and warmer, increasing the risk of both floods and droughts in the years to come.
