Research and analysis

Dry weather and drought in England: 16 to 22 October 2026

Updated 23 October 2026

Applies to England

1. Summary

On 15 October the government declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. This is primarily due to the critically low levels of South East Water’s Ardingly reservoir and Wimbleball reservoir, that supplies South West Water and Wessex Water. Some of the smaller reservoirs in the west of Cornwall are also critically low.

The drought situation in England has continued to deteriorate, despite a second week of rainy weather across the country. England as a whole has received 52% of its long-term average (LTA) rainfall for October, although regional variations remain, with the south-west drier than other regions. River flows increased at the majority of sites we report on when compared to the previous week. Most sites remain classed as below normal or lower for the time of year. Groundwater levels continue to decline at most sites, as drier than average soils limit recharge to resources. Reservoir storage continues to decline, with national storage at 54% of capacity, around 22% below the LTA for this time of year. Eighteen reservoirs or groups are now less than 50% full, with 13 classed as exceptionally low. 

Public water supply reservoir and groundwater storage continues to decline for several water companies, although for some the rate of decline has slowed. Further significant rainfall is needed to return to normal water resource conditions for many water companies. Water companies continue to progress drought permits and orders. 

There are growing concerns that farmers may not be able to refill water storage reservoirs over the winter. This is because reservoir levels are exceptionally low and river flows remain below normal, particularly across central and southern England. This could affect water availability for the 2027 irrigation season. We will be publishing our agriculture reservoir refill prospect report next week. This will highlight the key risks from a dry winter and the actions that are needed to mitigate the impacts of drought continuing into spring.

Numbers of confirmed environmental incidents caused by drought and dry weather have continued to increase, although the rate of increase is slowing. 

Overall, there has been an improvement in the water resources situation across the Canal & River Trust network. Improvements are particularly in the more reactive reservoirs in northern parts of the country. There has been a gradual easing of measures taken over the summer to control demand and a reduction in the number of canal restrictions.

2. Active temporary use bans (TUBs)

The following companies have implemented TUBs, in all or part of their supply areas:

• Affinity Water – Central and East regions, covering Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and parts of London and Essex
• Anglian Water – whole company area, excluding Hartlepool
• Bristol Water – whole company area
• Cambridge Water – whole company area
• Essex and Suffolk Water – whole company area
• Southern Water – Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
• South East Water – whole company area
• South West Water – whole company area, excluding Bournemouth
• Thames Water – whole company area
• Wessex Water – whole company area

The Water Industry Act 1991 incorporates legislation which makes provision for another water undertaker to supply sites within an existing water undertaker’s area. Where an alternative undertaker is appointed, a New Appointment and Variation (NAV) is made by Ofwat. Companies operating as a NAV have the same legal duties and responsibilities as other water companies to produce drought plans. NAVs can have their own sources of supply but are primarily supplied by bulk supply agreements with the water undertaker in the area. NAV TUBs were introduced at the same time as their respective incumbent companies as follows:

• Leaf Water implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by South East Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, and Cambridge Water
• Albion Water implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by Thames Water
• Leep Water implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by South East Water, Southern Water, South West Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water, Anglian Water, Affinity Water, Bristol Water, and Essex and Suffolk Water
• Independent Water Networks (IWN) implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by South East Water, Southern Water, South West Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water, Anglian Water, Affinity Water, Bristol Water, Cambridge Water, and Essex and Suffolk Water
• Last Mile Water implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by South East Water, Southern Water, South West Water, Anglian Water, Affinity Water, Thames Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, Wessex Water and Bristol Water
• MUA implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by Affinity Water and Anglian Water
• ESP implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by Bristol Water, Wessex Water, Thames Water, South East Water, Affinity Water and Anglian Water
• Matrix implemented TUBs for its customers in areas supplied by Thames Water

Further information can be found on each company’s website.

3. Area drought status

There have been no changes in area drought status this week.

Figure 1: Environment Agency drought status

3.1 Areas in severe drought

Parts of:

• Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and Wessex Areas (supplied by Wimbleball reservoir, Kenninck, Tottisford & Trenchford (KTT) and Venford reservoirs, and Stithians and Drift reservoirs)
• Solent and South Downs and Kent and South London Areas that are supplied by Ardingly reservoir

3.2 Areas in drought

• East Anglia
• Hertfordshire and North London
• Thames
• Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
• West Midlands
• Kent and South London
• Solent and South Downs
• East Midlands
• Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire
• Yorkshire

3.3 Areas in prolonged dry weather

• Northeast
• Cumbria and Lancashire
• Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire

3.4 How the stages of drought response work

Each area is reviewing its status depending on the triggers they have outlined in their drought plan.

More detail of how we manage drought, including our 4 stages of drought response, is available in Drought: how it is managed in England.

4. Current water situation

All parts of England received some rainfall, with totals ranging from 18mm in north-east England to 30mm in the south-west. For October so far, south-west England has received 43% of the LTA for the month, while the north-west has received 58% of the LTA. For England as a whole, 52% of the LTA rainfall for October has been received. Despite recent rainfall, soils are still drier than would be expected across much of England for the time of year.

Following a second week of wetter weather, river flows increased at three-quarters of the sites we report on compared to the previous week. Just under half of sites are now classed as normal for the time of year. Sixteen sites (29% of the total) are classed as below normal, many of which are in south-east and south-west England. Ten sites (18%) are classed as notably low, while 4 (7%) are exceptionally low. This includes the Ely Ouse in east England, the Rivers Derwent and Swale in the north-east, and the River Tone in south-west England.

Groundwater levels continue to decline at many sites, as soils need to be saturated before rainfall can effectively recharge resources. Sites in chalk aquifers are all normal or lower for the time of year, with 3 sites in southern England classed as exceptionally low:

• Tilshead in the Upper Hampshire Avon Chalk
• Chipstead in the Epsom North Downs Chalk
• Woodyates in the Upper Dorset Stour Chalk

Levels in the Jurassic Limestone are now below normal at Hanthorpe in east England and exceptionally low at Jackaments Bottom in south-east England.

Despite recent rainfall in many parts of England, two-thirds of reservoirs or reservoir groups recorded a decrease in storage in the week ending 20 October 2026. Increases were seen in some reservoirs in northern England and Clywedog in Wales. Storage for England has remained stable at 54%, which is 22% below average for the time of year. Eighteen reservoirs are less than 50% full. Just 2 reservoirs are classed as normal for the time of year, with all others classed as below normal or lower. Thirteen reservoirs or reservoir groups are now classed as exceptionally low (Figure 2):

• Abberton and Hanningfield reservoirs operated by Essex and Suffolk Water
• Ardingly reservoir operated by South East Water
• Blithfield reservoir operated by South Staffordshire Water
• Clatworthy reservoir operated by Wessex Water
• Colliford, Roadford, Stithians and Wimbleball reservoirs operated by South West Water
• Dove Group operated by Severn Trent Water, where winter refill was impacted by water quality and operational issues
• Grafham Water and Rutland Water reservoirs operated by Anglian Water
• Pennines Group operated by United Utilities Water

More details are available in our water situation reports for England.

Figure 2: Reservoir stocks at key individual and groups of reservoirs for week ending 20 October 2026 as a percentage of total capacity and classed relative to an analysis of historic values

Note: Classes shown may not necessarily relate to control curves or triggers for drought actions. As well as for public water supply, some reservoirs are drawn down to provide flood storage, river compensation flows or for reservoir safety inspections. In some cases, current reservoir operating rules may differ from historic ones.

Kielder reservoir levels are lower than historic levels due to a new flood alleviation control curve in use. The Dee System, Elan Valley Group, Clywedog and Vyrnwy reservoirs provide water resources to central and north-west England. Teesdale Group is impacted by planned maintenance and safety works. The Dove Group and Lower Thames Group are impacted by a previously planned outage.

5. Public water supply

Water demand is relatively stable as a result of cooler temperatures and the implementation of TUBs, although it remains above expected levels in some areas. Public water supply reservoir and groundwater storage continues to decline for several water companies, although for some the rate of decline has slowed. Further significant rainfall is needed to return to normal water resource conditions for many water companies.

Water companies report their drought response using operational drought levels, from drought level (DL)1 escalating to DL 4. We expect water companies to follow their drought plans and act early to ensure there are sufficient supplies.

We regularly engage with all water companies. The companies not included here are in business as usual (BAU). Further information on the situation can be found on each water company’s website.

5.1 Anglian Water

Anglian Water remains at DL2 in its Fenland and Norfolk, Norwich and Broads water resource zones (WRZ). Ruthamford, Lincolnshire and Suffolk remain at DL1. TUBs remain in place across the whole company area, except for Hartlepool.

5.2 Bristol Water

Bristol Water remains in DL1. TUBs remain in place for all customers to help protect flows on the River Severn, after an application for a drought order by the Environment Agency.

5.3 Cambridge Water

Cambridge Water remains at DL1. TUBs remain in place for all its customers.

5.4 Essex and Suffolk Water

Essex and Suffolk Water remains at DL2 in all WRZs. TUBs remain in place for all its customers.

5.5 Northumbrian Water

Northumbrian Water remains at DL1 in all its WRZs.

5.6 Severn Trent Water

Severn Trent Water remains at DL2 in its North Staffs WRZ and in DL1 in its Strategic Grid North WRZ.

5.7 Southern Water

Southern Water is at DL1 in its Hampshire and Isle of Wight WRZs. Other WRZs remain at BAU. TUBs are still in force for customers in the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight area. The company applied to the Secretary of State (SoS) for a drought order on the River Test and a non-essential drought order on 31 July. A public hearing was held on 25 August and additional information submitted on 27 August. We are awaiting the Secretary of State decision.

5.8 South East Water

The company is in DL3 in its Eastbourne and Haywards Heath WRZs. All other WRZs remain at DL1. Company-wide TUBs remain in force, with exemptions removed in areas in DL3. The Environment Agency granted SEW’s River Ouse (Ardingly reservoir) drought permit on 29 September. A non essential use ban (NEUB) drought order application was submitted on 2 October.

5.9 South West Water

South West Water’s Colliford WRZ, Roadford WRZ remain at DL1. Isles of Scilly is at DL2 and Wimbleball WRZ remains at DL3. TUBs remain in place for all SWW customers, excluding Bournemouth. On the 2 October, a drought permit was issued at Wimbleball reservoir to reduce the compensation flow – further information can be found on the company’s website. An application for a NEUB drought order was submitted on 6 October for its Wimbleball zone. Storage at several reservoirs continues to decline.

5.10 South Staffordshire Water

South Staffordshire Water remains at DL2.

5.11 Thames Water

Thames Water moved to DL3 in its Swindon and Oxfordshire (SWOX) zone, the rest of the WRZs remain at DL2. Company-wide TUBs remain in force. The Environment Agency granted TWS’s Farmoor drought permit on 29 September. Work continues on preparations for other drought actions.

5.12 United Utilities

United Utilities Strategic Resource Zone (SRZ) continues to be above DL1 in Enhanced Monitoring and Operations. Carlisle WRZ remains in BAU.

5.13 Veolia Water

Veolia Water remains in DL2.

5.14 Wessex Water

Wessex Water remains in DL3. Storage at several reservoirs continues to decline. Company-wide TUBs remain in force.

5.15 Yorkshire Water

Yorkshire Water remains at DL1.

6. Agriculture

The recharge of storage reservoirs remains a primary concern for abstractors in the agriculture sector as some irrigation reservoirs are at historic lows. The official reservoir refill season starts on 1 November. Restrictions on some abstraction licences are possible at the start of the season, unless there is a sustained recovery of river flows, where these are low.

Our regulatory position statement (RPS) that allows licence holders to abstract water earlier in the season to refill storage reservoirs remains in place until 31 October. Further information can be found in Abstraction outside the authorised period for filling water storage reservoirs: RPS 382.

River flows currently range between exceptionally low to normal for the time of year, so in some areas licence restrictions remain in force to protect the environment. There are currently 696 restrictions on abstraction licences. Formal section 57 restrictions remain in place in parts of East Anglia until 31 October. There are 1,383 voluntary restrictions in place reducing abstraction by 50%. Restrictions are spread across the Thames, Wye and Severn catchments. 

With continued uncertainty on water availability for next year, some farmers are considering planting smaller crop areas for irrigation, in particular high value vegetable crops.

The Environment Agency continues to work closely with abstractors and is supporting farmers to help improve water resilience and access to water. To date we have received 42 flexible abstraction requests from the agriculture sector.

We will be publishing our agriculture reservoir refill prospect report next week. This will inform the sector of the key risks from a dry winter and the actions that are needed to mitigate the impacts of drought continuing into spring.

7. Navigation

Overall, there has been an improvement in the water resources situation across the Canal & River Trust network, particularly in the more reactive reservoirs in northern parts of the country. There has been a gradual easing of measures taken over the summer to control demand and a reduction in the number of canal restrictions.

The Canal & River Trust is continuing its drought response and winter preparedness. This includes measures such as monitoring winter reservoir refills, carrying out leak repairs and exploring contingency options. Over the next few weeks, there are plans to undertake winter maintenance work across the network.

Within Environment Agency navigation, current drought related closures remain in place across the River Thames and published Lock & Weir Keeper assisted passage and lock operating hours are in force. Locks subject to drought restrictions will be available for navigation each day between certain times. This will ensure there is sufficient time to implement and remove the restrictions safely at the beginning and end of each day. Locks continuing with navigation restrictions are St. John’s to Osney, Culham to Going and Penton Hook to Teddington.

At the end of November, there will be an end of season drought update for the River Wye in the West Midlands to the commercial canoe hire businesses. Boating activities are now mainly limited to rowing events at some clubs based in Monmouth as well as some canoe slalom events at Symonds Yat.

8. Environment

Numbers of confirmed incidents caused by drought and dry weather continue to increase, although this has slowed since the end of August, with a smaller increase this week. The total of 411 incidents recorded since the start of 2026 now exceeds the overall total for 2022 (380) and 2025 (321).

There have been 43 confirmed algae and 106 confirmed dead fish incidents that have been attributed to drought and dry weather in NIRS since the start of 2026. Ecological results are showing signs of drought and prolonged dry weather impacts in a number of catchments.

These figures are notably higher than the 2025 equivalent totals for incidents with algae and dead fish (attributed to drought and dry weather). The numbers attributed to drought and dry weather are likely under-recorded across all years.

To date there have been 190 confirmed abstraction or low flow incidents since the start of 2026, which is higher than the equivalent total from 2025. Relatively high numbers of drought and dry weather incidents have been reported in Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, East Anglia, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and North London, West Midlands and Thames areas this year.

9. Weather forecast

Storm Austen will move across the country on Friday, bringing wet and windy weather to many. There are yellow Met Office warnings for wind across much of England and an amber wind warning in the far south-west. Saturday will also see strong winds and heavy rain for many. Conditions are expected to be more settled on Sunday, with sunny spells and isolated, light showers. On Monday and Tuesday more rainfall is expected, although totals will be highest in western areas, particularly across high ground.

10. Drought readiness actions

The Environment Agency has activated its incident response arrangements, with Gold Command structures in place and drought plans being implemented to support early intervention and coordinated action.

Enhanced communications activity being taken includes:

• issuing press notices and holding media briefings
• increasing engagement with stakeholders, local partners and MPs
• publishing a weekly drought update on GOV.UK

The Environment Agency has strengthened environmental monitoring, increasing both surveillance and operational interventions to identify, assess and mitigate potential environmental impacts of the drought.

The National Drought Group continues to meet regularly to monitor risks, preparation and impacts of the ongoing drought. The next scheduled meeting is on 28 October.

11. Contact us

Contact drought.national@environment-agency.gov.uk if you have questions about this report.