Research and analysis

Dry weather and drought in England: 24 to 30 July 2026

Updated 31 July 2026

Applies to England

1. Summary

For much of England it has been another dry week, with less than 1mm of rainfall. July has been exceptionally dry, with England receiving just 7% of the long-term average (LTA) rainfall to date. This has put the month on track to become the driest July on record. Temperatures have remained above average and demand for water remains high.

River flows, groundwater levels and reservoir storage have continued to decline across much of the country. River flows decreased at two-thirds of the sites we report on. National reservoir storage has fallen to 72%, around 9.5% below the LTA, with several reservoirs now classified as exceptionally low for the time of year. Continued warm temperatures have driven high water demand, further increasing pressure on water resources.

The Environment Agency moved over half of England into drought including London on 29 July. Other Environment Agency areas in the north west, parts of Midlands, Lincolnshire and Kent are in Prolonged Dry Weather status. Conditions have been driven by exceptionally low rainfall during July and sustained high temperatures following three heatwaves.

Many water companies have escalated their drought responses and introduced temporary use bans (TUBs). Several companies have moved into drought level 2, while others are considering drought permits, drought orders and additional demand management measures to protect supplies. The Environment Agency continues to work closely with all water companies to ensure their drought plans are followed and measures implemented promptly.

The drought conditions are having significant impacts beyond public water supply. The agricultural sector is reporting:

• reduced crop yields
• increased field fire risk during harvesting
• concerns over livestock forage availability
• growing restrictions on water abstraction for irrigation

Low river flows and declining water levels are also affecting navigation, with increasing localised canal restrictions and the potential for further closures if dry weather persists.

Environmental impacts are becoming more evident, with rising numbers of drought-related incidents including:

• low-flow events
• algal blooms
• fish deaths
• deteriorating water quality

Although a cooler and more unsettled weather pattern is forecast in the coming days, rainfall totals are expected to remain relatively low and are unlikely to significantly improve the overall water resources situation.

2. Active hosepipe bans (TUBs)

The following companies have implemented temporary use bans, in all or part of their supply areas:

• Affinity Water – Central region, covering Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey and parts of London and Essex
• Anglian Water – whole company area, excluding Hartlepool
• Cambridge Water – whole company area
• Southern Water – Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
• South East Water – whole company area
• South West Water – Mid Devon and parts of East Devon and Dorset
• Thames Water – whole company area

3. Area drought status

There have been 9 changes in area drought status this week:

• East Anglia moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• Solent and South Downs (Hampshire and Isle of Wight) moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• West Midlands moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• Thames moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• Wessex moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• Devon, Cornwall and Isle of Scilly moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• Kent, East Sussex and East Surrey moved from normal to prolonged dry weather on 29 July
• South London moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• Hertfordshire and North London moved from prolonged dry weather to drought on 29 July
• East Midlands moved from normal to prolonged dry weather on 29 July

Figure 1 – Environment Agency drought status

3.1 Areas in drought

• East Anglia
• Hertfordshire and London (north and south)
• Thames
• Hampshire, the Isle of Wight in Solent and South Downs
• Devon and Cornwall Isle of Scilly
• West Midlands
• Wessex

3.2 Areas in prolonged dry weather

• Solent and South Downs (remaining catchments)
• Kent and East Sussex
• Cumbria and Lancashire
• Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire
• East Midlands
• Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire
• Yorkshire

3.3 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

For much of England it has been another dry week of less than 1mm of rainfall, although conditions were slightly wetter in the north. This week’s rainfall totals ranged from less than 1mm of rainfall in central, east and south-east England, to 8mm in the north-east. With 3 days of July remaining, totals for the month so far are below 5% of the LTA in south-west, south-east, east and central England. In north-west England, 16% of the LTA has been received, and in the north-east 20% of the LTA rainfall has been received.

For England as a whole, the total for the month so far is just 7% of the LTA which is on course to be the driest July for England on record (since 1836).

River flows decreased at two-thirds of the sites we report on this week. The majority of sites were classed as below normal or lower for the time of year. Twenty sites (37% of the total) were classed as below normal and 18 (33%) were notably low. Eight sites (15%) were classed as exceptionally low for the time of year, most of which were found in north-east, south-east and south-west England.

Groundwater levels continued their seasonal recession with levels in the Oolite limestones of the Cotswolds and parts of the chalk Wessex Downs, notably low for the time of year. Across the chalk, levels are currently normal or below normal for the time of year across parts of the Yorkshire Wolds, and the North and South Downs.

Continued high demand associated with the persistent above average temperatures has seen reservoir storage fall throughout England. Storage across England for the week ending 28 July fell 3.2%, compared to 3.5% last week. National storage is 72%, which is 9.5% below the LTA for the time of year but remains above the storage levels seen in July 2022 and July 2025. The greatest weekly falls in storage, of over 6%, were at Clywedog at the top of the Severn catchment for the second consecutive week supporting flows in the River Severn, and over 5% at Ardingly Reservoir in East Sussex.

Almost half of reservoirs are classed as below normal for the time of year (Figure 2). The following 7 reservoirs are notably low:

• Grafham Water operated by Anglian Water
• Blithfield reservoir operated by South Staffs Water
• Clywedog operated by Hafren Dyfrdwy under direction of the Environment Agency and National Resources Wales
• The Dove reservoir group operated by Severn Trent Water
• Ardingly Reservoir operated by South East Water
• The Lower Thames reservoirs operated by Thames Water
• Clatworthy Lake operated by Wessex Water

The following 3 reservoirs are now classed as exceptionally low for the time of year:

• Blagdon, operated by Bristol Water
• Wimbleball, operated by South West Water
• Hanningfield, operated by Essex and Suffolk 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 28 July 2026 as a percentage of total capacity and classed relative to an analysis of historic July values

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. Bewl and Dove Group reservoirs are impacted by planned maintenance and safety works. The Lower Thames Group is impacted by previous planned outage.

5. Public water supply

Temperatures have remained high this week, leading to many water companies continuing to experience significant demands for water. Combined with the lower than average rainfall, this has resulted in a greater than normal reduction in reservoir and groundwater storage and river flows for several water companies.

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

We are regularly engaging with all water companies. The companies not included here are in BAU. Further information on the situation can be found on each water companies’ website.

5.1 Affinity Water

The company remains in Business as Usual (BAU) and is at its environmental trigger in its East region. A temporary use ban (TUBs) remains in place for customers in its Central region.

5.2 Anglian Water

The company remains in drought level (DL) 2 in its Fenland and Norfolk, Norwich and in its Broads water resource zones (WRZ), and is in DL1 in Ruthamford, Lincolnshire and Suffolk. TUBs remain in place across the whole region, except for Hartlepool.

5.3 Cambridge Water

The company remains in DL1. TUBs remain in place for all its customers.

5.4 Essex and Suffolk Water

The company has moved to DL2 in all WRZs. Due to further decline in reservoir storage and river flows. Essex and Suffolk Water announced TUBs commencing 3 August 2026.

5.5 Severn Trent Water

The company remains at DL1 in its North Staffs WRZ. Reservoir storage at Tittesworth reservoir continues to decline.

5.6 Southern Water

The company remains at DL1 in its Hampshire and Isle of Wight WRZs. TUBs are still in force for customers in the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight area.

5.7 South East Water

The company’s Eastbourne and Haywards Heath WRZs remain in DL2. All other WRZs are in DL1. Companywide TUBs are now in force.

5.8 South West Water

The company’s Wimbleball area remains in DL1. The Isle of Scilly went into DL1 on the 29 July. TUBs remain in place for customers in an area in Devon and Dorset. Overall demand remains high. The company applied for a drought permit on the 20 July.

5.9 South Staffordshire Water

The company remains in DL1. Reservoir storage at Blithfield reservoir has declined from last week.

5.10 Thames Water

The company has moved into DL2 in all its WRZs. Companywide TUBs are in force.

5.11 United Utilities

The company remains at enhanced monitoring and operations (EMO) for its Haweswater and Thirlmere WRZs. Castle Reservoir in the Carlisle WRZ is now in DL1 due to decreased storage.

5.12 Wessex Water

The company remains at DL1.

5.13 Yorkshire Water

The company remains at DL1 in its Grid WRZ. Reservoir storage continues to decline.

6. Agriculture

The prolonged dry conditions are causing significant impacts and pressures across the agriculture sector. Farmers are harvesting crops early in the season, with some having completed harvest already.

It is likely that there will be poorer yields from some crops such as cereals, due to the dry conditions and high temperatures experienced this year. Farmers are also reporting an increase in fires occurring during harvesting as crops are so dry.

The UK salad sector season has ended earlier than normal, so is now reliant on salad imports.

Livestock farmers have already begun using their winter forage reserves because the dry weather has impacted on grass growth. This is causing concerns about forage availability later in the year, as stocks may be depleted earlier than usual. Due to weather in Europe, the forage may be harder to source than last year’s available imports. Early harvest of cereal crops may also lead to a straw shortage as crops are shorter than usual.

With many river flows below normal for the time of the year, hands off flow restrictions on abstraction licences continue to increase. There are currently 1,395 hands off flow restrictions in force to safeguard water supplies for the environment. High demands on on-farm reservoirs are continuing for irrigation and there are increasing concerns for the rest of the year on water resilience, should there be a continuation of the dry weather.

Voluntary licence restrictions may be required in some parts of the country if the dry weather continues into August. We continue to work closely with abstractors and partners regarding the implementation of any formal restrictions.

7. Environment

Confirmed incidents caused by drought and dry weather have been steadily rising, with a total of 95 incidents recorded since the start of 2026. The total for 2026 (95) is still lower than at this time in 2025 (173). The overall number of estimated and confirmed incidents with dead fish has rapidly increased. There have been 18 confirmed algae and 9 dead fish incidents that have been attributed to drought and dry weather since the start of 2026. To date there have been 67 confirmed abstraction or low flow incidents, with highest numbers in West Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and North London and Thames areas.

Relatively high numbers of drought and dry weather incidents have been reported in Greater Manchester, Solent and South Downs and Kent and South London in July. There has been an increasing number of reports of algal bloom incidents in East Anglia, Wessex, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Cumbria and Lancashire and Hertfordshire and North London. 26 algal bloom incidents have been reported since the start of 2026. There have been several reports of heat-stressed trees dropping limbs into watercourses causing blockages in Thames area. The Environment Agency manages fallen trees using a risk-based approach.

Poor water quality caused by low flows has been identified in several areas. Regular fish rescues continue in Teme and Redlake catchments in Shropshire in the West Midlands and on the River Tarrant in Dorset, Wessex area. The Environment Agency is monitoring the effects of the drought on the ecology and the developing risk on water quality.

8. Navigation

The overall water resources position for the Canal and River Trust network is dwindling, but slightly better than this time last year and in 2022. There has been a decrease in some of the Canal and River Trust supply reservoirs due to reduced rainfall and increased demands on the network.

Many canals remain open for navigation but there are increasing numbers of localised impacts and closures due to the recent heatwaves, dry conditions and low water levels. Some temporary navigation restrictions are being introduced and will remain under regular review. Without rainfall there may be further closures in August.

All river users are being advised to take extra care when navigating.

9. Weather forecast

A cold front is moving south bringing cooler temperatures on Friday and into the weekend. Sunny spells will persist, although some showers are possible. On Monday and Tuesday, conditions are likely to be more changeable, with a greater chance of rain or showers across England, although totals are likely to be small.

10. Drought readiness actions

The Environment Agency has activated its incident response arrangements and drought plans are being implemented to support early intervention and co-ordinated 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 as drought conditions develop.

The National Drought Group was reconvened on 20 July to monitor risks, preparation and impacts. It will meet monthly through the summer. The next meeting is on 10 August.

Check the UK Health Security Agency guidance on staying safe in hot weather.

11. Contact us

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