Research and analysis

Dry weather and drought in England: 15 to 21 August 2025

Updated 22 August 2025

Applies to England

1. Summary

Whilst cooler conditions have been experienced in the past week, the dry conditions have continued with only 1mm of rainfall received across England. This brings the rainfall total for the month to just 14% of the long term average (LTA). This has impacted on river flows, with two-thirds of sites reporting a decrease in flow compared to the previous week.  

Whilst the drought conditions have intensified, there has been no change to the Environment Agency’s drought status this week. We have applied for 2 further drought orders on 15 August for Holme Styes reservoir in Yorkshire and Belmont reservoir in Lancashire, due to acceleration in the deteriorating water position. 

Public water supply reservoir storage levels continue to recede at most reported reservoirs. Stocks across England for the period ending 19 August were an average of 62.8%, falling 2.8% in the week –0.7% more than the previous week. Pennines group and Yorkshire group reservoirs are less than 39% with an additional 8 reservoirs less than half full. Fourteen water companies have activated their drought plans, with 4 companies having a temporary use ban (TUB) in place. Hearings are taking place by the end of August for drought permits and orders in relation to applications made by Yorkshire Water and Southern Water. 

The ongoing dry weather conditions continue to impact the agriculture sector, with farmers concerned about the lifting of root vegetables during the main harvest season as well as a drop in yield for many crops, including cereals, peas, straw and fodder. Due to further decreases in river flows there is less water available for irrigation, with over 1,100 restrictions in place. In addition, abstractors have been asked for voluntary reductions in East Anglia and West Midlands areas.  

Reports of environmental incidents have stabilised, with many being below corresponding counts for previous years. However, across the country incidents continue to be reported and the Environment Agency has carried out fish rescues due to low water levels.  

The Canal and River Trust are reporting that navigation restrictions are increasingly being upgraded to closures, and that the impact of the dry weather is spreading further south into the Midlands. Storage reservoirs to support the canal network remain at their lowest levels for this time of year. Environment Agency navigation impacts include​ managing low flows through the Oxford and Great Ouse watercourses. 

2. Area drought status

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

2.1 Areas in drought

• Cumbria & Lancashire (CLA)
• Greater Manchester Merseyside & Cheshire (GMMC)
• Yorkshire (YOR)
• East Midlands (EMD)
• West Midlands (WMD)

2.2 Areas in prolonged dry weather

• North East (NEA)
• Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire (LNA)
• East Anglia (EAN)
• Thames (THM)
• Wessex (WSX)
• Solent and South Downs (SSD)

2.3 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.

3. Current water situation

This week was another dry week, with just 1mm of rainfall recorded across England as a whole. Central England received the highest rainfall total of 3mm. For August so far, rainfall totals are quite varied across the country, although all areas have been dry. South-east England received just 3% of the LTA for the month, while the north-west received 25% of the LTA. England as a whole has so far received 14% of LTA rainfall for August. With ongoing dry weather, soil moisture deficits have continued to increase across England.

Dry conditions saw river flows decrease at just over two-thirds of reported sites this week. Three-quarters of river flow sites were classed as below normal or lower for the time of year, including 20 sites that were below normal and 16 sites that were notably low. Seven sites were exceptionally low for the time of year, including the Ely Ouse in east England, the Rivers Derwent, Swale and Till in north-east England, the River Wye in Wales, and the River Torridge and Malmesbury Avon in south-west England. 

Reservoir storage levels for England fell by 2.8% during the past week to 62.8%. Ten reservoirs or reservoir groups are now less than half full for the period ending 19 August 2025, including:

• Wimbleball in the south-west at 49.3%
• Elan Valley in Wales at 47.6%
• Pennines group stocks at 35.8%
• Yorkshire stocks at 38.7% 

Groundwater levels continue to recede across England, as we would expect at this time of year. Groundwater levels in the Chilterns, North Downs and across most of East Anglia are in their normal range for the time of year. Levels in faster responding chalk aquifers in Yorkshire, Wessex and along the south coast were below normal or notably low. Limestone aquifers in the Cotswolds were exceptionally low for the time of year.  More details are available in our water situation reports for England.

4. Public water supply

Water companies continue to act, in line with their drought plans.  

Water companies report their drought response using operational drought levels, from drought level 1 escalating to level 4. 

4.1 Anglian Water

Remains at drought level 1 in the following supply areas: Fenland, Lincolnshire Central, Norfolk Norwich and the Broads, and Ruthamford Central, North, South and West. No significant change to water resource position from last week.

4.2 Bristol Water

Remains at drought level 2. Reservoir storage continues to decline. The company are continuing work to optimise sources and increase water treatment works output, to slow reservoir decline.

4.3 Cambridge Water

Remains at drought level 1. No significant change to water resource position from last week.

4.4 Essex and Suffolk Water

Remains at drought level 1 in its Essex and Northern Central supply areas. No significant change to water resource position from last week.

4.5 Northumbrian Water

Remains at drought level 1. No significant change to water resource position from last week.

4.6 Severn Trent Water

Remains at drought level 1b in its North Staffs and Strategic Grid North supply areas and at drought level 1a in its Central area. Reservoirs are continuing to decline.

4.7 Southern Water

Remains at drought level 2 in its Southampton West and Isle of Wight supply areas and implemented a temporary use ban (TUB) on 21 July for customers in these areas. Southern Water applied to Defra for a drought order to alter its River Test abstraction conditions and for a non-essential use drought order on 18 July. An objection has been made on the drought order, a hearing is scheduled for 28 August.

4.8 South East Water

Remains at drought level 2. The company implemented a TUB in its Kent and Sussex supply areas on 18 July. Arlington and Ardingly reservoirs continue to decline. The company are reviewing further actions that may be required.

4.9 South Staffordshire Water

Remains in drought level 2. Blithfield reservoir continues to decline. The company are planning further demand actions.

4.10 Thames Water

Remains at drought level 2 in its Swindon and Oxfordshire supply area (SWOX) and drought level 1 in its London zone. Thames Water implemented a TUB for its SWOX customers on 22 July.

4.11 United Utilities

Remains in drought level 1 in its Strategic Grid supply area. The Carlisle resource zone has moved into enhanced monitoring and operations (EMO) on 19 August. The company’s Pennine reservoirs continue to decline and remain of concern.

4.12 Wessex Water

Remains at drought level 1b. Reservoir storage continues to decline.

4.13 Yorkshire Water

Remains at drought level 2 and implemented a TUB on 11 July. Reservoirs continue to decline. The company has applied for 22 drought permits and 1 drought order. An objection has been made on the North West Group drought permits, a hearing is scheduled for Friday the 22 August. More details from Yorkshire Water website.

4.14 Veolia Water

Remains at drought level 1.  No significant change to water resource position from last week.

5. Agriculture

Although heatwave conditions have abated, there has been no substantial rain so impacts continue across the agriculture sector. As of 20 August, there are currently 1,120 hands off flow restrictions in force on abstraction licences. Hands off flows are in-built conditions on some abstraction licences that require abstractors to either reduce or stop abstraction when flows fall below a predetermined level set out in the licence.

Where river flows have been low, we are constantly reviewing the need for Section 57 spray irrigation bans in parts of East Anglia. We have previously written to licence holders in East Anglia, requesting voluntary reductions on surface water abstraction. This will help conserve and extend the total period when water is available for abstraction, protect the environment and delay the need for any formal restrictions. We are also monitoring the River Wye catchment in the West Midlands for any potential Section 57 bans and continue to engage with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and the agriculture community to promote good irrigation practice and water efficiency. We sent letters on 14 August to 254 abstractors in the Wye Catchment asking for voluntary reductions. In total there are 835 voluntary restriction requests in place.

With farmers now in the main harvesting season there are some concerns around lifting of root vegetable crops, particularly where irrigation is limited. There have been impacts on grass growth and maize especially where rainfall and irrigation has been limited. Winter wheat has seen record breaking yields in places but crops such as peas have suffered due to heat stress and drought conditions. Straw and fodder stocks are expected to be in short supply this year, with higher prices expected as a result and livestock farmers may have to buy in food or sell animals to reduce pressure on feed supplies. Uncertainty and significant challenges remain in the sector especially if there is a dry autumn/winter period and farm irrigation reservoirs are not refilled, which may impact on the next year’s planting of crops.

We continue to engage with the agriculture sector and have received 25 flexible abstraction requests. These help abstractors manage with the exceptionally dry weather. Following the recent round of local resource options, we are currently reviewing applications to help farmers and growers improve long term water resilience.

We continue to proactively update our dry weather communications for the agriculture sector, through the Environment Agency dry weather farming blog and Engagement HQ webpage, to highlight support available to farmers to help improve access to water.  

6. Energy

There are no known issues with the energy sector.  

7. Environment

Reports of environmental incidents are relatively stable although some areas have reported increases in the past 2 weeks. Environmental incidents continue to be reported across England. 

The Environment Agency has continued to carry out fish rescues due to low water levels, for example, on Ampney Brook in the Upper Thames on 14 August which was covered by ITV news. Nationally the numbers of confirmed (category 1 to 3) fish death incidents related to drought or dry weather have remained stable over the past week. There have been 191 incidents in the year to date, with the highest counts reported in Yorkshire and Southern areas.

The steady rise in reports of algal blooms over the year has slowed during August. A total of 144 incidents have been recorded in the year to date, which is lower than average. There are a number of reported suspected blue-green algae incidents, for example on the River Stour and Corston Brook in the Wessex area.  

Severn Regulation: there have been 67 days of regulation starting on 9 May 2025.

We have applied for 3 drought orders to protect the environment: one for Elslack reservoir (submitted on 26 June) and one for Winterburn (submitted on 7 August), and one for Holme Styes reservoir (granted 28 July). We applied for two further drought orders on 15 August for Holme Styes and Belmont reservoirs. The second drought order at Holme Styes is due to acceleration in the deteriorating water position.

8. Weather forecast

Friday will be another dry day for most with some sunny spells, although temperatures will be cooler, particularly in the morning. High pressure is expected to dominate over the weekend, bringing fine, dry weather with sunny spells. Bank Holiday Monday may turn a little warmer, and is likely to remain fair for most, although the south-west could see cloudier skies and some showers. As the week progresses, conditions are likely to turn cloudier with an increasing chance of rain and showers, particularly in the south-west.

9. Drought readiness actions

In response to the drought and dry weather, the Environment Agency continues to act by:  

• operating our Gold command structure for our national incident response
• coordinating closely with water companies to implement statutory drought plans, taking necessary action to safeguard public water supplies
• activating drought plans for those Environment Agency Areas in drought and prolonged dry weather status
• enhancing abstraction licence compliance checks and issuing hands off flow or level restrictions and warnings to some abstractors in areas experiencing low flows
• monitoring, preparing and responding to incidents caused by low river flows, particularly in those Environment Agency Areas in drought status
• preparing dry weather advice to fishery operators to help protect their waters
• hosting regular national drought meetings

The next National Drought Group meeting is scheduled for 15 September. 

10. Contact us

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