Research and analysis

Dry weather and drought in England: 22 to 28 August 2025

Updated 1 September 2025

Applies to England

1. Summary

The country was again bathed in sunshine this week, and temperatures soared again on bank holiday Monday, reaching nearly 30°C in parts of England. The settled weather meant very little rain fell last week, with England receiving just 1mm of rainfall. August has been very dry up to the 26 August, with just 15% of the long-term average rainfall for the month. As the remnants of Hurricane Erin cross England, this will give a wet end to August. While this will provide some relief, it will not solve the drought. 

The dry weather through August has impacted river flows, with four-fifths of sites now classed as below normal or lower for the time of the year. 

Public water supply reservoir storage levels continue to recede at all reported reservoirs this week. Stocks across England for the period ending 26 August stood at 60%, again falling by 2.8% this week, with four reservoirs falling by over 4%. Stocks in the Pennines group and Yorkshire group now stand at 32.9% and 35.3% respectively. 14 water companies have activated their drought plans, with four companies having a temporary use ban (TUB) in place. A hearing took place on 28 August in relation to Southern Water’s drought order application. 

Farmers continue to report the impacts on both crop and grass/pasture yields. The poor grass growth has led to livestock farmers supplementing feed usually reserved for the winter. The Environment Agency continues to provide support for irrigators, having received 14 requests for flexible abstractions in our Yorkshire Area. We have granted 5, are processing 8 and have declined 1 request. As we come to the end of August the risk of Section 57 bans continues to decrease, especially with the forecast spell of wetter weather. 

The dry and hot conditions throughout August have put further pressure on the environment. Across the country there have been reports of further algal blooms in lakes and ponds. Angling clubs report that some lakes are shut due to low water levels and the need to protect fish. On 21 August, several fish died at Pewfall reservoir (to the east of Liverpool) due to algae die back lowering the oxygen levels; but with swift action with deployment of an aeration unit, most fish survived. The low water levels exacerbated the issue. 

There are widespread closures in the Canal & River Trust network. In some areas of the network, very low water levels are causing concerns for the impact on wildlife that canals support and those living on boats. The Canal & River Trust continue to seek options to support water levels and are engaging with the Environment Agency. 

2. Area drought status

There have been no changes in Environment Agency 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 regularly reviewing its status depending on the triggers they have outlined in their drought plan.

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

3. Current water situation

This week was another warm and dry week, with just 1mm of rainfall recorded across England as a whole. South-west and north-west England received the highest rainfall total of 3mm. Up until 26 August the south-east had received only 4% of the long-term average (LTA) for the month, while the north-west received 28% of the LTA. England has so far received 15% of LTA rainfall for August. The forecast rainfall over the reminder of August should boost these totals for August.

With ongoing dry weather, soil moisture deficits have continued to increase across England. Dry conditions saw river flows decrease at most reported sites this week. Over four-fifths of river flow sites were classed as below normal or lower for the time of year, including 11 sites that were below normal and 12 sites that were notably low. Nine 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 Dove in central England, the River Wye in Wales, and the Rivers Torridge, Tone and Exe in south-west England. 

Reservoir storage levels for England fell by 2.8% during the past week to 60%. 11 reservoirs or reservoir groups are now less than half full for the period ending 26 August 2025. Stocks in the Pennines group and Yorkshire group now stand at 32.9% and 35.3%, respectively.

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 and South Downs were below normal or notably low. Levels in the Wessex Downs and Cotswolds were exceptionally low for the time of year.

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

4. Public water supply

Most water companies continue to act in line with their drought plans. However, some water companies are not implementing all the actions they have identified in their drought plan. 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 is continuing work to optimise sources and increase wastewater 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 TUB on 21 July for customers in these areas. Southern Water applied to Defra for a drought order to alter its River Test abstraction licence conditions, to allow the company to further abstract water below the sustainable level where it would otherwise have had to stop to comply with the licence. If granted, this drought order will allow the company to abstract at lower flows in the River Test and this may impact protected species such as salmon. The company also included an application for a non-essential use drought order. The application was submitted on 18 July and following an objection to the drought order, a hearing took place on 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 is reviewing further actions that may be required. More detail is available here water latest - South East Water

4.9 South Staffordshire Water

Remains at drought level 2. Blithfield reservoir continues to decline. The company is 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 at drought level 1 in its Strategic Grid supply area. The Carlisle resource zone remains in Enhanced Monitoring Operations (EMO). The company’s Pennine reservoirs continue to decline and remain of concern.

4.12 Veolia Water

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

4.13 Wessex Water

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

4.14 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 one drought order. The two Wharfe drought permits and the Ouse drought order were issued on 22 August. More detail is available here: Yorkshire Water website. 

5. Agriculture

The agriculture sector faces difficulties and challenges during the current harvest season. Most arable crops have been harvested earlier than usual, and efforts turn to lifting root vegetable crops where there are some concerns around irrigation especially where the ground is dry.

As of 28 August, there are 1,282 hands off flow restrictions in force on abstraction licences, which, for some farmers, may impact on the ability to irrigate and harvest root vegetable crops. 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.

There have been impacts this year on grass growth and maize especially where rainfall and irrigation have been limited. Livestock farmers are facing a growing risk with forage and winter feed, which are currently of poor quality, in short supply and therefore becoming increasingly expensive. Poor grass growth in some areas has meant that farmers have used winter feed earlier than planned this year and are consequently buying additional food or selling animals to reduce pressure on winter feed supplies.

The Addington Fund, which incorporates Forage Aid, has recently launched an emergency appeal to help the most in need livestock farmers struggling with forage and feed supplies ahead of this coming winter.

Uncertainty and significant challenges remain in the sector, especially if there is a dry autumn/winter period and farm irrigation reservoirs are not refilled. This will likely impact on the next year’s planting of crops.

We are reviewing the need for Section 57 spray irrigation bans in parts of East Anglia where river flows are low. 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 to assess whether Section 57 bans may be needed and continue to engage with NFU and the agricultural community to promote good irrigation practice and water efficiency. We have written to 254 abstractors in the Wye Catchment asking for voluntary reductions. There are currently 835 voluntary restriction requests in place in total across the country.

We continue to engage with the agriculture sector and in total we have received 27 flexible abstraction requests, including 14 requests in our Yorkshire Area. 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

Environmental incidents continue to be reported across England and following the recent hot weather, we have seen an increase. With so many rivers with low flows, this has increased the susceptibility to pollution incidents; for example, there were fish deaths on the River Weaver due to a suspected slurry spill that was exacerbated by drought. We deployed aeration equipment that supported the remaining fish.

Nationally the numbers of confirmed (category 1-3) incidents of dead fish due to drought or dry weather have markedly increased this month, driven by trends in the following areas: Devon Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Greater Manchester Merseyside and Cheshire, West Midlands and Wessex. There have been 200 incidents in the year to date.

The steady rise in reports of algal blooms over the year has slowed during August. A total of 154 incidents have been recorded in the year to date, which is lower than many previous years. The majority of drought or dry weather-related algal blooms have been recorded across London and the South East.

Wildfires have continued in parts of the country. A fire has been active on the North Yorkshire Moors, near Scarborough for two weeks. This has impacted tourism, with caravan sites evacuated, heritage railways affected by restrictions on coal fired trains, and the Dales and Moors National Parks affected by moorland access restrictions. There is a possible long-term effect on the shooting economy too.

Severn Regulation: there have been 74 days of regulation starting on 9 May 2025.

The Environment Agency has applied for three drought orders to protect the environment: one for Elslack reservoir (submitted on 26 June), 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. Navigation

Canal & River Trust continues to report widespread closures and restrictions due to the dry weather. Storage reservoirs to support the canal network are experiencing their lowest levels for this point in the year.

The latest closures and restrictions are listed here Notices and stoppages, Canal & River Trust. Restrictions are being upgraded to closures and impacts are moving southwards. Some restrictions have been increased to navigation closures this week, including Leeds-Liverpool Lock 1, South Stratford at Preston Bagot Locks 36-51, and Aynho Weir lock (Oxford).

9. Weather forecast

Friday will see lighter showers for most with some localised thunderstorms. The weekend will see further rain, particularly in southern and western parts of the country along with blustery conditions. Drier weather is expected across central and eastern England. There will be a more widespread mix of light showers and sunshine on Monday and Tuesday

10. 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 PDW 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.

11. Contact us

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