Research and analysis

North East water situation: August 2025 summary

Updated 12 September 2025

Applies to England

• Publication for Northern Ireland
• Publication for Scotland
• Publication for Wales

1. Summary

August was a much drier month than July, with notably low and exceptionally low rainfall recorded in all catchments. Monthly mean river flows decreased at all of the indicator sites and fell within the notably low and exceptionally low ranges. Groundwater levels have decreased at 2 of the indicator sites and slightly increased at 3 of the 5 indicator sites. They remain in the normal and notably high bands for the time of year. Reservoir stocks continue to decrease and remain below average for the time of year.

2. Rainfall

Monthly rainfall totals were significantly below long term average (LTA) for all catchments and ranged from 26% of the LTA in the Tweed catchment to 36% of the LTA in the Tyne catchment.

Analysis of the daily rainfall totals show several periods of low rainfall totals spread across the month with the highest amount of rainfall at the beginning of the month and just before the middle of the month. This was followed by some sustained rainfall towards the end of the month. The highest cumulative rainfall totals were seen in the Tyne catchment with 32.3mm rainfall, whereas the lowest totals were recorded in the Tweed, Northumbria North Sea Tribs and Seaham Area catchments with 20.7mm, 21.3mm and 21.1mm of rainfall respectively. The cumulative 6-month and 12-month rainfall totals are in the exceptionally low range for the whole area. It has been the:

• driest February to August on record for the Seaham Area and Tees catchments
• second driest for Tweed, Northumberland North Sea Tribs and Wear catchments behind 1959
• third driest for the Tyne catchment behind 1959 and 1887

It has been the second driest February to August on record for the North East Area as a whole behind 1959. For the year to date, 327mm of rain has been recorded in the North East Area which is only 2mm wetter than the driest years on record.

3. Soil moisture deficit and recharge

Soil moisture deficits (SMDs) have increased since July for the Wear and Northumbria North Sea Tribs catchments. The deficit in the Wear catchment has increased from 41mm to 70mm to 71mm to 100mm, and the deficit Northumbria North Sea Tribs catchment has increased from 71mm to 100mm to 101mm to 130mm. Soils are drier than average for the time of year with all catchments showing a 26mm to 50mm difference from the LTA, apart from the Northumbria North Sea Tribs catchment which has a 51mm to 75mm difference.

4. River flows

Monthly mean river flows have remained consistently low this month as a result of minimal rainfall across the area. Flows at all indicator sites have decreased from July with those at:

• Heaton Mill, Mitford, Hartford Bridge, and Middleton falling in the exceptionally low category
• Rothbury, Haydon Bridge, Witton Park and Rutherford Bridge recording flows in the notably low category

Haydon Bridge on the South Tyne recorded the largest decrease in monthly mean flow, moving from 123% of the LTA in July to 24% of the LTA in August. Monthly mean flows ranged from 9% of the LTA at Hartford Bridge and Rutherford Bridge to 35% of the LTA at Witton Park where flows have been supported all month by releases from the Kielder tunnel.

Analysis of the daily mean flows show that flows at all indicator sites have fluctuated between normal, below normal and notably low with half (Rutherford Bridge, Mitford, Heaton Mill and Hartford Bridge) recording exceptionally low flows. These flows have generally decreased through the month with the exceptions of:

• Hartford Bridge – which began the month exceptionally low and ended on notably low
• Middleton – which begun the month notably low and ended the month on below normal, due to increased releases from Cow Green reservoir

5. Groundwater levels   

Groundwater levels across all catchments are now decreasing as a result of the prolonged dry weather over the preceding spring and summer months, but most remain in the normal range for the time of year.

Groundwater levels at Aycliffe (NRA2) in the Magnesian Limestone and Royalty Observation in the Fell Sandstone are showing the steepest decline which is expected as both are located in the recharge, unconfined areas of the aquifers, which are more responsive to variations in rainfall. Townlaw in the Fell Sandstone, and Red Lion and West Hall Farm both in the Magnesian Limestone are showing a slight incline this month. These sites are located within the more confined areas of the aquifers which typically have a delayed response of 3 to 6 months to the observed dry weather. West Hall Farm remains within the notably high range. This seems to be the result of a reduction in nearby abstraction volumes rather than a climatic response.

6. Reservoir stocks

All reservoir stocks in the area have decreased this month. Decreases have ranged from 15.1% at Cow Green to 8.4% in the Lune and Balder Group. Reservoir stocks across the area remain below average from the time of year, including Kielder which was slightly above average in July.

Reservoir or reservoir group	Percentage of current stocks	Percentage of previous month stocks
Kielder	80.9	89.7
North Tynedale group	45.3	55.1
Derwent	47.1	56.8
Durham group	47.6	59.8
Lune and Balder group	60.7	69.1
Cow Green	50.7	65.8

Author: Environment Agency, hydrology.northeast@environment-agency.gov.uk

All data are provisional and may be subject to revision. The views expressed in this document are not necessarily those of the Environment Agency. Its officers, servants or agents accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from the interpretation or use of the information, or reliance upon views contained in this report.