Yorkshire water situation: July 2026 summary
Updated 12 August 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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1. Summary
July was an exceptionally dry month with very few days recording rainfall. River flows declined and groundwater levels reduced in all aquifers. Soils continued to dry and reservoir stocks decreased. Hands off flows restrictions were put in place on abstractors in many river catchments.
2. Rainfall
The low monthly rainfall totals were record-breaking for July. It was the driest July in a 155-year record in Yorkshire as a whole and for all individual catchments with the exception of the Ure, which ranked second and the Calder as fourth driest. The Swale, Ouse, Derwent and Hull ranked drier than the previous record by a considerable margin, not just a couple of mm. All catchments reported rainfall in the exceptionally low range, ranging between 2% to 20% of the long term average (LTA). This contrasted with the normal rainfall totals for June, falling mostly in the early part of that month.
Rain gauges recorded up to 29 dry days in July. When it did rain it occurred within the first 4 days and the last 5 days of the month. The driest of the catchments when compared to the July LTA’s were in the Hull and Humber at 2%, Ouse at 3%, Derwent at 5% and Don at 6%.
The sudden change to drier weather conditions has resulted in a change in the 3-month rainfall accumulation totals. In June the western Pennines reported as normal, but at the end of July all catchments ranged from below normal to exceptionally low.
3. Soil moisture deficit and recharge
At the start of the month there was a split across Yorkshire, soils in the upper reaches of the upper Dales catchments were in the normal range, the upper Calder was dry and the remainder were very dry. Soils moisture continued to reduce and changed soils in the northwestern Pennines to dry by mid-month. By month end all catchments were very dry with the exception of the upper Swale and Ure which were dry.
4. River flows
Yorkshire’s river flows reflected the exceptionally low rainfall. Monthly mean flows ranged between below normal to exceptionally low, 24% to 61% of the LTA. Exceptionally low values were observed in the majority of catchments, with the slightly higher ranges recorded in the Ure, Nidd, Wharfe and the chalk-fed upper Hull. Lowest on record July monthly mean flows were observed at Briggswath in the Esk and at Buttercrambe in the Derwent.
At the start of the month flows in most of the Pennine-fed catchments were reported in normal range with a short-term temporary rise in flows in the Wharfe on days 2, 3 and 5. Exceptions were the Swale and Calder where daily mean flows were already below normal on most days. Flows in the Pennine-fed catchments continued to decline through the month and by day 20 all reached the below normal to exceptionally low range.
Flows in the Don and Rother started the month in below normal range. The flows in the Don reduced to notably low by day 7 and then exceptionally low by day 20. In the Rother flows fluctuated between notably and exceptionally low throughout the month.
Flows in the Rye and Esk were receding and in the notably low and exceptionally low ranges respectively throughout the month. Flows in the Derwent at Buttercrambe were exceptionally low, declining for the first two weeks, more stable for the next fortnight and then decreasing further at the very end of the month Flows in the West Beck in the upper Hull catchment, which are dominated by groundwater inflow from the Chalk remained notably low throughout the month, whilst flows continued to decline.
5. Groundwater levels
5.1 Magnesian Limestone
The groundwater level within the Magnesian Limestone at Brick House Farm decreased and was normal for the time of year.
5.2 Millstone Grit
The groundwater level within the Millstone Grit at Hill Top Farm decreased and was below normal for the time of year.
5.3 Sherwood Sandstone
The groundwater level within the Sherwood Sandstone at Great Ouseburn decreased and was normal for the time of year. The groundwater level at Riccall Approach Farm declined steeply and was below normal for the time of year.
5.4 Corallian Limestone
The groundwater level within the Corallian Limestone at Sproxton decreased and was normal for the time of year.
6. Reservoir stocks
Yorkshire reservoir stocks reduced by about 3.5% each week. In the final week of July stocks were 9.8% below the LTA. They remained over 15% higher they were in late July 2025.
7. Environmental impact
In the final week of July there were 132 abstraction licences subject to a Hands off Flow restriction and 36 abstractors had been given advance warnings that flows were low.
Author: Yorkshire Hydrology Team, 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.