Research and analysis

Yorkshire water situation: June 2025 summary

Updated 15 July 2025

Applies to England

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

1. Summary

June was another dry month with below average rainfall. Some rivers showed short-term responses to rainfall, but prolonged periods of summer low flows continued to be widespread in many catchments. Groundwater levels continued to fall in most aquifers. Reservoir stocks continued to fall. Most soils were classified as very dry and by month end only the north-west Pennines in the dry category.

2. Rainfall

Across Yorkshire it was the fifth or sixth consecutive month where monthly rainfall totals were below the long term average (LTA). The catchment-average monthly rainfall continued to be below average for June and, at 40% to 85% of the LTA, ranged from below normal to normal for the time of the year. It was the third driest continuous 6-month period for the whole of Yorkshire since 1871 and the:

• second driest in the Swale, Derwent and Rye
• third driest in the Ure, Nidd and Calder
• fourth driest in the Aire, Wharfe and Ouse

Low rainfall totals were recorded at many rain gauges in Yorkshire for the first 9 days of the month, with the most rainfall occurring on day 2 or day 9, typically recording around 20% of the LTA on either day. For the next 13 days until day 21, there was very little rain recorded with many entirely dry days across the area. On day 22 widespread rainfall returned falling mainly in the western Pennine catchments and to a lesser extent in the eastern catchments of the Rye, Derwent, Hull and Humber. Daily totals ranged from around 15% LTA in the west to around 5% LTA in the east.

3. Soil moisture deficit

In the first 2 weeks soil moisture conditions in central and southern parts of the area were classified as very dry but in the Upper Pennines, Derwent, Rye, Don and Rother soils were categorised as dry. By the third week soils across the Area had become very dry, with only the Upper Pennine ridge remaining in the dry category.

4. River flows

Monthly mean flows for many Yorkshire catchments were generally between 21% to 72% of the LTA, increasing to 127% in the Wharfe and 151% in the Ure. In the Pennine catchments of northern Yorkshire monthly mean flows in the:

• upper Wharfe and Ure were above the normal range
• Swale, Nidd, Ouse and lower Wharfe were normal for the time of year

Elsewhere, the monthly mean flows were below normal in Aire and Calder and exceptionally low in the Don, Rother, Derwent, Rye and Esk.

Flows in the northern Pennine catchments remained at normal or above normal for the first 12 days with peak flow in the exceptionally high range on day 9 in the Ure, Wharfe and Aire catchments. From day 12 flows slowly receded until around day 22, when flows in the Aire and Calder temporarily increased for a day and then resumed a slow decline until month end. In response to rainfall, flows in the upper Pennine ridge of the Swale, Ure and Upper Wharfe increased to exceptionally or notably high on day 28 and 29.

In the southern Pennines, flows in the Don and Rother varied from notably low to normal until day 9. Following this, flows receded to notably low to exceptionally low until the end of the month. In the Derwent, Rye and Esk catchments that drain the North Yorkshire Moors flows remained exceptionally low throughout the month, except for day 8, 9 and 10 where flows increased temporarily to notably low in response to rainfall.

On the chalk-fed West Beck in the upper Hull catchment, flow steadily decreased through the month, from the below normal range between day 1 to day 7 to exceptionally low by month end.

5. Groundwater levels   

5.1 Magnesian Limestone

The groundwater level within the Magnesian Limestone at Brick House Farm decreased and remained at above normal for the time of year.

5.2 Millstone Grit

The groundwater level within the Millstone Grit at Hill Top Farm decreased and remained at notably low for the time year. It should be noted that this observation borehole is used for water abstraction by means of a pump. Therefore, the groundwater level recorded here may be subject to the effects of this.

5.3 Sherwood Sandstone

The groundwater level within the Sherwood Sandstone at Great Ouseburn decreased and is now normal for the time of year. The groundwater level also significantly decreased at Riccall Approach Farm and became exceptionally low for the time of year, the significant decrease in May and June has been due to high rates of licensed abstraction for spray irrigation in the local area.   

5.4 Corallian Limestone

The groundwater level within the Corallian Limestone at Sproxton decreased and remains below normal for the time of year.

5.5 Chalk

The groundwater level at Wetwang decreased and became notably low for the time of year. The groundwater level also decreased at Dalton Estate Well and remains below normal for the time of year.

6. Reservoir stocks

From the start of June reservoir stocks dropped below the minimum level on record and levels continued to fall. During the month Yorkshire reservoir stocks reduced by 6.8 %. By the final week of June Yorkshire reservoirs stocks were 21% below their LTA.

7. Environmental Impact

In the final week of June there were 58 abstraction licences subject to a hands-off flow restriction and 78 abstractors were given advance warnings that flows were low. There were a small number of environmental incidents related to low flow and dry conditions.

Author: Yorkshire Hydrology, 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.  

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