Yorkshire water situation: June 2026 summary
Updated 14 July 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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Rainfall totals in Yorkshire in June were normal for the time of year. Monthly mean flows declined for much of the month and were well below the long term average (LTA) in most rivers by month’s end. Soils reacted to the rainfall pattern but became drier overall. Reservoir stocks decreased and were just below the LTA. Groundwater levels decreased in all aquifers. Hands of Flow (HoF) restrictions were put in place on abstractions in some river catchments.
1. Rainfall
Catchment average rainfall in June was normal with most catchments experiencing 55% to 97% of the LTA for the time of year. Although the Ure catchment also had normal June rainfall, at 105% it was slightly higher than the LTA. The April to June 3-month rainfall totals were normal in the north-west catchments of Yorkshire, below normal in most southern, central and north-eastern areas, and notably low in the Derwent and Hull catchments in the south-east.
Much of the month’s rain fell in the first 11 days, and was concentrated on days 1, 3 and 7. One of our key indicator sites in the Wharfe recorded 44% of the LTA for the month on day 3 alone.
For the rest of the month there were very few wet days. Day 25 was notable in the Ouse, Esk and Rye catchments when a quarter to a third of the month’s total rain fell in one day after gauges had recorded little to no rain for 13 days.
2. Soil moisture deficit and recharge
Soils began the month dry for the time of year in most areas except for the Pennines which were wet in the north and normal in the south. The Selby, Goole and lower Foulness area was very dry for the time of year. Soil moisture deficit (SMD) remained largely unchanged until the third week of the month.
By day 23, SMD had increased across the whole area in response to the significant increase in temperature. In the Pennines soils had become normal or dry for the time of year. For central and eastern Yorkshire soils ended the month very dry for the time of year.
3. River flows
Monthly mean flows in June were varied across Yorkshire, ranging from 23% of the LTA in the Esk to 170% of the LTA in the Wharfe. The southern and eastern catchments were below normal or notably low whereas the Pennine and Ouse catchments remained normal or above normal for the time of year.
In northern Pennine and Ouse catchments, daily mean flows began the month normal or slightly below normal for the time of year. In response to the rainfall most of their rivers peaked around day 4, with the Swale, Ure and Wharfe reaching exceptionally high flows for the time of year. They peaked again to lesser extent around days 9 and 11. Unlike other locations, the Ure also peaked on day 26 reaching notably high flows possibly in response to a localised thunderstorm.
In the River Calder, the lower catchment average rainfall caused flow to be less changeable. It remained normal for the majority of the month but briefly reached notably high flow on day 11.
In the Don and Rother catchments, flows mostly remained within the normal range. By day 13 they had declined sufficiently to reach below normal for the time of year. The Rother was notably low by day 18 and remained this way for the rest of the month.
The Rye followed a similar pattern to the Don and Rother. However, the recession in the Esk and Derwent in the latter half of the month was more substantial and flows reached exceptionally low for the time of year.
Flows in the spring fed West Beck declined steadily over the course of the month but remained below normal for the time of year throughout June.
4. Groundwater levels
4.1 Magnesian Limestone
The groundwater level within the Magnesian Limestone at Brick House Farm was normal for the time of year.
4.2 Millstone Grit
The groundwater level within the Millstone Grit at Hill Top Farm was notably low for the time of year.
4.3 Sherwood Sandstone
The groundwater level within the Sherwood Sandstone at Great Ouseburn was above normal for the time of year. The groundwater level at Riccall Approach Farm was normal for the time of year.
4.4 Corallian
The groundwater level within the Corallian at Sproxton was normal for the time of year.
4.5 Chalk
The groundwater level within the Chalk at Wetwang was below normal for the time of year. The groundwater level at Dalton Estate Well was normal for the time of year.
5. Reservoir stocks
Reservoir stocks continued to decline. At the end of June, stocks were at 78.8%, 1.3% less than the LTA for the time of year.
6. Environmental impact
In late June, there were 50 abstraction licences with a HoF condition in force, and another 91 abstraction licence holders had been given advance warning that flows were low. The number of HoFs in place continues to change in response to the low flow conditions.
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.