Drought officially declared in Yorkshire by the Environment Agency after extreme weather leads to dried up reservoirs and low river flows

A drought has been officially declared in Yorkshire.
By rebecca marano
Published 16th Aug 2022, 11:46 BST
Updated 16th Aug 2022, 12:04 BST

The Environment Agency has confirmed drought status across the region.

The triggers used to confirm the move to drought status for Yorkshire include river flows, groundwater and reservoir levels, rainfall totals and the dryness of soils along with the impacts dry weather is having on abstractors (including farmers) and the environment.

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Recent dry weather and the heatwave has led to exceptionally low river flows and reservoir levels, including at Baitings Dam and at parts of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Dry cracked earth at Baitings Reservoir in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, where water levels are significantly low. The total stock of water in England's reservoirs at the end of July was 65 percent of its normal capacity - the lowest level for that point in the calendar year since 1995, the Environment Agency has said. Picture date: Friday August 12, 2022.Dry cracked earth at Baitings Reservoir in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, where water levels are significantly low. The total stock of water in England's reservoirs at the end of July was 65 percent of its normal capacity - the lowest level for that point in the calendar year since 1995, the Environment Agency has said. Picture date: Friday August 12, 2022.
Dry cracked earth at Baitings Reservoir in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, where water levels are significantly low. The total stock of water in England's reservoirs at the end of July was 65 percent of its normal capacity - the lowest level for that point in the calendar year since 1995, the Environment Agency has said. Picture date: Friday August 12, 2022.

This is determined by the Environment Agency at a local level.

The last drought in Yorkshire was in autumn 2018.

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Victoria Slingsby, environment planning and engagement manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said: “The high temperatures we are experiencing have exacerbated pressures on wildlife and our water environment in Yorkshire. These extreme weather conditions become more likely with climate change.

“We are experiencing some much-needed rain this week, but it will not be enough to correct weeks of dry weather, and it will take more prolonged rainfall to wet up soils and replenish rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels.

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“It’s important for everyone to manage the amount of water they are using in this exceptionally dry period.”

A drought order was approved last week for the Holme Styes reservoir in Yorkshire to control the flow of water and preserve wildlife that relies on it.

The region joins large parts of England which moved to drought status on Friday, August 12.

Other areas include; Devon and Cornwall, Solent and South Downs, Kent and South London, Herts and North London, East Anglia, Thames, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire and East Midlands.

Related topics:YorkshireEnvironment AgencyEnglandNorthamptonshireSouth London