Half of England has officially been declared in drought following an exceptionally hot and dry summer that has left rivers at record low levels, reservoirs depleted and millions of people subject to water restrictions.
The Environment Agency has declared drought across seven areas covering much of central, eastern and southern England. The affected regions are East Anglia; Hertfordshire and the whole of London; the Thames Valley; Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; Devon and Cornwall; the West Midlands; and Wessex, which includes Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and south Gloucestershire.
The announcement comes as England experiences a rapidly developing “flash drought”, caused by a combination of exceptionally low rainfall and prolonged high temperatures.
Representatives from the National Drought Group, including the Met Office, government departments, regulators, water companies, farming organisations and environmental groups, met with Water Minister Emma Hardy on Tuesday to review the worsening situation. Water companies were urged to prioritise repairing leaks while agencies continue to work together to safeguard water supplies through the autumn.
The Environment Agency has stepped up its operational response, increasing monitoring of water resources and tightening controls on the amount of water that can be abstracted from rivers and groundwater.
The drought marks the third such event in the past five years, following widespread droughts in 2022 and 2025.
While heavy winter rainfall helped replenish reservoirs and groundwater after last year’s dry conditions, the benefits have been rapidly eroded by an exceptionally dry summer. July has so far recorded just 7% of its average rainfall, falling to as little as 1% across parts of southern England.
The Met Office’s Chief Meteorologist, Will Lang, sees little to be cheerful about in the short term: ‘While there are indications of occasional unsettled spells during the first part of August, bringing the chance of rain to some locations, there is currently little sign of the widespread, sustained rainfall that would be needed to make a significant difference to the areas most affected by the dry weather.’
The dry conditions have been compounded by three heatwaves, including 12 consecutive days with temperatures above 30°C, while a fourth heatwave is now under way. The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber heat-health alerts covering large parts of England.
The impacts are becoming increasingly widespread. Around 78% of England’s rivers are now below normal levels, with one in six classed as exceptionally low for the time of year. River flows on the Thames at Reading and the Cam in Cambridgeshire are among the lowest ever recorded for late July.
Reservoir storage across England has fallen to 75.3% capacity, more than seven percentage points below the long-term average. Nearly half of reservoirs are below normal levels, with Wimbleball Reservoir in Somerset and Blagdon Reservoir near Bristol among those considered exceptionally low.
Seven water companies have introduced Temporary Use Bans, affecting around 23 million customers – approximately 40% of England’s population.
The prolonged dry weather is also placing increasing pressure on agriculture and wildlife. Farmers have begun harvesting cereals earlier than usual, with reduced crop yields reported in some areas and growing concerns over water availability for irrigation. More than 1,500 abstraction licence restrictions are now in place, while 110 wildfires have already been recorded on Sites of Special Scientific Interest this year.
Environmental impacts are also becoming more severe. Low river levels are preventing migratory fish such as Atlantic salmon from reaching spawning grounds, while shrinking pools are reducing breeding success for species including the natterjack toad. Warmer-than-average sea temperatures around the UK are adding further pressure on marine ecosystems.
Zoe Quiroz Cullen, head of climate & international policy at The Wildlife Trusts, said: ‘Our rivers, lakes and wetlands are under immense strain, leaving wildlife – from fish and invertebrates to birds and otters – struggling to survive, while farmers, communities and businesses are facing increasing risks from water shortages.
‘This should be an urgent wake-up call. We need to act faster to prepare for a warmer, more unpredictable climate. Restoring wetlands, protecting rivers, improving soil health and creating more green spaces can help hold water in the landscape for longer, reducing the impacts of drought, flooding and wildfires – safeguarding people and wildlife from increasingly extreme weather.
‘The Government must put nature at the heart of its plans to adapt to climate change. If we want to be better prepared for the future, protecting and restoring nature must be central to how we respond.’
Photo: King Ho