Cheshire remains in prolonged dry weather as drought spreads across England
Cheshire remains under prolonged dry weather conditions as drought spreads across more than 70% of England and another spell of hot weather adds pressure to water supplies.
By The Guardian
Cheshire remains in prolonged dry weather as drought conditions worsen across England, with almost three-quarters of the country now officially affected.
The Environment Agency confirmed on Monday, August 10, that Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire remain at prolonged dry weather status — the stage immediately before drought.
Cumbria and Lancashire are also in prolonged dry weather, while the North East and Yorkshire have now joined them after their status was upgraded.
The latest changes mean no part of England is currently classed as being under normal water conditions.
Nationally, 71.3% of England is now in drought, covering around 45 million people.
The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs were among the latest areas moved into drought status on Monday.
They join East Anglia, Hertfordshire and London, the Thames Valley, Devon and Cornwall, Wessex and the West Midlands.
The Environment Agency said conditions have deteriorated following exceptionally low rainfall and high temperatures, describing the current situation across much of England as a “flash drought” because of how rapidly it has developed.
July was the driest in England for 190 years, while rainfall during August so far has amounted to only around 5% of the amount normally expected for the month.
Reservoir levels are also continuing to fall.
Storage across England has dropped to around 69%, which is 11.6 percentage points below the level normally expected at this time of year.
Reservoir storage fell by 16% during July alone, the largest July reduction in raw water storage recorded for at least 30 years.
More than 27 million people are now affected by restrictions on water use.
Eight water companies have introduced Temporary Use Bans across all or parts of their supply areas, although Cheshire is not currently listed among the areas covered by those restrictions.
The worsening conditions are also affecting farming, rivers, wildlife and the canal network.
Farmers have reported reduced crop yields and poor grass growth, with some livestock producers already using winter feed reserves earlier than normal.
River flows are continuing to decline, with only 14% currently classed as normal and more than a fifth recorded as exceptionally low.
The Canal & River Trust is also dealing with water shortages across its network, with 26 navigation closures and 19 restrictions currently in place.
The pressure on water supplies comes as another period of hot weather develops across England this week.
Temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-30s in some parts of the country, increasing demand for water while rainfall remains limited.
Tony Grayling, the Environment Agency’s strategic drought lead and chair of the National Drought Group, said conditions were expected to continue deteriorating without significant and sustained rainfall.
The Environment Agency is asking households to use water carefully where possible, while water companies have been urged to reduce leaks and take further measures to protect supplies.
Although Cheshire has not yet moved into official drought status, its prolonged dry weather classification means water resources across the wider Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire area are already under increased pressure.
Further changes remain possible if the hot and predominantly dry conditions continue.