The Environment Agency has now published its updated guidance on how drought is managed in England following the conclusion of its consultation in January 2025 on its proposals to update the national drought response framework.

Introducing the new guidance, the Environment Agency says that drought is featured as a risk facing England on the National Risk Register and the country is likely to experience more frequent and severe droughts in the future due to a changing climate.

“We cannot control when the next drought will be, but we can work together now to improve our preparation and resilience to dry weather and drought,” the Agency said.

The EA has a statutory duty to secure the proper use of water resources in England, including protecting the environment. The updated guidance sets out the framework describing how the Agency will meet the requirement during prolonged dry weather and drought events, and work with all those involved in drought management.

The ‘Drought: how it is managed in England’ document is the updated version of the ‘National Drought Response Framework’ released in 2017.

The detailed and comprehensive guidance provides a strategic overview of drought management in England and how the Environment Agency works with government, water companies and others to manage the effects on people, business and the environment.

Each of the Environment Agency’s 14 operational areas also produce their own area drought plans, which serve as operational guidelines for their response to drought.The guidance complements the EA’s operational area drought plans as well as other organisations’ drought plans and procedures.

It also provides information for EA staff, government departments and the main stakeholders to use in planning for and managing drought.

Drought: how it is managed in England includes:

• an overview of drought in England:
• drought impacts and mitigations
• who is involved planning, management and response
• actions taken by the Agency and others to effectively manage droughts
• information on the Agency’s drought teams and actions
• how the EA report on drought and communicate with others
• the Agency’s role in recovery and learning from drought events

The most recent drought in England was in 2023 when the country saw six consecutive months of below average rainfall across all regions from March to August and high temperatures saw much of the country in drought status by September. The summer was the hottest on record, with temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius recorded in July. The Met Office issued its first ‘Red’ warning for extreme heat.

The heat also increased water demand - to protect water supply 17 of 18 water companies activated their drought plans during this period. Thirty drought permits were issued to help water companies protect or improve public supply – more than any other year. Five water companies applied temporary use bans in August covering 19 million people.

By August, soils were extremely dry, with some of the driest conditions on record for southern and central England. Reservoir storage levels nationally were down to 49% of capacity by September. Environmental impacts to habitat and species such as low flow incidents, algal blooms and fish kills were also observed. 

While a wet autumn relieved the drought stress, Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and parts of East Anglia remained in drought status into late 2023.

Five days ago the Environment Agency declared drought status for the north-west of England following the driest start to spring in 69 years - many reservoirs in the region are at historic low levels for the time of year.

In the last week of May the Scottish Environment Protection Agency warned that Scotland’s water scarcity situation is worsening, as prolonged dry conditions increase water scarcity across the country.

In December last year the Agency consulted on proposed changes to the guideline that water companies in England must follow when they prepare and publish their drought plans by 2027.

Click here to access Drought: how it is managed in England online