Four months of above average rainfall mean England’s water levels have now largely recovered from last year’s drought, the National Drought Group heard yesterday.

On Monday 23rd March East Anglia became the final area to move out of recovery, with all regions in England now classed at normal status.

The expert group noted that while this is positive for water supplies, exceptional levels of rain have caused devastating flooding in many communities.

A changing climate means the country will likely experience more rapid swings between drought and flooding – sometimes referred to as weather whiplash.

The risk of drought in 2026 is currently low but there remains the possibility of a flash drought like that experienced in 2022– brought about by a sudden combination of very low rainfall and hot temperatures.

National Drought Group chair and Director of Water at the Environment Agency, Helen Wakeham, said:

“Last year’s drought was challenging for everyone, affecting our farmers, our wildlife, and our public water supplies.

“The winter rainfall has helped our depleted reservoirs and rivers to recover and, while we welcome the improved picture, we are mindful of the problems that flooding brings too.

“We enter spring in a favourable position, but we can never be complacent. We expect water companies to carry on quickly fixing burst pipes and to be ready to enact their drought plans in a timely manner, if needed.”

The National Drought Group includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, hydrologists, and conservation experts.

The meeting heard that water companies are finalising their statutory drought plans, which are produced every five years and detail how public supplies and the environment will be protected during dry weather.

Alongside this, the Government recently gave additional guidance to water companies for strengthening their contingency plans should a region enter severe drought – last experienced in England half a century ago in 1976. Measures could include daily limits, reduced water pressure, or business restrictions to ensure the taps remain on.

After attending the National Drought Group meeting, Water Minister Emma Hardy said:

“Despite our recent wet weather, we must still talk about drought. Our climate is changing, droughts are becoming increasingly common, and we need to be prepared.

“We expect water companies to update their draft statutory drought plans by the end of March and plan for more extreme dry weather – in the hope it never comes.

“In the longer-term, the Government is taking decisive action to secure supplies, including nine new reservoirs, multiple water transfer schemes, and eight desalination projects.”

Current water situation

Key metrics for the current water situation include:

• February received 170% of the long-term average (LTA) rainfall. March to date rainfall is 53% of the long-term average for the month
• Reservoir storage for England is now 95% which is slightly above average for this time of year.
• Abberton and Hanningfield reservoirs in Essex, Grafham reservoir in Cambridgeshire and the Dove Group in Derbyshire are still below average for this time of year.
• Soils are now fully replenished across the country, with no deficits remaining.
• Groundwater and river flows are now normal or above across England.
• All areas are out of drought and there are no water company restrictions in place.

Following the improved situation, the National Drought Group has returned to the usual schedule of meeting twice a year, with the next meeting planned for September to October.