A drought has been declared across large swathes of Wales after weeks of dry conditions, heatwaves and wildfires have decimated the area's natural resources, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said.
Drought Status in North Wales and Upper Severn
North Wales and the Upper Severn are the first parts of the UK to officially declare drought status following the record-breaking heatwaves that have rocked the country this summer. Many parts of England are currently in the midst of a prolonged spell of dry weather, with wildfires throughout the country causing a severe drain on local water reserves. Scotland has also been hit by a major wildfire in the Cairngorms, while the Republic of Ireland has also issued a nationwide hosepipe ban in response to the dry conditions.
Impact on Environment and Agriculture
In Wales, exceptionally dry conditions have led to drying riverbeds, mounting concern from farmers about grazing and water availability, and significantly increased the risk of wildfires – with North Wales in particular experiencing a number of major blazes in recent weeks. The areas affected by the drought status declaration include North Gwynedd, Ynys Mon, South Gwynedd, Dee (Wales), Clwyd, and Upper Severn.
Record Low Rainfall
NRW, the Welsh Government’s environmental agency, said the decision to trigger drought status follows continued hot, dry weather over recent weeks, with July on course to become the driest on record for Wales for almost 190 years without significant rainfall in the next week. North Wales and the Upper Severn has received less than 2% of the expected rainfall for the month so far, with river flows across large parts of the region exceptionally low, and some locations recording or approaching record lows. In many areas of North Wales, there has been no significant rainfall since July 6, NRW said. Monitoring by the agency also shows groundwater levels continue to fall and river temperatures have been high.
All of Wales in Drought or Dry Weather Status
All remaining catchments across south-west Wales have also moved from “normal” to “prolonged dry weather” status, following the same change in status last week for south-east Wales. As a result, all of Wales is now either in drought or prolonged dry weather status. NRW said it declared drought when a combination of indicators show a significant shortage of rainfall and water availability, affecting rivers, groundwater, agriculture, natural systems and land management. While water companies report that reservoir levels remain healthy overall, NRW is urging people to use water wisely.
Call for Water Conservation
Rhian Thomas, sustainable water and nature manager at NRW, said: “The prolonged period of hot, dry weather we have experienced this summer is now having serious impacts on the environment across parts of Wales. We have seen rivers fall to exceptionally low levels, groundwater continuing to decline, and increasing reports of environmental impacts affecting wildlife, fisheries, farming and sensitive habitats. The recent wildfires across North Wales and South East Wales are one of the clearest and most visible signs of how dry our landscapes have become. Our teams continue to work closely with fire and rescue services, local partners and land managers to respond to these incidents and reduce risks where possible.” She said: “While drought status does not automatically mean water shortages for customers, it does reflect the growing pressure being placed on our environment. We are asking everyone to play their part by using water wisely and helping to protect Wales’ natural resources during this exceptionally dry period.”
