Drought alert as water level at 6-year low
SWATHES of Britain are at their driest for six years as fears grow of an imminent drought crisis.
Weeks of no rain have left soil bone dry while river and groundwater levels across the country continue to fall.
Britain faces a drought amid predictions of a mini-heatwave next week that will push temperatures into the mid-70s F.
Rainfall forecast in parts will be nowhere near enough to repair damage done by the exceptionally dry weather, experts warn.
Groundwater levels in parts of Britain are at their lowest for years, according to the Soil Association.
Its head of farming Liz Bowles said: “After the recent dry weather, soil water levels in parts of the UK are now at their lowest since 2011.” Jamie Hannaford, principal hydrologist at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, said: “We do not generally expect a significant recovery of groundwater levels in the summer.
“As rates of water loss from the ground climb steadily, less rainfall makes its way into aquifers, so even if we see normal rainfall amounts going forwards, groundwater levels are likely to continue to recede. If this situation persists, it could potentially lead to some localised pressure on water resources in the summer.
“Soils in parts of the UK are at the moisture status we would normally see in summer.”
The Met Office said the mercury is likely to top 77F by the middle of next week as warm air sweeps in from the Continent. Parts of the country will see showers, although not the persistent rainfall needed to replenish depleted water stocks.
Met Office forecaster Oli Claydon said: “There is the potential to see 77F in the South next week, dependent on cloud cover and how much sun we get.
“There are going to be some showers but not necessarily enough to reverse the effects of the dry spell.”
Ladbrokes last night slashed the odds on a summer hosepipe ban from 5-2 to 2-1 with the warmest May on record now at 7-2 from 4-1.
Ladbrokes spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: “The odds are drying up as quick as river beds and as the drought crisis deepens it’s looking more and more likely a hosepipe ban is implemented.”