Summer drought fears in the East after a dry June

PARTS of Scotland have been issued with a drought warning after receiving well below average rainfall last month.

The Firth of Tay – where the Open golf championship in St Andrews will tee off next week – is described as being at ‘moderate scarcity’ by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), its second-highest risk level.

This means firms which use water from reservoirs and rivers are being asked to stagger their operations, reduce volumes and durations of use or to switch to other supplies or suspend use altogether.

Golf course managers are being asked to limit irrigation.

Sepa says that ground conditions have worsened in recent weeks and some river levels are now very low.

dry conditions have also been experienced in the north-east, where Sepa has upgraded the Findhorn and deveron areas from ‘early warning’ to ‘alert’.

This matches the current status of the entire east coast, from Wick in Caithness, to the Borders.

Sepa says that ‘significant and prolonged rainfall’ will be needed to improve ground conditions and river flows.

Officials added that the increasing frequency of water scarcity is a clear indicator of Scotland’s changing climate. With more extreme weather and a projected decrease in summer rainfall, many places could face pressure on water resources even if they have not experienced this before.

In addition to the ecological impacts, food and drink production, hydroelectric power generation and other business activity reliant on water supply could be affected, it is feared.

Sepa’s water and land manager, Jennifer Leonard, said: ‘The water scarcity picture in eastern parts of Scotland is just one of the many consequences of climate change the country faces.

‘Its severity is only likely to increase in the future.

‘We want to work with businesses to plan their water usage longterm so that we can preserve this vital resource as effectively as possible. not only will that protect Scotland’s rivers and lochs, but it will minimise business risks as well.

‘In the meantime, we stand ready to offer advice and support to businesses affected by the current conditions.

‘By taking the right steps now, abstractors can help make water supplies last as long as possible through this period. While our first aim is always to help people do the right thing, we can hold to account those who deliberately fail to comply with their legal responsibilities when abstracting water from the environment.’

In a statement, Sepa added: ‘The increasing frequency of water scarcity is a clear indicator of Scotland’s changing climate. With more extreme weather and a projected decrease in summer rainfall, many places could face pressure on water resources even if they have not experienced this before.

‘As well as the ecological impacts, food and drink production, hydropower generation and other business activity reliant on a consistent water supply could all be affected.’

By contract, regular rainfall in the West means almost all areas of the West Coast are currently said to be experiencing normal conditions.

Central areas of Scotland are seeing a mixture of dry and wet conditions and are on an ‘early warning’ for water scarcity.

Over the coming week, forecasters say the East will have the driest and brightest weather again.

‘Consequences of climate change’

‘Severity is only likely to increase’