Yorkshire declared drought due to record dry spell and low water levels

Yorkshire has entered official drought status after reservoirs and rivers dropped to critical levels, following the region's driest April to September period on record.

The Environment Agency confirmed the declaration on Friday, citing low water flows and groundwater levels that met the official trigger. Reservoirs currently sit just above 40% capacity, lower than at the same time last year when a hosepipe ban was active. East Yorkshire recorded the UK's lowest rainfall last month, with some locations receiving less than 20% of expected precipitation.

Vicki Townend, an Environment Agency manager, said the conditions reflect the "ongoing lack of rainfall" across the region. "The ongoing lack of rainfall means the flow in rivers and groundwater levels in certain parts of our area are very low and have now reached our trigger for declaring a drought," Townend said. She noted the region experienced its fifth driest period on record between April and September.

Yorkshire Water stated it does not plan to impose water restrictions on customers immediately. Andy Shaw, the utility's head of water production, treatment and energy, indicated that the declaration does not necessitate immediate limits. The utility is not expected to seek a hosepipe ban during autumn and winter, when demand typically falls and rainfall usually increases. The status serves as an early warning that restrictions could return next summer if dry conditions persist.

Water Minister Emma Hardy emphasized the severity of the situation despite recent showers. "The recent rainfall is not yet enough to replenish all the water we've used over the spring and summer, and the Yorkshire drought declaration highlights the situation is still serious," Hardy said. She added that building long-term resilience against a changing climate remains a government priority.