Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly in prolonged dry weather
The Environment Agency is moving the area into a state of prolonged dry weather after England鈥檚 warmest spring on record and a series of summer heatwaves.
An Environment Agency officer at a farming reservoir, experiencing very low water levels earlier this month
Moving to聽prolonged dry weather聽status聽recognises聽the聽low levels聽of rainfall听补苍诲听reduced river flows,聽in combination with聽high temperatures听补苍诲听increasing signs of pressure on the environment.
The Environment Agency聽is聽ready聽to聽respond聽to any incidents in the environment caused by these conditions and will continue to聽balance the needs of聽water users听补苍诲听protect聽the environment.听听
Joanne Laeger,聽Environment Planning & Engagement聽manager聽at the Environment Agency聽said:听听聽
Devon,聽Cornwall聽and the Isles of Scilly is the third聽Environment Agency聽area聽to move into a state of prolonged dry weather this year.听
Following the warmest聽spring聽on record and聽the third heatwave of the year, we could see a summer of聽environmental聽incidents聽ranging聽from fish in distress to algal聽blooms.听听
The Environment Agency聽urges everyone to do their bit聽and use water more wisely.听The more water we use, the less there is available for the environment.
Our climate is changing. We are already seeing wetter winters and hotter, drier summers. In our area, prolonged dry weather聽is聽occurring聽more聽frequently.
Despite a wet start to 2026, March to May has seen Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly get below-average amounts of rainfall.听Rainstorms聽in聽early聽June did not make up for that loss with聽soils聽drier聽than average.听Exceptionally low flows in rivers are becoming more common.听Private water supplies聽from boreholes聽are beginning to struggle in places.听听听听
The National Drought Group,聽which聽includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers鈥� Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts, are聽monitoring聽the situation and will next meet on聽20 July.听
Everybody has a part to play in using water wisely.听We support this new campaign聽to help save water:聽.听There are simple ways people can聽use less water, including聽shortening聽your聽shower, fixing home leaks,聽swapping聽the hosepipe聽for a bucket or watering can,聽using聽a washing up bowl and聽the聽eco mode on your appliances.听
叠补肠办驳谤辞耻苍诲听
Read more about drought here:聽听听
You can keep up聽to聽date with the latest situation with our聽Dry weather and drought in England: summary reports听补苍诲听how we manage drought in England.听
Prolonged dry weather status currently applies to聽parts of East Anglia听补苍诲听parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.