Farmers say the drought conditions are already producing crops in the UK.
Farmers across England warned that water levels fell after the driest start in nearly 70 years and were concerned that the country could experience another severe summer drought, an early crop failure.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) said that due to cold conditions, farmers were forced to irrigate fields earlier than usual, and some crops were already suffering. Reservoir levels throughout the northeast and north-west England were “especially or unusually low”, with the driest March since 1961 and only half of the rainfall in April.
“Drought conditions and lack of heavy rainfall mean farmers in certain parts of the country have begun to get older than normal crops,” said David Exwood, vice president of NFU.
“The extreme weather patterns we’ve experienced over the past few years are affecting our ability to feed our nation.”
Livestock farmers are also worried that if the rainfall is not as full as their own, there will be a shortage of grazing in the future. Now, the downpour of early May is crucial to avoid further yield losses and widespread agricultural destruction.
“No elasticity in the system”
This week, a clear warning about the lack of preparation across the industry was heard at a National Drought Group (NDG) meeting, including the Environment Agency (EA), water companies and industry agencies.
A senior source at NDG described the situation as horrible: “The system is not resilient. All the Environment Agency and the Water Company have been saying, 'We hope it will rain'.”
Reservoir storage in England is currently at 84%, compared to 90% in 2022, with the UK experiencing a major drought last year. The water companies are ready to extract from the river several months in advance as river flows drop to unusually low levels, and fish deaths exceed seasonal expectations.
EA confirmed that a hose ban could be put in place this summer if rainfall remains scarce, and the government has asked the water CEO to strengthen leak prevention efforts and drought accident plans.
The NDG meeting also heard that despite nearly running out of water in London and Southeast after the 2022 drought and emergency measures were considered, many water companies were under-ready despite widespread criticism following the 2022 drought.
“The repetition of 2022 is unthinkable,” said Stuart Singleton-White, campaign director for the Fishing Trust. “Since privatization, there are no new reservoirs, shocking leak rates and practical preparations for climate change. If we keep this summer dry, we will all pay for complacency.”
Singleton-White warns that unless urgent action is taken, river damage, widespread fish deaths and serious ecological consequences.
Richard Thompson, deputy director of water at the Environment Agency, acknowledged that the threat is: “The last two years have been the wettest in England’s record, but dry conditions at the beginning of this year meant that drought was a possibility and we need to be prepared.”
He added that while more households are now trying to reduce their water use, water companies are expected to take bigger steps, especially in reducing leakage and accelerating the launch of smart meters.
As Britain stares into another summer water-deficient barrel, farmers, conservationists and policy experts all agree that praying for the rain is no longer a viable strategy. Without emergency investment infrastructure, water resilience and drought relief, the country faces another season of crop failure, environmental damage and public frustration.
