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Flash Drought Grips West Midlands, Urgent Action Taken
3 Aug
Summary
- A flash drought has been declared for the West Midlands region.
- Agencies are actively pumping water into the River Severn.
- Fish are being rescued from severely dried watercourses.
A 'flash drought' has been declared across the West Midlands, affecting counties such as Herefordshire and Worcestershire. This rapid onset of dry conditions has prompted significant environmental intervention.
Agencies are actively working to mitigate the drought's impact. Water is being pumped into the River Severn in Shropshire, with approximately 8 Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of water added. This effort aims to maintain sufficient downstream water levels for essential uses like drinking water abstraction and agricultural irrigation.
The severity of the drought is underscored by exceptionally low rainfall figures; July saw only about 5% of its average precipitation. As a result, environmental teams are engaged in rescuing fish from dried-up watercourses, highlighting the acute impact on local ecosystems.
