Dry river could herald a summer drought
A mild winter and warm spring sunshine has dried up rivers and left some areas barely recognisable
The village of Seathwaite in Cumbria can expect an average annual rainfall in excess of two metres, making it the wettest inhabited spot in England. But after the mildest winter for decades, the Derwent, which runs through the hamlet, has been left as “dry as a bone” and villagers have been warned to expect a summer drought. There are fears the rest of the UK could follow after one of the driest Aprils on record.
THE wettest inhabited place in England has been left “bone dry” as the prospect of a summer drought looms.
Rainfall at Seathwaite in Borrowdale, Cumbria, typically exceeds more than six feet per year. But there has been so little rain this year that the River Derwent, which runs through the tiny hamlet, has been reduced to little more than a rocky bed.
Yesterday, children were playing on the rocks in the sunshine and, further north, there were gorse fires in Oban, on Scotland’s west coast, that forced the evacuation of a beach as temperatures soared to a 64F (18C).
There are now fears that the country may face a summer drought as river and reservoir levels dwindle after one of the driest winters in 20 years.
The Daily Telegraph reported last week that some home owners have been told to cut water consumption by waiting until washing machines and dishwashers are fully loaded before using them. Others were advised to swap showers for baths, use sponges instead of hoses to clean cars and opt for drought-resistant plants such as geraniums, marigolds, alyssum and petunias.
In Seathwaite, villagers have been given no specific advice but said they were concerned about the unusual situation in an area that has previously broken rainfall records. On Nov 19, 2009, 12.44in (316.4mm) of rain poured on to the village in just 24 hours.
Peter Edmondson, of Seathwaite Farm Camping, said the river had been “bone dry” for more than a month. “Everything is usually under water. It has been wall-to-wall sunshine here. Over the years, I have seen times when it has rained for three weeks solid.”
Duncan Ellwood, who owns the Grange Bridge Cottage Tea Shop, said the situation was “worrying”, not least because low water had prevented boats from dropping tourists in the area, as even the shallow vessels struggled.
A Met Office spokesman said Cumbria had had 36 per cent of its usual rainfall in April. Temperatures on the west coast, meanwhile, have been up to 37F higher than normal.
He explained that this was due to high pressure over Iceland and low pressure in the Atlantic. “This means the air is moving from the north-east to the south-west … normally it is the other way round which brings a lot of rain and wind”.
An Environment Agency spokesman said it was working with water companies, businesses and farmers to mini- mise problems resulting from the dry winter and urged households to follow the advice of their water company should the dry weather continue and water-saving measures be necessary.
Forecasters said it was expected to stay dry and bright until Thursday, when it will become more unsettled.