The Drought in Kent the Drought in Sussex The

THE DROUGHT IN KENT summers have brought a general action against anyone found to be The long dry summer o f 1995 depletion of flows in the Stour, abstracting or using water unlawfully was followed by two winters Little Stour, Darent and Dour with which produced barely half of the long sections of the headwaters normal seasonal rainfall. As a running dry. THE DROUGHT IN result, river flows and groundwater Soil moisture was also severely SUSSEX levels in many parts o f the county reduced and for many farmers and In the west o f the county river reached the lowest ever recorded vegetable growers meant an earlier and groundwater levels have been for the time o f the year. than normal start for spray consistently below average for the There was virtually no irrigation operations and at time of the year since the drought replenishment of reserves in some relatively high rates of application. began. The main problems are in parts of the North Downs chalk Agency environmental protection the east of the county. The aquifer and this had a direct effect teams will ensure that all successful promotion o f winter on the operations of those water abstractors taking the water from Drought Orders mean that in the companies who rely heavily on rivers, wells and boreholes - this east of the county reservoirs will borehole supplies from this source. includes farmers, industries and start the summer of 1997 at near full capacity. However many of The county’s spring fed streams companies - comply fully with the the boreholes are below levels draining the North Downs are terms and conditions of their experienced during the 1990-92 particularly vulnerable and dry licences. The Agency will take drought.

Groundwater Situation For Main Aquifers In Southern Region THE DROUGHT IN r fo R T tf KF.iJ t CrfALK HAMPSHIRE THF T ifA ^ E T ISLE OF WIGHT In Hampshire, some o f the chalk streams had begun to dry and die by April 1997 as groundwater levels continue to fall, although the county has not had such EASTAOV/yfe Cf/\LK severe problems as Kent and SEJ\FOt{p Sussex. On the Isle of Wight, sites o f special scientific interest are i s l e o f Ji/t/qt/TOsf Ct£\i\ Main Areas of also threatened as valuable Concern m arshes beoin to Hrv out.

Other education factsh E n v i r o n m e n t A g e n c y

For general enquiries please call your local Environment Agency office. If you are unsure 1. River Flooding 6. Environrr who to contact, or which is your local office, 2. Coastal Flooding Manager please call our general enquiry line. 3. The Water Cycle 7. Conserva NATIONAL LIBRARY & ENVIRONMENT AGENCY 4. Pollution 8. Life in th< GENERAL ENQUIRY LINE INFORMATION SERVICE 5. Uses of the 9. Taking C. 0645 333 111 Water Environment from Indi SOUTHERN REGION The Environment Agency The 24-hour emergency hotline number for Public Relations Department reporting all environmental incidents relating Guildbourne House, Chatsworih Road, to air, land and water. Guildbourne House Worthing. West Sussex BN1 1 1LD ENVIRONMENT AGENCY Chatsworth Road Worthing EMERGENCY HOTLINE West Sussex BN 11 1LD Tel: (01903) 832041 Fax: (01903)214298 0800 80 70 60 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

0 5 4 3 3 6 Printed on Cycluspnnt SO-6/97-2kEAV|Y m CD m o 11 No. H DROUGHT THE Since 1988 Southern Southern 1988 Since ruhs hs century. this droughts severest the f o e som suffered has England protect the environment environment the protect Environment The began. records periods since driest the f o one and Sussex East f o Parts o f W ight, and is is and ight, W f o Sussex, Kent, f o counties the covers Region Southern gency’s A experienced have Kent called aquifers. The The aquifers. called country. Rainfall averages averages Rainfall the f o country. parts driest the f one o is Region Southern environment. the to protect activities f o ide w range a for responsible Isle the and pshire am H ih h dmad of pro 15 r more 1 or 5 f o period a f o ands dem the with controlled is abstraction Water climate. and rainfall levels, river onitors m Agency natural es from com supply for public water our f o cent per nuty n te ulc cneuie aswt ls than less with days consecutive public. the and industry to need the balancing licences, issuing by ater groundw flows, underground reservoirs reservoirs underground 780m m annually and 75 75 and annually m 780m n sre o euain athes r he niomet Agency ent Environm e th m fro factsheets education of series a in ruh in Drought After an exceptionally wet winter, winter, wet 1995. exceptionally an in After began England in Southern droughts severest the f o One decline over much o f Kent, Sussex, Sussex, Kent, f o much over decline steep showed rainfall average Canterbury in Kent the same same the Kent in Canterbury since period driest the experienced Sussex East 1996 in April Eastbourne and 1995 May Between have 1997 to 1995 April Wight. f fact, o In Isle the and Hampshire There have been other dry years, years, dry other been have There long in resulted This South. years four over For ago. century March to 1988 April from period 1893. since driest the was period At 1886. in began records centuries! two for driest the been WHAT IS A IS WHAT However, most scientists say it is is it say scientists most change. However, climate and warming f o lack the claim experts Some periods. long for usage water drying rivers several f o stretches the in persisted conditions drought a over began records since period The South. the to in events seem rare be longer no droughts Long YEARS FOR 200 DRIEST and hottest summer for over over for summer hottest and too early to reach this conclusion. conclusion. this reach to early too global f o evidence is rainfall up and bringing in restrictions o f f o restrictions in bringing and up Tht* strict definition o f a drought is is drought a f o definition strict Tht* 5 years. 250 . m ofri prdy However day. per rain f o mm 5 0.2 DROUGHT? 1992 was previously the driest driest the previously was 1992 1976 for example was the driest driest the was example for 1976 South places a strain on water resources supply. for resources available water on strain a which places rainfall low as f o regarded period is a drought a generally rainfall has failed to occur across across occur to failed vital has rainfall winters two last But the winter. the during during replenished resources less groundwater has on effect drought er m sum A strain. increasing under water environment the putting decrease steadily and levels flows river groundwater drought, a During on average falling in Hampshire Hampshire in falling rain average more on with trend this Regio reflects Southern the in Rainfall shad rain the in lies the f o country side eastern the f The o west country. the over falling most it f o with Atlantic the from bring rain patterns weather Britain’s South. the f o much normally are they because hn nEs usx n Kent. and Sussex East in than west. the to regions hilly the ANAL * W RAINFALL m f o w o WATER SOURCES partnership scheme between the when river flows reach the Environment Agency and Thames minim um desirable level. Nature itself provides two kinds Water on the River Darent has of water storage and man has The rivers may only be taken below meant the creation of a series of added a third in the form o f this minimum level after a Drought artificial springs which operate reservoirs. Permit has first been obtained from during dry spells. These springs the Agency or a Drought Order from Firstly there is soil water which keep the river flowing even during the Department of the Environment. is used by the roots of plants and the worst of the drought. trees through the summer. Groundwater also has to be protected. If Secondly is groundwater 1000 levels in the natural storage. This is natural underground underground water reservoirs or aquifers held in rock such as | 800 drop too low in chalk and sandstone 1 coastal areas, sea­ 1 700 which retains water in 'c water may be drawn pores and cracks. These i South Downs into the surrounding natural underground New Southampton rocks, this will taint Forest Water reservoirs are known as the aquifers and aquifers. Height above sea level 0 10 20 30 40 50 make the water it I___ l___ I___ I___ I___ I The chalk aquifers of Kilometres contains unusable. the North and South Decrease in rainfall from West to East across Southern Region Inland springs which Downs and the supply groundwater- Hampshire Downs fed rivers will begin to dry up, and flows provide natural long \ 1 / term storage of rainfall, Condensation in chalk streams such producing good quality as the Test and Itchen PrecipitationHi water which requires Transpiration / | \ will fall. m inim al treatment. In Surface runoff Southern Region 75per SURVIVING ^erco)at,nn River Evaporation cent of the water supply THE comes from groundwater. ^ Groundwater tt Water table DROUGHT But groundwater Groundwater flow Hot, dry weather storage can only start leads to a large to refill when the soil The water cycle increase in the is saturated. The long, demand from the hot summer of 1995 meant the MANAGING THE public water supply. Over a typical soil became extremely dry. hot weekend in summer, the use During September 1995 there DROUGHT of garden hosepipes alone can was above average rainfall across A drought can be extremely harmful raise water consumption by 20per the region. However, the to the whole water environment. If cent or more. A garden sprinkler beneficial effects of the rainfall river flows fall too low, wildlife and can use as much water in 1 hour were almost entirely wiped out fish start to suffer. Healthy river as an average family uses in a day. by a dry and exceptionally warm flows are needed to dilute The Environment Agency plays a October. During the winter pollutants, to prevent sea water pushing too far into estuaries and key role in guiding the water rainfall was well below average companies in the allocation of across most of the region. to provide wet areas for water life to breed and flourish. Such life is water resources and ensuring a In summer, at times o f low flow, an essential part of the food chain. consistent approach to any reservoirs such as Bewl Water In times of summer drought river restrictions which may be may be used to add to river flows temperatures rise, fish become over­ imposed. The Agency has a duty to to allow large abstractions from crowded and there is an increasing protect the water environment and the river downstream to risk of disease to all wildlife. objects if water conservation continue. This also benefits the measures, such as leakage control river between the reservoir and The Environment Agency sets a and bans on the use of hosepipe, the abstraction point. Some rivers minimum flow for each major river are not in place before Drought such as the Itchen in Hampshire in the Southern Region. Water users, Orders and Drought Permits are can be augmented by pumping such as water companies and sought. The Agency also provides water from groundwater sources farmers, have conditions built into regular, detailed reports to the during severe drought. In Kent a their licences which ensures that Secretary of State for the multi-million pound joint their abstractions from rivers stop Environment about the drought. WHAT THE AGENCY IS DOING

• Pressurising the water companies to meet leakage targets, launch public awareness campaigns, install water meters in selected areas, impose supply restrictions where necessary

• Holding regular meetings with the water companies to ensure they are following the best environmental options

With a few exceptions, abstractions • Using Drought Permits to ensure there is minimum damage from rivers and groundwater to the water environment sources requires a licence from the • Enforcing licence restrictions on abstractors where river and Environment Agency. Most licences groundwater levels are below normal carry specific conditions preventing abstraction at times o f low river flow. • Policing and tightening the controls on sewage works and other dischargers to Some old spray irrigation licences prevent river quality do not however carry these falling and affecting conditions and at times of severe w ildlife drought the Agency has special powers which allow it to reduce • Spearheading innovative the authorised abstraction in order schemes to bring new to conserve resources and protect life to low flow rivers other users. This restriction does • Rescuing fish where not apply to farmers who abstract water falls below an from their own winter-filled acceptable level reservoirs. • Issuing weekly Anyone who abstracts water either "Droughtwatch" reports from a river or from underground on the state of the sources must have a licence issued region's resources to them by the Environment Agency. These licences prevent the • Promoting and abstractors taking water during educating industry in the recycling periods of drought. For example and efficient use of water arable farmers often have a high demand for spray irrigation in dry, hot periods. This kind of irrigation WHAT WE ASK YOU TO DO can cause local water resource FARMERS Observe abstraction licence conditions. Consult with your problems. If this does happen the local Environment Agency staff about the most sensible way to use Agency has the power to ban or water. The Agency promotes the careful control of spraying operations reduce this form of irrigation. by avoiding applications during the middle of the day or at other Many farmers have their own times when evaporation losses are likely to be exceptionally high. reservoirs which are filled during the winter. If a water company INDUSTRY Recycle water where possible, check consumption and asked the Agency to ban spray leakage. In recent years whenever there has been an exceptional shortage of rain, it has been common practice for water companies to irrigators who were affecting public obtain special ''Drought Orders" which allowed them to continue water supply abstraction, the Agency pumping from rivers even when flows were already severely reduced. would first require the company to These measures will now be used much less frequently and the Agency implement a hosepipe ban. will oppose relaxation of any summer restrictions on abstraction if there is a clear risk to water resources or the river environment.

GENERAL PUBLIC Conserve water, consider alternative garden plants, remember that lawns will recover quickly after rain. Remember-all the water that we use is taken from the environment.

THE FUTURE If there is a real climate change then decisions about the use of water resources will have to be taken by politicians.