Yorkshire and North East Region Drought Plan January 2012 Title Yorkshire and North East Region Drought Plan No. 569_11_SD01 Status: Version 1 Issue Date: 30/01/2012 Page 1 of 135 We are the Environment Agency. We protect and improve the environment and make it a better place for people and wildlife. We operate at the place where environmental change has its greatest impact on people’s lives. We reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; make sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protect and improve air, land and water quality and apply the environmental standards within which industry can operate. Acting to reduce climate change and helping people and wildlife adapt to its consequences are at the heart of all that we do. We cannot do this alone. We work closely with a wide range of partners including government, business, local authorities, other agencies, civil society groups and the communities we serve. Published by: Environment Agency Horizon House, Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AH Tel: 0117 934 4000 Email: enquiries@environment- agency.gov.uk www.environment-agency.gov.uk Further copies of this report are available © Environment Agency from our publications catalogue: http://publications.environment- All rights reserved. This document may be agency.gov.uk or our National Customer reproduced with prior permission of Contact Centre: T: 08708 506506 the Environment Agency. E: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Title Yorkshire and North East Region Drought Plan No. 569_11_SD01 Status: Version 1 Issue Date: 30/01/2012 Page 2 of 135 Yorkshire & North East Region Drought Plan - Executive Summary What is the drought plan? As a regulator, we carry out a range of activities to protect the environment and implement the priorities of central government. We have a duty to secure the proper use of water resources in England and Wales. We monitor water in the environment, and issue abstraction licences to regulate who can take water from the environment. We have produced this drought plan to explain how the Yorkshire and North East Region will react during a drought to protect public water supplies and the environment. Detailed information on droughts and responses to frequently asked questions can be found via our website: http://www.environment- agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/drought/31791.aspx Why do we write it? Droughts do not happen on a regular basis, the last major drought being in this Region in 1995/6, therefore it is important that we know how to react in order to protect public water supplies and the environment. Drought plans are essential for managing water resources and help us make the right decisions at the right time. We rewrite our plans roughly every three years - around the same time as water companies develop their statutory drought plans. We do this to ensure the plans align and that lessons from any intervening dry periods have been incorporated into both plans. This single document replaces all previous Environment Agency drought plans for our Region and should be considered alongside the statutory plans of our local water companies. What does it contain? The plan contains background information on what we do to manage water resources. It also contains actions and information specific only to the drought plan. The plan contains: • an outline of how we will manage water resources during a drought and define our role and responsibilities; • details of the structures and teams involved in managing the drought; • the steps we will take to respond to the competing interests of the environment, the need for public water supply and other abstractors; • what additional environmental monitoring we will carry out that is specific to drought; • a framework for liaison with water companies, abstractors and others interested in water resources; • a list of triggers, decisions and actions we will carry out as a drought escalates. Title Yorkshire and North East Region Drought Plan No. 569_11_SD01 Status: Version 1 Issue Date: 30/01/2012 Page 3 of 135 The plan also details the different stages of drought management. Droughts tend not to be sudden events therefore we escalate activity and use a weight of evidence approach before deciding which drought status we are in. Details on the different statuses can be found in Section 3 of the plan. It is also important to recognise that this plan affords us some flexibility. Each drought and the impact on different sectors and the environment will be unique, and our response will have to vary dependent on the prevailing conditions. Who’s involved? The drought plan describes the teams we will establish in a drought situation. We will also work with colleagues in other regions and in National teams. To manage a drought effectively, we will need to work with abstractors (including those for agriculture and public water supply), British Waterways, Natural England and a range of interested parties. We have actions associated with triggers and a communications plan within our drought plan which help us to manage a drought and inform the right people at the right time. The triggers can be found in Section 3 and the communications plan can be found in Appendix C. Which are the most important bits? The plan contains detail of the activities we will take relevant to managing drought. There are a number of sections which relate to internal processes which are useful for Environment Agency staff when managing a drought but of less relevance to the general reader. The main component of the drought plan is the triggers and associated actions. Triggers are presented in Section 3. Reviewing this section will give you a good idea of how we will escalate our activities during a drought and what actions we would take. This is the main focus of the drought plan and would be relied upon to direct our activity as a period of drier weather escalates towards drought. Changes to the plan We asked for comments when a draft of this drought plan was made available for public consultation during 2011. We have amended parts of our plan in light of comments received. Where can I find the plan? The drought plan is available to the public via the Environment Agency website. There is a designated drought section at the following location: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/drought/default.aspx. If you have suggestions about how the Environment Agency can improve engagement with you during a drought, then please contact our Regional drought coordinator via email at: Drought.northeast@environment-agency.gov.uk Title Yorkshire and North East Region Drought Plan No. 569_11_SD01 Status: Version 1 Issue Date: 30/01/2012 Page 4 of 135 Contents Yorkshire & North East Region Drought Plan - Executive Summary .......................... 3 Contents ..................................................................................................................... 5 Summary .................................................................................................................... 8 1. Introduction........................................................................................................ 10 1.1. Purpose ......................................................................................................... 10 1.2. Definition of drought....................................................................................... 11 1.3. Drought plans and responsibilities ................................................................. 11 1.4. Background information on Yorkshire and North East Region....................... 11 1.4.1. Water resources ..................................................................................... 12 1.4.2. Regulation of water resources ................................................................ 16 1.4.3. Exempt Areas ......................................................................................... 17 1.4.4. Environmental issues.............................................................................. 18 1.4.5. Water companies.................................................................................... 19 1.4.6. Industrial use of water............................................................................. 22 1.4.7. Agriculture .............................................................................................. 22 1.4.8. Power generation.................................................................................... 23 1.4.9. Domestic use.......................................................................................... 23 1.4.10. Angling.................................................................................................... 23 1.4.11. Recreation .............................................................................................. 24 1.4.12. Water efficiency ...................................................................................... 25 1.4.13. Other plans ............................................................................................. 25 1.4.14. Past droughts.......................................................................................... 26 1.4.15. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Directive Assessments......................................................................................................... 27 2. Drought management in Yorkshire and North East Region............................... 28 2.1. Drought teams within the Region................................................................... 28 2.2. Individual
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