The Environment Agency has declared a drought for the North West, following the driest spring in 69 years.

It's based on the fact that river flows have been declining, and that reservoir levels are lowering.

Although there has been rainfall recently, the Environment Agency has said it is 'not enough' to reverse the dry start to the year - especially given that further warm weather is forecast.

Reservoirs in the Lake District such as Haweswater and Thirlmere - which serve Manchester - sit lower than 50 percent capacity; compared with 90 percent at the same time last year.

The news comes after the Canal and River Trust closed a section of the Trent & Mersey canal near Middlewich recently as a result of the lack of rainfall. The route between Lock 41 and 71 was closed on May 19th and reopened last Friday (May 23rd).

A spokesperson for the Canal and River Trust said: "We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused to your boating plans."  

What will happen in Sandbach?

United Utilities manages water supply in the region.

Although a hosepipe ban has not yet been announced, the Environment Agency has said they could follow soon. It's the responsibility of the water companies to introduce the bans.

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In any case, United Utilities will start sharing advice on how to reduce water usage. This could include simple measures such as collecting rainwater for use in the garden, and other water-reducing measures for the home.

United Utilities will also be out detecting and fixing leaks.

They can also use their pipe network to move water around, from areas of higher supply to 'top up' those with low supply.

The water company also has a drought plan, which the Environment Agency will make sure is followed.

Reservoir capacity in the North West was around 90 percent this time in 2024 - now it's less than 50 percent (Image - Sian Bentley Maggee / Unsplash)

What do the experts say?

Andy Brown, Water Regulation Manager at the Environment Agency said: "Drought is a naturally occurring phenomenon. As we see more impacts from climate change heavier rainfall and drier summers will become more frequent. This poses an enormous challenge over the next few decades.

"Despite the rain over the weekend levels remain low and we are encouraging people to be aware of the impacts of drought as we enter the summer period.

"With further unsettled periods and rainfall over the coming weeks we will continue to closely monitor the situation and implement our Drought Plan."

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Richard Allan, a professor of climate science at the University of Reading, said in The Guardian: "Droughts are expected to onset more rapidly and become more intense as the planet warms since the atmosphere's thirst for water grows.

"A warming climate means moisture is more readily sapped from one region and blown into storm systems elsewhere, intensifying both wet and dry weather extremes with wilder swings between them.

"The only way to limit the increasing severity of wet and dry extremes is to rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of society."