East Anglia water situation: August 2024 summary
Updated 13 September 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-situation-local-area-reports/east-anglia-water-situation-august-2024-summary
1. Summary
August was a dry month with some very warm days, particularly in the first half of the month. The soil moisture deficit (SMD) built up, and groundwater levels and river flows receded. The healthy recharge season during last winter and the wet spring meant that hydrological extremes and environmental problems were largely avoided even during the warmest days.
2. Rainfall
August was a dry month across East Anglia. Following a dry June and a wet July, the low rainfall during the month means the 3-month total rainfall across the summer has been lower than the long term average (LTA). Summer totals have been typically 30mm to 50mm lower than the LTA. But the dry summer followed a particularly wet autumn, winter and spring. During the last 12 months, rainfall totals have been typically 160mm to 260mm higher than the LTA. South Essex has been the exception, but even here the 12-month totals have been 90mm higher than the LTA.
3. Soil moisture deficit and recharge
The high rainfall totals during the first half of July contributed to a lower SMD than usual by the middle of the summer. The dry end to July and the dry August since then has led to a rapid rise in deficit. However, the shortening days of autumn mean the deficit is unlikely to get much higher in the coming weeks.
4. River flows
All river flows receded during August with little or no runoff responses. But where rivers have significant baseflow components, the flows held up well relative to flows observed in previous Augusts. The River Waveney flow at Needham appears low relative to previous years due to the absence of significant runoff responses and because the river has not been augmented with the Waveney Augmentation Groundwater Schemes (WAGS) this summer.
5. Groundwater levels
Groundwater levels continued to recede. However, they remain healthy for the time of year due to the bountiful recharge season last winter.
6. Reservoir stocks
Reservoir storage was drawn down during the dry August as expected. Levels remain relatively healthy with no particular causes for concern.
7. Forward look
7.1 Probabilistic ensemble projections for river flows at key sites
The projections for the coming December suggest a reduced risk of exceptionally low flows then.
7.2 Probabilistic ensemble projections for groundwater levels in key aquifers
The projection for groundwater levels in March 2025 show no prospect of exceptionally low groundwater levels by then. There is only a low risk of some sites recording notably low groundwater levels.
Author: Hydrology Team, hydrology-ean-and-lna@environment-agency.gov.uk
All data are provisional and may be subject to revision. The views expressed in this document are not necessarily those of the Environment Agency. Its officers, servants or agents accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from the interpretation or use of the information, or reliance upon views contained in this report.