East Anglia water situation: December 2024 summary
Updated 14 January 2025
Applies to England
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1. Summary
The month began wet with rainfall on several of the first 8 days. The rivers responded well, reflecting the low soil moisture deficits. The final two thirds of the months were much drier, and river flows have generally receded. River baseflows and groundwater levels are generally healthy for the time of year.
2. Rainfall
Rainfall in December was close to the long-term average across East Anglia. South Essex was the exception, with lower totals there. The month began wet, with typically 30mm to 50mm across the north and west of the Area from the 4 to 8 December. Significant rainfall followed on the 18 December, particularly in Norfolk. There were then no notable rainfall events across the Area for the rest of the month. Overall, across the last 3 months the total rainfall has also been close to the long-term average. Cumulative totals over the past 12 months remain high, with most months in 2024 having had average or higher rainfall.
3. Soil moisture deficit and recharge
The soil moisture deficit at the end of December was slightly lower than the long-term average. The deficit had reduced rapidly during September in response to the high rainfall totals then. With broadly average rainfall and declining evapotranspiration rates throughout autumn and early winter since then the deficit has continued to decline.
4. River flows
The rivers in the west of East Anglia responded with high flows to the rainfall in the first third of the month, following on from wet conditions near the end of November. Flows have then been receding for the final 3 weeks of December. The baseflows to which they have receded are however higher than they were before those rainfall events. The baseflow-dominated rivers of North Norfolk have also seen marked rises in baseflow during the month.
5. Groundwater levels
Groundwater levels in most monitoring boreholes are rising in line with the typical seasonal trend. As levels were quite high through the summer, levels have remained generally above average for the time of year going into the winter.
6. Reservoir stocks
Reservoir storage in the public water supply reservoirs is currently at levels which give no particular cause for concern for this time of year. Winter-fill farm reservoirs also have generally reasonable prospects for filling this winter.
7. Forward look
7.1 Probabilistic ensemble projections for river flows at key sites
The ensemble predictions are giving no cause for concern, in line with the current conditions.
7.2 Probabilistic ensemble projections for groundwater levels in key aquifers
The ensemble predictions are giving no cause for concern, in line with the current conditions.
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.