Above average rainfall caused damaging floods across the UK in February - but since mid-March onwards, the north west region has experienced an intense period of prolonged dry weather. Once again, Canal & River Trust is concerned about drought. In April, the region only received 30% of its average monthly total rainfall, and the dry weather persisted throughout May.
These extremes highlight the need for extensive water pumping to alleviate such problems.
The Trust put out its Regional water resources position statement 2020 recently, explaining the current concerns about drought.
One positive effect from the recent ‘lockdown’ was a reduction in lockage of 90% compared to last year, which allowed the Trust to minimise water pumped to, and fed from, their reservoirs. But concerns remain and, in the north west at least, more rain will be welcomed.
