Rivers at risk: New WildFish drought report highlights the environmental consequences of England’s failing water system  

WildFish today published a new report which examines England’s preparedness to deal with drought and explores the environmental consequences of failing to strengthen our water security.

The report, England is Still Not Prepared for Drought, comes as the country’s water system enters a period of unprecedented pressure. Drawing on 50 years of precipitation data (since the 1976 drought), the report finds that England’s water security problem is not a shortage of rainfall. It is a problem of storage, infrastructure and demand and one that will have potentially devastating consequences for our already vulnerable wild fish populations.

READ THE REPORT

Dr. Janina Gray, Head of Science and Policy and Deputy CEO at WildFish, said: 

“England has entered a decisive decade for water security. This year’s intense dry spell has exposed the cracks in our outdated infrastructure, and we must learn from it before our over-leveraged water system is pushed past its breaking point.

Our current approach to water resources relies on abstracting (removing) water from already stressed rivers, with the natural environment acting as the nation’s emergency water reserve. This approach is unsustainable as England’s freshwater ecosystems are already among the most degraded in Europe with vital species such as the Atlantic salmon facing extinction in UK waters.

While the impact of climate change on our weather systems and waterways has made things worse, it cannot be used as a get-out clause by governments or water companies who, for decades, have failed to properly manage our water resources. Precipitation data shows England has generally become wetter and so the solution is clear: England needs to get better at managing the water it receives. The future of our wild fish populations depends on it”.

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