About half of England is now officially in drought after exceptionally low rainfall and repeated heatwaves rapidly depleted rivers, reservoirs and soil moisture, the Environment Agency said on Wednesday. The declaration covers parts of central, eastern and southern England as the country enters its fourth heatwave of 2026, according to the Associated Press and the agency.
The agency said the drought developed quickly because intense heat coincided with very little rain. Southern England had received only about 1% of its normal July rainfall, while temperatures in eastern England were forecast to reach 34 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the Met Office said. The agency described this as England's second consecutive drought and its third in five years as the climate changes.
The effects are already spreading across households, farming and ecosystems. Rivers are running low, farmers are harvesting crops early, wildfire danger is rising and millions of residents face restrictions on water use, the agency said. A report for July 17 to 23 found national reservoir storage at 75.3%, about 7.4 percentage points below the long-term seasonal average, with 84% of measured river flows classified below normal or lower.
Nearly 40% of England's population was already covered by temporary water-use bans by July 23. The agency also reported 1,353 restrictions on water-abstraction licences, reduced crop yields, early use of winter livestock feed and increasing incidents involving distressed fish, ecological damage and algal blooms. Earlier in July, seven water companies had announced restrictions affecting 23 million customers.
Authorities have intensified emergency measures to protect supplies and wildlife. The Environment Agency said it was releasing water from strategic reservoirs and using the Shropshire Groundwater Scheme to support the River Severn. That scheme was supplying about 200 million litres a day, while teams carried out fish rescues and water companies increased leak repairs as dry soil placed added strain on pipes.
The outlook remains difficult because the agency said there was no substantial rain on the way. Officials are coordinating with government, water companies and farmers, monitoring environmental incidents and reviewing drought measures. The agency has urged continued conservation while keeping enough water available for public health, food production, rivers and wildlife during the continuing heat.
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