Drought in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Droughts in the United Kingdom are a relatively common feature of the weather
in the UK, with one around every 5–10 years on average. These droughts are usually confined to summer, when a blocking high causes hot, dry weather for an extended period. However droughts can vary in their characteristics. All types of drought cause issues across all sectors, with impacts exending to the ecosystem
, agriculture
and the economy
of the whole country in severe cases of drought. The south east of the country usually suffers most, as it has the highest population (and therefore demand) and the lowest average precipitation
per year, which is even lower in a drought. Even in these areas in severe droughts, the definition, impacts, effects and management are all minimal in comparison to drought prone areas such as Australia
and parts of the United States
. In recent years however, the summers of 2007, 2008, 2009 and August 2010 were wetter than normal, 2007 being wettest on record, although water companies have predicted that due to the somewhat dry weather throughout 2011, a drought may occur during 2012 if substantial rainfall does not occur over the winter months of 2011-2012.
is usually defined as an extended period of weather
(usually around 3 weeks) where less than a third of the usual precipitation
falls.
In the UK an absolute drought is currently defined as a period of at least 15 consecutive days or more where there is less than 0.2 mm (0.008 inches) of rainfall., although before the 1990s a drought was defined as 15 consecutive days with less than 0.25mm (0.01 inches) rain on any one day. This previous definition sometimes led to confusion, as many argued that if less than 0.25mm of rain fell in 30 days, is that 2 droughts and if 0.26mm fell after 25 days, is the drought over? This led to the new definition but many believe hindsight is the best way to judge if a drought has occurred.
In the longer term drought in the UK can also be defined as a 50 per cent deficit over three months, or a 15 per cent shortfall over two years.
Compared to other countries the UK definition of a drought is much less severe. In Libya
in the Sahel
region, a drought is usually only recognized after two years without any measurable rainfall. If this were to happen in the UK, the consequences would be disastrous.
A different type of drought is the psychological or agricultural drought whereby moisture is in the soil but little is getting to vegetation, either because it is frozen (which can occur in severely cold winters in the UK) or because of very high temperatures which means that the rate of evapotranspiration
is exceeding the rate of uptake of water from the plant (which can be seen in the UK, on hot days, when plants wilt as their stores of water are depleted).
A hydrological drought can occur, after a relatively dry winter whereby the soil moisture storage, reservoirs and water table
have not risen sufficiently to counteract the warm summer weather. These sort of conditions can go over several years, even with above average rainfall at the time as the rainfall only slowly percolates
through the water stores and replenishes them.
(often the Azores high
) system that forces other low pressure systems around it, usually to the northwest. This can happen any time of year, but brings hot sunny weather in summer and dry, cold and fog
gy weather in winter. This is why in dry spells the northwest of the UK actually often receives above average rainfall, as depressions and associated fronts are pushed towards the north.
A severe drought in the UK needs to have the high pressure in charge of the weather for an extended period, commonly for weeks or even months at a time. Most often sea surface temperature anomalies in the Atlantic and intensification of the mid latitude westerlies in the Pacific can bring a stable anticyclone, meaning that the pressure can remain above average for weeks, or even months at a time, allowing the heat to build and dry weather to continue during the anticyclonic system.
, where a dry 1975 winter was followed by one of the hottest and driest summers since records began. The drought effectively began in October 1975, but with low temperatures and therefore low evaporation rates during the winter, the below average rainfall did not present an immediate problem. As the dry winter ended and was followed by the hot and particularly dry summer of 1976, the drought became one of the most famous in UK history.
The drought become a serious problem in late spring. In April, no rain fell in parts of Cornwall
and then in June, no rain fell over Devon
and Kent
. In August no precipitation was measured in North Wales. This meant that in some places, less than half the average rainfall was measured from October 1975 to August 1976. For example in Kew, just 235mm (9.25 inches) of rain was measured over that period, which was 43% of the average, meaning the amount of rain that fell was comparable to a semi-arid
climate. In Devon and Dorset, some locations received no rainfall for 45 consecutive days through July and August, another UK record. This was on top of another 3 periods of absolute drought, totalling 58 days with no measurable precipitation.
The lack of rain can be attributed to the high pressure system over the UK at the time, which meant average pressure was 5 millibars above the expected for the summer months.
This drought was intensified by the exceptional heat that occurred all through it. Records were set for the heat as well as the lack of rain, resulting in very high evaporation rates. From the 23rd of June, temperatures were over 32 °C (89.6 °F) for 2 consecutive weeks around the UK, peaking at 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) in June on the 28th at Mayflower Park in Southampton. This still is the highest ever June temperature since records began. The highest temperature in the summer was 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) at Cheltenham
on the 3rd July.
Another event like the 1976 drought was in the summer of 2003. This was also notable for the temperatures involved, with 100F being hit in the UK for the first time since records began, with a top temperature of 38.1 °C (100.6 °F) recorded in Gravesend, in Kent and some places recording up to 38.5 °C (101.3 °F) unofficially. Also this drought and the associated heatwave affected the whole of Europe, not just the UK, as with the 1976 event. The average temperature was the highest since 1868, measured over February to September. This added to the severity of the drought, with high rates of evaporation
. The summer ranked as the 4th highest for potential evaporation
since 1961, and this evaporation alone exceeded rainfall totals across a third of the UK.
The UK had its driest February to October period since 1921, and in the drought period had conditions only comparable to the previous conditions of 1976. Over the whole of the UK, the rainfall totals were the 3rd lowest since records began in 1900 and in some regions only 25% of the average rainfall fell in this period. Scotland suffered during this period as it had its driest spell since the 1955 drought, and coupled with a dry winter here (England and Wales had relatively wet winters as depressions were forced south) this led to a hydrological drought here too. Also, with several local convective thunderstorms missing specific areas, these localities had exceptionally low rainfall totals, compared to the average, with some places having their driest February to October since 1697.
The drought ended in October when a low pressure system finally arrived to bring substantial rain to the UK. Some areas in Southern England had more rain in this 6 day period than they had received in the previous 3 months. Fortunately the preceding winter of 2002-2003 was relatively wet, which reduced the severity of the drought greatly, unlike the dry 1975 winter which led into 1976.
fell, and reservoir
water levels began to fall. Only after some exceptionally wet years, consistently from 1999 to 2002, were water levels replenished. Similar conditions were felt between 2003 and 2006, with only the record breaking rainfall of 2007 and 2008 replenishing the water levels.
and reservoir
levels begin to drop as rainfall fails to counteract evaporation.
As drought conditions continue, groundwater levels drop and this provides excellent conditions for fires to develop. With hot, dry weather and no moisture underground, trees lose moisture and become very flammable in dry conditions. This leads to wildfire
s which usually is the main impact of drought in the UK, with moorland vegetation such as heather
badly affected as the peat bogs dry out. Also, these fires can continue, even when seemingly put out, as the smoldering peat re-ignites the dry vegetation. However, during severe droughts, many trees can burn, and people's lives can be at risk, as in the 1976 drought when a fire encroached on a hospital, and only a wind direction change saved the patients lives. As embers can be transported easily, and if drought is severe enough, fires can start miles away form their original position as they are transported by wind and even dust devil
s. With these situations, roads are often closed to prevent loss of life and further damage. These fires also can destroy wildlife habitats, and this can also threaten wildlife.
Often, in severe droughts, crops can fail as the soil does not contain sufficient moisture to keep them alive and this is usually the largest economic impact with £500 million ($830 million) worth of damage from failed crops in 1976. Another, more subtle impact is the insurance claims from damage to houses and businesses from fire and subsidence
(caused by the dry and shrunken soil), sometimes amounting to over £50 million ($83 million) in severe droughts.
. There are 4 stages to drought management, applying to both businesses and homes.
The first of these is a media campaign, urging people to save water and prevent specific measures to be taken. For example, use a water butt to collect any rainfall.
If drought continues, and water levels continue to decrease, further measures are brought in to save water. The first stage of this is a hosepipe ban, which prevents the use of hosepipes, and can be applied to hot tubs, pressure washers and other similar devices in a future drought. These measures were brought in, particularly the ban on hosepipes, in 2006 and 1976.
The second stage involves conserving any non-essential supplies of water. These are brought in when no foreseeable precipitation is forecast and water supplies are already very low. The management options including simply widening the hosepipe bans, to include sprinklers or drastic measures such as banning cleaning of buildings, vehicles and windows or the filling of swimming pools. These measures were also brought in during the 1976 drought.
The third and final stage involves drastic measures of water rationing to all businesses and homes in the UK in an emergency drought order. The measures are brought in only in exceptional conditions of extended periods with little or no rainfall. These actions include rationing of water, with no water supplies for certain times of the day, or allowing water for a specific amount of time. Also standpipes and water tankers can be used as a last resort to have only set amounts of water given to each household in a neighbourhood. Again, these measures were used during the 1976 drought.
Also, each area in the UK has its own drought plan, in the event of any future drought.
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
in the UK, with one around every 5–10 years on average. These droughts are usually confined to summer, when a blocking high causes hot, dry weather for an extended period. However droughts can vary in their characteristics. All types of drought cause issues across all sectors, with impacts exending to the ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and the economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
of the whole country in severe cases of drought. The south east of the country usually suffers most, as it has the highest population (and therefore demand) and the lowest average precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
per year, which is even lower in a drought. Even in these areas in severe droughts, the definition, impacts, effects and management are all minimal in comparison to drought prone areas such as Australia
Drought in Australia
Drought in Australia is defined as rainfall over a three month period being in the lowest decile of what has been recorded for that region in the past. This definition takes into account that drought is a relative term and rainfall deficiencies need to be compared to typical rainfall patterns...
and parts of the United States
Drought in the United States
Drought in the United States is similar to that of other portions of the globe. Below normal precipitation leads to drought, which is caused by an above average persistence of high pressure over the drought area...
. In recent years however, the summers of 2007, 2008, 2009 and August 2010 were wetter than normal, 2007 being wettest on record, although water companies have predicted that due to the somewhat dry weather throughout 2011, a drought may occur during 2012 if substantial rainfall does not occur over the winter months of 2011-2012.
Definition and comparison with other countries
A droughtDrought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
is usually defined as an extended period of weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
(usually around 3 weeks) where less than a third of the usual precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
falls.
In the UK an absolute drought is currently defined as a period of at least 15 consecutive days or more where there is less than 0.2 mm (0.008 inches) of rainfall., although before the 1990s a drought was defined as 15 consecutive days with less than 0.25mm (0.01 inches) rain on any one day. This previous definition sometimes led to confusion, as many argued that if less than 0.25mm of rain fell in 30 days, is that 2 droughts and if 0.26mm fell after 25 days, is the drought over? This led to the new definition but many believe hindsight is the best way to judge if a drought has occurred.
In the longer term drought in the UK can also be defined as a 50 per cent deficit over three months, or a 15 per cent shortfall over two years.
Compared to other countries the UK definition of a drought is much less severe. In Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
in the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
region, a drought is usually only recognized after two years without any measurable rainfall. If this were to happen in the UK, the consequences would be disastrous.
A different type of drought is the psychological or agricultural drought whereby moisture is in the soil but little is getting to vegetation, either because it is frozen (which can occur in severely cold winters in the UK) or because of very high temperatures which means that the rate of evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration is a term used to describe the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from the Earth's land surface to atmosphere. Evaporation accounts for the movement of water to the air from sources such as the soil, canopy interception, and waterbodies...
is exceeding the rate of uptake of water from the plant (which can be seen in the UK, on hot days, when plants wilt as their stores of water are depleted).
A hydrological drought can occur, after a relatively dry winter whereby the soil moisture storage, reservoirs and water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
have not risen sufficiently to counteract the warm summer weather. These sort of conditions can go over several years, even with above average rainfall at the time as the rainfall only slowly percolates
Percolation theory
In mathematics, percolation theory describes the behavior of connected clusters in a random graph. The applications of percolation theory to materials science and other domains are discussed in the article percolation.-Introduction:...
through the water stores and replenishes them.
Causes
The main cause for a long spell of dry weather in the UK is usually a blocking anticycloneHigh pressure area
A high-pressure area is a region where the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the planet is greater than its surrounding environment. Winds within high-pressure areas flow outward due to the higher density air near their center and friction with land...
(often the Azores high
Azores High
The Azores High is a large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure found near the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, at the Horse latitudes...
) system that forces other low pressure systems around it, usually to the northwest. This can happen any time of year, but brings hot sunny weather in summer and dry, cold and fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
gy weather in winter. This is why in dry spells the northwest of the UK actually often receives above average rainfall, as depressions and associated fronts are pushed towards the north.
A severe drought in the UK needs to have the high pressure in charge of the weather for an extended period, commonly for weeks or even months at a time. Most often sea surface temperature anomalies in the Atlantic and intensification of the mid latitude westerlies in the Pacific can bring a stable anticyclone, meaning that the pressure can remain above average for weeks, or even months at a time, allowing the heat to build and dry weather to continue during the anticyclonic system.
Notable events
Several notable droughts in the UK have occurred in recorded history, some of these in the 21st century. They can be divided into 2 categories, the meteorological drought where little or no rain fell over a relatively short period and the hydrological drought, where below average rainfall has occurred over an extended period.Meteorological droughts
One of the most major meteorological droughts of recent times occurred in the year of 19761976 United Kingdom heat wave
The summer of 1976 was the hottest summer in the UK since records began. As well as the heat, Britain was in the middle of a severe drought.-Heatwave and drought effects:The temperature reached 80°F every day between 22 June and 16 July...
, where a dry 1975 winter was followed by one of the hottest and driest summers since records began. The drought effectively began in October 1975, but with low temperatures and therefore low evaporation rates during the winter, the below average rainfall did not present an immediate problem. As the dry winter ended and was followed by the hot and particularly dry summer of 1976, the drought became one of the most famous in UK history.
The drought become a serious problem in late spring. In April, no rain fell in parts of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and then in June, no rain fell over Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. In August no precipitation was measured in North Wales. This meant that in some places, less than half the average rainfall was measured from October 1975 to August 1976. For example in Kew, just 235mm (9.25 inches) of rain was measured over that period, which was 43% of the average, meaning the amount of rain that fell was comparable to a semi-arid
Semi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
climate. In Devon and Dorset, some locations received no rainfall for 45 consecutive days through July and August, another UK record. This was on top of another 3 periods of absolute drought, totalling 58 days with no measurable precipitation.
The lack of rain can be attributed to the high pressure system over the UK at the time, which meant average pressure was 5 millibars above the expected for the summer months.
This drought was intensified by the exceptional heat that occurred all through it. Records were set for the heat as well as the lack of rain, resulting in very high evaporation rates. From the 23rd of June, temperatures were over 32 °C (89.6 °F) for 2 consecutive weeks around the UK, peaking at 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) in June on the 28th at Mayflower Park in Southampton. This still is the highest ever June temperature since records began. The highest temperature in the summer was 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) at Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
on the 3rd July.
Another event like the 1976 drought was in the summer of 2003. This was also notable for the temperatures involved, with 100F being hit in the UK for the first time since records began, with a top temperature of 38.1 °C (100.6 °F) recorded in Gravesend, in Kent and some places recording up to 38.5 °C (101.3 °F) unofficially. Also this drought and the associated heatwave affected the whole of Europe, not just the UK, as with the 1976 event. The average temperature was the highest since 1868, measured over February to September. This added to the severity of the drought, with high rates of evaporation
Evaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
. The summer ranked as the 4th highest for potential evaporation
Potential evaporation
Potential evaporation or potential evapotranspiration is defined as the amount of evaporation that would occur if a sufficient water source were available. If the actual evapotranspiration is considered the net result of atmospheric demand for moisture from a surface and the ability of the...
since 1961, and this evaporation alone exceeded rainfall totals across a third of the UK.
The UK had its driest February to October period since 1921, and in the drought period had conditions only comparable to the previous conditions of 1976. Over the whole of the UK, the rainfall totals were the 3rd lowest since records began in 1900 and in some regions only 25% of the average rainfall fell in this period. Scotland suffered during this period as it had its driest spell since the 1955 drought, and coupled with a dry winter here (England and Wales had relatively wet winters as depressions were forced south) this led to a hydrological drought here too. Also, with several local convective thunderstorms missing specific areas, these localities had exceptionally low rainfall totals, compared to the average, with some places having their driest February to October since 1697.
The drought ended in October when a low pressure system finally arrived to bring substantial rain to the UK. Some areas in Southern England had more rain in this 6 day period than they had received in the previous 3 months. Fortunately the preceding winter of 2002-2003 was relatively wet, which reduced the severity of the drought greatly, unlike the dry 1975 winter which led into 1976.
Hydrological droughts
A significant hydrological drought occurred between 1995 and 1998 in the UK where the warm, dry summers were followed by dry, cool winters. This meant that over the 3 years, the lack of winter precipitation failed to counteract the dry summers, so slowly the water tableWater table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
fell, and reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
water levels began to fall. Only after some exceptionally wet years, consistently from 1999 to 2002, were water levels replenished. Similar conditions were felt between 2003 and 2006, with only the record breaking rainfall of 2007 and 2008 replenishing the water levels.
Impact
UK droughts have similar consequences to other droughts elsewhere in the world. The first of these is riverRiver
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
and reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
levels begin to drop as rainfall fails to counteract evaporation.
As drought conditions continue, groundwater levels drop and this provides excellent conditions for fires to develop. With hot, dry weather and no moisture underground, trees lose moisture and become very flammable in dry conditions. This leads to wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s which usually is the main impact of drought in the UK, with moorland vegetation such as heather
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
badly affected as the peat bogs dry out. Also, these fires can continue, even when seemingly put out, as the smoldering peat re-ignites the dry vegetation. However, during severe droughts, many trees can burn, and people's lives can be at risk, as in the 1976 drought when a fire encroached on a hospital, and only a wind direction change saved the patients lives. As embers can be transported easily, and if drought is severe enough, fires can start miles away form their original position as they are transported by wind and even dust devil
Dust devil
A dust devil is a strong, well-formed, and relatively long-lived whirlwind, ranging from small to large . The primary vertical motion is upward...
s. With these situations, roads are often closed to prevent loss of life and further damage. These fires also can destroy wildlife habitats, and this can also threaten wildlife.
Often, in severe droughts, crops can fail as the soil does not contain sufficient moisture to keep them alive and this is usually the largest economic impact with £500 million ($830 million) worth of damage from failed crops in 1976. Another, more subtle impact is the insurance claims from damage to houses and businesses from fire and subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
(caused by the dry and shrunken soil), sometimes amounting to over £50 million ($83 million) in severe droughts.
Responses and management
The responses to drought in the UK are managed by the Environment AgencyEnvironment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
. There are 4 stages to drought management, applying to both businesses and homes.
The first of these is a media campaign, urging people to save water and prevent specific measures to be taken. For example, use a water butt to collect any rainfall.
If drought continues, and water levels continue to decrease, further measures are brought in to save water. The first stage of this is a hosepipe ban, which prevents the use of hosepipes, and can be applied to hot tubs, pressure washers and other similar devices in a future drought. These measures were brought in, particularly the ban on hosepipes, in 2006 and 1976.
The second stage involves conserving any non-essential supplies of water. These are brought in when no foreseeable precipitation is forecast and water supplies are already very low. The management options including simply widening the hosepipe bans, to include sprinklers or drastic measures such as banning cleaning of buildings, vehicles and windows or the filling of swimming pools. These measures were also brought in during the 1976 drought.
The third and final stage involves drastic measures of water rationing to all businesses and homes in the UK in an emergency drought order. The measures are brought in only in exceptional conditions of extended periods with little or no rainfall. These actions include rationing of water, with no water supplies for certain times of the day, or allowing water for a specific amount of time. Also standpipes and water tankers can be used as a last resort to have only set amounts of water given to each household in a neighbourhood. Again, these measures were used during the 1976 drought.
Also, each area in the UK has its own drought plan, in the event of any future drought.
See also
- Sahel droughtSahel drought[[File:Greening Sahel 1982-1999.jpg|thumb|300px|Recent "Greening" of the Sahel: The results of trend analyses of time series over the Sahel region of seasonally integrated NDVI using NOAA AVHRR NDVI-data from 1982 to 1999...
- 2003 European heat wave2003 European heat waveThe 2003 European heat wave was the hottest summer on record in Europe since at least 1540. France was hit especially hard. The heat wave led to health crises in several countries and combined with drought to create a crop shortfall in Southern Europe...
- 1976 United Kingdom heat wave1976 United Kingdom heat waveThe summer of 1976 was the hottest summer in the UK since records began. As well as the heat, Britain was in the middle of a severe drought.-Heatwave and drought effects:The temperature reached 80°F every day between 22 June and 16 July...
- 2006 European heat wave2006 European heat waveThe 2006 European heat wave was a period of exceptionally hot weather that arrived at the end of June 2006 in certain European countries. The United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany and western part of Russia were most affected....
- Climate ChangeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...