NRW Declares Drought Across All of Wales
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- Natural Resources Wales declared an environmental drought across the whole of Wales on Thursday, extending a status that had previously covered only the north and parts of mid Wales
- Wales is on course for its driest July in 190 years of records, driven by sustained high temperatures
- NRW said the natural environment is "deteriorating," citing record-low river levels, dry soils, widespread wildfires, and impacts on mountain wildlife, farming, and forestry
- The nationwide declaration will trigger increased river monitoring and stronger public guidance on water use
- Welsh water companies said reservoir levels remain stable after a wet start to the year, and the environmental drought declaration does not currently threaten supplies for homes or businesses
Why it matters: The nationwide declaration escalates monitoring and public water-use guidance for all of Wales, even though reservoir levels remain adequate for now. The real pressure falls on farming, forestry, and upland ecosystems already hit by record-low rivers and wildfires — not yet on household taps.
