England reservoirs remain under strain after sixth dry month
The Environment Agency said on 2 October that reservoirs across England were 55% full, against a usual seasonal level of 74.3%. Drought continues in southern and central England.
Event / data period: 2026-10-01
Published: · Updated:
The agency's report for 25 September to 1 October said September rainfall was 65% of the long-term average. Sixteen reservoirs or reservoir groups were less than half full, and six were classed as exceptionally low.
Ardingly and Wimbleball reservoirs were at 23% and 21% on 28 September. The agency said rainfall equal to 120% of average over the next seven months would be needed for the country to leave drought by next spring; that is a stated recovery condition, not a forecast.
Data
England drought indicators
Weekly rainfall and reservoir figures reported by the Environment Agency on 2 October.
- England reservoir storage, week ending 1 October
- 55 percent
- 2026-10-01 · Observed
- Usual seasonal storage expectation
- 74.3 percent
- 2026-10 · Estimate
- Ardingly, 28 September
- 23 percent
- 2026-09-28 · Observed
- Wimbleball, 28 September
- 21 percent
- 2026-09-28 · Observed
- September rainfall as share of long-term average
- 65 percent
- 2026-09 · Observed
Methodology
Periods and comparison bases follow the source. The 120% average-rainfall figure is a stated recovery condition, not an observed measurement.
Updated:
Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- Water supplySuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: reservoirswww.gov.uk ↗
- DroughtSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: Droughtwww.gov.uk ↗
- EnvironmentSuggested
- Preserved editorial category/topic; broad candidate onlywww.gov.uk ↗
Geographic references
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- United Kingdom · Place role: Coverage · Place type: Country or area · Location precision: RegionalEvidence
- Explicit preserved editorial country/region; no city or national centroid inferredwww.gov.uk ↗