Reservoirs close to running at 1/3 capacity
Some of the West Country's main reservoirs are close to running at just a third of their capacity - among the lowest in the country
Last updated 12th Sep 2025
Some of the West Country's main reservoirs are close to running at just a third of their capacity - among the lowest in the country.
Wimbleball and Chew Valley in Somerset are both at thirty nine percent, while Blagdon and Clatworthy are even lower.
Those said to be 'exceptionally low' are Blagdon, Chew Valley, Clatworthy, and Wimbleball; 'notably low' is Colliford, whilst those said to be 'normal' at the moment are Draycote, Roadford and Stithians.
Figures show, across the country, levels had dropped below 50% in 12 locations in England by the end of last month, with a handful of sites only a third full.
Affected areas include reservoirs in Cumbria, Somerset and Staffordshire, as well as groups of reservoirs in Derbyshire and across the Yorkshire region.
Total reservoir storage for England was 57% of the long-term average at the end of August, down from 69% at the end of July, according to the Environment Agency.
This was despite heavy rain during the final days of the month.
Several areas of England remain covered by hosepipe bans and are officially in drought after the warmest spring and summer on record.
England also had endure its second driest spring since Met Office data began.
The 12 reservoir sites or groups where levels were below 50% of the long-term average at the end of August are:
- Colliford in Cornwall (48%)
- Haweswater & Thirlmere in Cumbria (44%)
- Blithfield in Staffordshire (42%)
- Derwent Valley in Derbyshire (40%)
- Wimbleball in Somerset (39%)
- Chew Valley in Somerset (39%)
- Blagdon in Somerset (38%)
- Clatworthy in Somerset (37%)
- Ardingly in West Sussex (34%)
- Yorkshire Supply Group (32%)
- Pennines Group (30%)
- Plus the Elan Valley Group in Powys, Wales (42%) which provides water resources to the West Midlands
About three-quarters of reservoirs or reservoir groups saw a drop in storage of more than 10 percentage points during August, the Environment Agency said.
Clywedog reservoir, which supplies central England from Wales, fell from 84% at the end of July to 59% at the end of August, while the Dove group in central England dropped from 76% to 54%.
The Lower Lee group in north London was the only reservoir classed as having above normal levels for the time of year at 91%.
Nearly two-thirds of reservoirs and reservoir groups were categorised as notably or exceptionally low.
Here is a full list of reservoir storage at the end of August, as published by the Environment Agency.
Exceptionally low
- Ardingly (West Sussex) 34%
- Blagdon (Somerset) 38%
- Blithfield (Staffordshire) 42%
- Carsington & Ogston (Derbyshire) 54%
- Chew Valley (Somerset) 39%
- Clatworthy (Somerset) 37%
- Derwent Valley (Derbyshire) 40%
- Dove Group (Derbyshire) 54%
- Haweswater & Thirlmere (Cumbria) 44%
- Pennines Group 30%
- Rutland (Rutland) 72%
- Wimbleball (Somerset) 39%
- Yorkshire Supply Group 32%
Notably low
- Colliford (Cornwall) 48%
- Clywedog (Powys) 59%
- Dee System (North Wales) 62%
- Elan Valley Group (Powys) 42%
- Farmoor (Oxfordshire) 82%
- Grafham (Cambridgeshire) 72%
- Teesdale Group (County Durham) 57%
Below normal
- Abberton (Essex) 62%
- Bewl (Kent/East Sussex) 55%
- Bough Beech (Kent) 57%
- Hanningfield (Essex) 61%
- Kielder (Northumberland) 81%
- Lower Thames Group (Berkshire/west London) 67%
Normal
- Draycote (Warwickshire) 78%
- Roadford (Devon) 65%
- Stithians (Cornwall) 54%
- Vyrnwy (Powys) 75%
Above normal
- Lower Lee Group (north London) 91%