Water levels at 'lowest in 40 years' (From Daily Echo)

Water levels at 'lowest in 40 years'

11:40am Friday 27th January 2012 in Environment By Tara Russell, News Reporter

Terry Whenman

SOUTHERN Water bosses have ruled out a hosepipe ban for Hampshire this year, despite levels plummeting to their lowest in 40 years.

A lack of rainfall this month, following the driest year since 1976, has led to fears of a drought.

Weather experts say the cold spell forecast for the next few weeks will be a dry one, which could be disastrous for the environment.

It comes as wells in some parts of the county are already running dry and fishing lakes are at lower levels than in the summer.

Last year’s rainfall in Hampshire was just 86 per cent of what the county would normally expect, totalling just 717.6mm of rain.

Hampshire weather recorder Trevor Wheeler, who has 40 years’ experience, said there is just 3ft of water in one well in a village in the north of the county – the lowest he has ever recorded.

He said: “I have never known water levels to be as low. We need at least another 40ft of water in the well for there even to be a puddle in the river here.”

Andover Angling Club chairman Terry Whenman said he is praying for rain – to help water levels at lakes, where he fishes.

He said: “It might be winter but some people want some wet weather.

“We desperately need rain here.

“This year I can stand in places in the dry where I should be up to my waist in water.

“I have been fishing here for 30 years but the water has never been as low as this at this time of the year. You might expect it in July and August but not in January.”

Isobel Bretherton, of the National Farmers Union, said farmers are praying the next couple of months will be wet. She said: “If we get two more consecutive dry months there will be a worry for crop establishment because the crops need to get their roots down.”

Helen Chivers, a forecaster at the Met Office, said during the first half of January just 32mm of rain fell across the whole of the county – less than average – and temperatures had been consistently 3C warmer than average.

She said: “The average for January is 90mm so it is definitely below what we would expect during the first half of the month.”

Southern Water said higher than average rainfall in December had boosted stocks which increased reservoir and groundwater levels.

A spokeswoman said groundwater levels, which provide the majority of the area’s supply both directly and indirectly through the rivers, are just below average for the time of year, but there are no supply issues at the moment.

She said: “We do not envisage having to impose restrictions such as hosepipe bans in the county this year.”