Submitted by Rachael Armitage on
April was typical of the season with fine weather often interrupted by unsettled conditions, notably so mid-month. Rainfall for the UK was near average although this varied regionally with Scotland drier than average, and southern and eastern England notably wetter than average. River flows mirrored these rainfall gradients and for April as a whole, were notably low in northern Scotland, and above normal in southern and eastern areas, exceptionally so in some cases. As evaporation rates increase with the warmer weather, soil moisture levels began to fall, but remained above average for the time of year. Groundwater levels rose at about two thirds of sites, and relatively late recharge occurred at the majority of Chalk boreholes. Levels remained below normal in the Devonian sandstones and the Chalk of East Anglia. Reservoir stocks for England & Wales remained near-average for April, with most stocks slightly above average. Although stocks at Colliford and Roadford remained considerably below average, their recovery continued. Current outlooks suggest an increased likelihood of wetter than average conditions over coming months meaning that for most, the water resources situation is looking healthy. Caution is required however in areas where long-term deficits persist e.g. East Anglia and in localised areas of northern Scotland where concerns are heightened due to recent dry weather.
