Scotland is experiencing growing signs of water scarcity, with half of all river catchments now at Alert status. The latest water situation report, published yesterday by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) reflects the persistent dry conditions and reduced river flows across many parts of the country.

 Photo: reduced flow in River Spey

The risk of water scarcity is categorised in four levels - Early Warning, Alert, Moderate Scarcity and Significant Scarcity.

The river catchments of the Nith, Dee (Galloway), Cree, Doon, Irvine and Ayr and the Clyde have been raised to Alert this week, bringing the total to 23. Scotland’s 23 other catchments are all at Early Warning leaving only the Inner Hebrides classed as normal.

SEPA began warning of a greater risk of water scarcity at the beginning of March, after below-average rainfall over winter following a particularly dry autumn.

Eilidh Johnston, SEPA’s Senior Manager in Water Industry and Rural Economy, said:

“With no rainfall forecast across Scotland in the coming days we expect ground conditions to continue getting drier and river flows to decrease or remain low.

“We have been warning since the start of Spring that continued drier weather could disrupt agricultural activities, strain local water supplies and impact industries that depend on consistent water availability. Prolonged water scarcity can also impact local ecosystems, lower water quality and place additional pressure on native flora and fauna.

“Several industries across Scotland rely on natural water resources, whether it’s for food and drink production, hydropower or maintaining world famous golf courses. The next few weeks and months are a crucial time of year for water demand and those who take water from our environment must manage it wisely, minimising the need for restrictions to be imposed by SEPA.”

SEPA are working with key partners, including NFUS, to share messaging and offer practical advice to those affected. Direct communications are underway with abstractors in catchments at Alert level, reminding them of the need to plan ahead, use water efficiently, and consider voluntary reductions where possible.

The public, land managers and water users are also being asked to share images and observations of local rivers and burns to help build a fuller picture of conditions across the country.

Eilidh Johnston added

“We have monitoring points across Scotland, but local eyes and ears are invaluable and help us better understand how the information our gauges are providing matches up with conditions on the ground. Photos of dry riverbeds, low flows, or impacted habitats help us assess the scale of pressure in places we can’t reach every day.”