Reservoir levels in north-east and north-west England are at their lowest on record for this time of year, with some sites at only half their average long-term storage, new figures show.
Haweswater and Thirlmere in Cumbria are at 49% of their typical capacity due to a combination of dry weather and planned maintenance, while the Pennines group of reservoirs is down to 48%.
The Dee system in north Wales, which supplies many areas of the North West of England, has been affected by a lack of rainfall and a planned lowering of water for safety reasons, leaving it at 75% of capacity – a level classed by the Environment Agency as “exceptionally low”.
Storage across England as a whole stood at 77% at the end of May, down from 84% at the end of April and the lowest on record for the time of year – though some sites have reported normal or above normal levels.
Here is a full list of reservoir storage at the end of May 2025.
The figures have been published by the Environment Agency and show the current level as a proportion of the long-term average.
– Exceptionally lowBlagdon (Somerset): 73%Blithfield (Staffordshire): 72%Dee System (North Wales): 75%Derwent Valley (Derbyshire): 65%Haweswater & Thirlmere (Cumbria): 49%Pennines Group 48%Yorkshire Supply Group: 62%
– Notably lowElan Valley Group (Powys): 68%Kielder (Northumberland): 81%Teesdale Group (County Durham): 69%
– Below normalArdingly (West Sussex): 88%Bough Beech (Kent): 84%Carsington & Ogston (Derbyshire): 86%Chew Valley (Somerset): 82%Clatworthy (Somerset): 79%Clywedog (Powys): 93%Colliford (Cornwall): 79%Dove Group (Derbyshire): 92%Grafham (Cambridgeshire): 91%Rutland (Rutland): 89%Wimbleball (Somerset): 82%
– NormalAbberton (Essex): 93%Bewl (Kent/East Sussex): 82%Draycote (Warwickshire): 92%Hanningfield (Essex): 92%Lower Lee Group (north London): 93%Lower Thames Group (Berkshire/west London): 94%Roadford (Devon): 90%Vyrnwy (Powys): 87%
– Above normalStithians (Cornwall) 94%
– Notably highFarmoor (Oxfordshire): 99%
