Yorkshire Water: Rainfall not enough to increase reservoir levels

Yorkshire’s reservoir stocks have been falling since late January, due to one of the driest springs on record and increased customer demand during warmer temperatures. 

Despite the welcome rainfall, Yorkshire Water has continued to urge customers to save water where possible, as reservoir stock levels dropped to 62.9 per cent on Monday, May 26, from 66.1 per cent the previous week, below the average (87.8 per cent) for this time of year. 

Water demand fell over the wet bank holiday weekend – from 1.38 billion litres on Friday (May 23) to 1.26 billion litres on Monday (May 26) – a reduction of 120 million litres – or the equivalent of Bradford’s daily usage.

Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said: “The rain over the weekend and the picture for an unsettled week ahead is a welcome relief for the region after a very dry spell. 

“While the rainfall over the weekend helped gardens recover, and will also help trees and plants in full spring growth. Gardens and trees will have taken most of the rainfall, leaving less to run off into rivers, groundwater, or to top up reservoirs.

"Coupled with wind and some sunshine, a lot of the rainfall has quickly evaporated.  

"Soils are also very dry after nearly four months of very dry weather, so will soak up a lot of rain, holding the water and not allowing it to flow to rivers or groundwater.   

“The rainfall over the weekend, whilst welcome to us and farmers, if not holidaymakers, doesn't make up for the large deficit seen over the last few months or the amount of water we use from the reservoirs for daily supplies.

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“We’d like to thank customers who are taking steps to reduce their water usage.

"This, combined with the wet weather, saw a drop in water demand over the bank holiday weekend, which has helped us to manage our resources and build resilience and storage back into the system.” 

The rain over the weekend has led to an increase in river flows, mostly in the Ure, Nidd, Wharfe and Aire, but these are very small, and, in many cases, flows are dropping again back towards the historically low levels seen earlier in May.

The unsettled weather expected this week may give a slight improvement to river and reservoir levels, according to Yorkshire Water.