Ardingly Reservoir Levels Still Low Despite Rain

Water levels at Ardingly Reservoir in West Sussex have dropped to just 34 per cent of capacity, according to the Environment Agency.

Figures show the site was classed as “exceptionally low” at the end of August, despite heavy rainfall in the final days of the month. The decline reflects a wider national picture, with around two-thirds of reservoirs across England categorised as notably or exceptionally low.

Total reservoir storage for England stood at 57 per cent of the long-term average at the end of August, down from 69 per cent the previous month. Three-quarters of reservoirs saw storage fall by more than 10 percentage points during the same period.

Officials say an unusually warm summer, combined with one of the driest springs on record, has pushed water resources under pressure and triggered restrictions such as hosepipe bans in parts of the country.