[Closed] Drought my a**e!

It's the wrong type of water.

How's the water table doing?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17726989

The reservoirs by me are still rather low and the only reason Rutland and Pitsford have plenty in is because they are pumping out of the River Nene which is low it self.

Even though it's only been dry once since the hose pipe ban we need nice steady rain that has time to soak into the ground and not just run off.

How's the water table doing?

You have a table just for water - how posh are you?!?

Cant be too bad round here, all brooks and rivers seem to be flowing well

[img] [/img]

Derwent etc are all ok but it flipping needs to keep raining down south. It's getting a little seat of the pants stuff so more rain is good 🙂

Molgrips - if that's all you've got you don't want to let kids make it all muddy!!

We don't have a drought in the north west....

Cant be too bad round here, all brooks and rivers seem to be flowing well

that's almost the problem, if rainwater finds it's way into the rivers, it hasn't really helped very much...

that's almost the problem, if rainwater finds it's way into the rivers, it hasn't really helped very much...

As they flow into reservoirs round here, and they feed the towns and cities, I think they will help the urban dweller - if you mean crops, flowers and lawns you have a good point. Would also be helped if people didn't block pave every inch of spare ground! (that may be a slight exaggeration for effect!!)

they finally solved the water shortage,, thier going to dilute it down to make it go around

If you want to combat the drought it will take more than the odd hosepipe ban.

The water table in the SE needs some serious replenishment. No watering all year round, removal of block paving banning of any more. Oh and less people

Hilariously if you check my local area, all reservoirs are over 50% and one is even overflowing. Seriously bugs me.

[url= http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=398860&section=3 ]Water Table.....[/url]

Like most things in the UK if you let it just get to an acceptable level and then hammer it again then there will be trouble, like when you start on the energy gels or sugary sweets on a ride because your knackered, you are just delaying the inevitable.

There needs to be a lot of changes, perhaps full year hosepipe bans. I bike can be washed with a bucket or pressure washer for a lot less water so can your car. Your lawn doesn't need that much watering and neither do the flower beds.

Some things that happen in the drier parts of Oz (Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth) Using grey water for the garden - washing machine and bath/shower water is used. Our toilet has a hand basin above it so the water filling the cistern has already been used to wash your hands.
No daytime watering of gardens - it just evaporates.

Like most things seeing water in reservoirs doesn't mean drought is over, it's a long term problem that needs solving with long tern thinking

The hose pipe ban seems to have been the equivalent of doing a rain dance here in the east, I dont think it has stopped raining since!

Stair rods in the south west today

they finally solved the water shortage, they're going to dilute it down to make it go around

Homoeopathy comes to the rescue again!

Thing that annoys me is people think the drought is over because of a couple of wet weeks.
How can that make up for 18 months that have been some of the driest on record?

Water is coming up through my lawn, no shortage in the south at the moment

Bear - Member
Thing that annoys me is people think the drought is over because of a couple of wet weeks.
How can that make up for 18 months that have been some of the driest on record?

Most people have memories like goldfish especially when they want to complain about stuff.......

I do wonder what all these people want to do with their hosepipes.....

Or get one of these
[img] [/img]
[url= http://www.garantia.co.uk/rainwater/rain-butts/rain-butt-lanzarote.html ]Site Link Here[/url]

and you can water away (only after it has rained)

[i]that's almost the problem, if rainwater finds it's way into the rivers, it hasn't really helped very much... [/i]

Plenty of water is taken directly from rivers to provide drinking water.

[i]Or get one of these[/i]

yes please. She can nip down to the shops and get some bottled water for me.

if you mean crops, flowers and lawns you have a good point.

i also mean: trees, upland areas, aquifers, etc.

If you want to combat the drought it will take more than the odd hosepipe ban.
The water table in the SE needs some serious replenishment.

Surely hosepipes take water stored in taps and use it to replenish the local water table (especially round the lawn)?

😉

you are just delaying the inevitable

So what is the alternative with the inevitable?

The SE water table earlier;

[img] [/img]

Or get one of these

Can she cook?

There are now [url= http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx ]Flood warnings[/url] in the Southwest. There are currently 3 flood warnings, 19 flood alerts and a hosepipe ban! 🙄

There are now Flood warnings in the Southwest. There are currently 3 flood warnings, 19 flood alerts and a hosepipe ban!

and once this water all washes away the problems caused by prolonged dry weather will still be there.....

and once this water all washes away the problems caused by prolonged dry weather will still be there.....

OK, but where is all the water going to wash away to? Surely it washes into the rivers, lakes and reservoirs which we then extract drinking water from?

I'm sure water companies don't WANT to make you all use less water, since you pay for it by the litre mostly.

There just isn't enough in some places.

Surely it washes into the rivers, lakes and reservoirs which we then extract drinking water from?

How many reservoirs do you see in London? And how many people?

Afaik, most water in the South East comes from the round, not from reservoirs. I think in London it comes from the river, which will be high for a few days following heavy rain then go back.

According to an internet source Thames Water is supplied 75% by rivers and the other 25% from aquifers. The rivers may be flooding now but that is predominantly run-off from the land, as soon as it stops raining the river levels will return to the drought levels because the groundwater/springs that predominantly supply the rivers are still extremely low and when you also consider 25 % of their water comes from boreholes supplied by groundwater then that's a large proportion of their supply that isn't being replenished by these showers.

Derwent system is nice and high which is expected as is the Elan system in Wales meaning Severn Trent have not brought in a hosepipe ban for their customers so no idea what your complaining about in the first post? However the area of Leicester/Nottingham is in a drought (but can be supplied by Derwent/Elan and so ok) as shown by reservoir levels in the area being around 50% and at such low levels the Environment Agency limit abstraction from these sources to protect the wildlife so although you think its half full it is practically empty.

[i]although you think its half full it is practically empty[/i]

[img] [/img]

Over building in the south east is the main culprit.
Wales has got lots of space and water. Build them there.
All around my area nice old houses are being knocked down and toy town flats going up.
10 times the poll tax for the council, they must love it.

[i]Wales has got lots of space and water. Build them there.[/i]

or do what we do with electricity - move it from where it's plentiful (power stations in largely rural areas) to where it's needed (urban areas) via some sort of national grid?

Wouldn't be too difficult using rivers and canals as the mechanism with pipes connecting them?

Strangely enough we have no restrictions in Cambridge ie no hosepipe ban which is odd for one of the driest places in the UK....

1. Reservoirs should be full at this time of year, having recharged over the winter. They're not.
2. Rainfall at this time of year is taken up by growing plants and trees, which limits the amount available for re-charging aquifers and reservoirs.
3. It's been dry for 2 years; a couple of weeks of rain makes chuff all difference.

all the reservoirs round ere are proper full! water is gushing over the top by the ton as i speak.

any of you southern lot wanna pop up with some buckets? got a shed load going spare!

more on it's way Nicko!

what a nice day to send a man up a ladder to have a look at me leaky roof 🙂

I think my clothes soaked up enough water on the cycle to work this morning to solve any water shortages there may be if I was to wring them out in the right place. 😥
Think it's time to replace my waterproof (LOL!!!) trousers.

or do what we do with electricity - move it from where it's plentiful (power stations in largely rural areas) to where it's needed (urban areas) via some sort of national grid?

Why do you think the Elan valley was flooded to make the reservoir? To supply water to Birmingham.

[i]Why do you think the Elan valley was flooded to make the reservoir?[/i]

I'll be honest and say I had no idea that it had been...

Why did you think all that water was in there?

I've got ducks splashing around in what used to be a lawn, no lack of rainfall problem encountered in northern scotchlandshire,