logo
Warm rivers passing 20C has been ruinous for fish

Warm rivers passing 20C has been ruinous for fish

Times6 hours ago
The UK's hottest and driest spring on record has overheated rivers around the country, leading to concentrated water pollution, low flows and more fish deaths, according to the Angling Trust.
River temperatures in England and Wales from March 20 to June 21 were the hottest since the trust's major citizen science project to monitor water quality started three years ago.
In 2025 there have been 87 confirmed incidents of fish kills — meaning a sudden spate of localised deaths — which is higher than at this stage in any of the past three years. While those include deaths caused by natural factors, 36 were due to low flows which concentrate pollution from farms and sewage — higher than at this point in 2023 and 2024. Fish rescues have already been needed on the River Teme in Wales and River Redlake in Shropshire.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Yorkshire Water to introduce hosepipe ban across county
Yorkshire Water to introduce hosepipe ban across county

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

Yorkshire Water to introduce hosepipe ban across county

A hopepipe ban affecting more than five million people in Yorkshire will come into effect from Water said the region had experienced its driest and warmest spring on record with only 15cm of rainfall between February and June - less than half of what would be expected in an average is the first part of the UK to face restrictions on water usage amid an extended spell of dry weather Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said the restrictions "are intended to make sure we have enough supply for the essential needs of people across the region this year and next as well as making sure we are able to protect our local environment". The ban applies to customers across much of Yorkshire, parts of North Lincolnshire and parts of prohibits the use of a hosepipe for activities such as watering the garden, washing the car or filling a paddling flouting the restriction could be fined up to £1, ban comes after the Environment Agency declared a drought across the region last England recorded its warmest June on record after the driest spring for 132 to Yorkshire Water, reservoir levels currently stand at just over 50% - a record low for the time of the year and "significantly below" the average for early July, which is nearer 80%. Mr Kaye said water supplies would normally be topped up by rainfall in spring but reservoir stocks had been falling since the last week of downpours had "helped slightly", he added, but he said that "constant high temperatures and more dry weather" had only increased water usage."With more dry weather forecast in the coming weeks, it is likely our stocks will continue to fall. "We need to act now to maintain clean water supplies and long-term river health."Mr Kaye said the ban would be in place "until the region has seen significant rainfall to bring reservoirs and groundwater stocks back to where they need to be". He said: "This may last into the winter months." Yorkshire Water said it had supplied an additional 4.3 billion litres of water between April and June compared with a typical year due to the sustained hot weather - enough to supply Leeds for five company increased bills by almost 30% in April although customers will now be restricted on how much water they October, the Environment Agency (EA) reported that 21% of Yorkshire Water's supplies were lost due to leakage, higher than the national average of 19%.The company said it had been "finding and fixing leaks 24/7 which has resulted in leakage being at its lowest ever level in Yorkshire".Although hosepipe bans in Yorkshire are fairly rare - this is just the third in 30 years - they have become more common, with water use also restricted in 2022. Analysis - Paul Hudson, Climate & Environment correspondent Questions are likely to be asked about why the region is facing its second hosepipe ban in just three years and whether its water supply is robust is striking that Yorkshire's reservoirs, which were full at the end of January, have lost half of their capacity in just five is no doubt that rainfall has been exceptionally low since at a time when the climate is changing – there have been three exceptionally dry springs in the past 14 years - the demand for water has increased population has grown by approximately 500,000 since 2000 but no new reservoirs have been built since Thruscross in the Washburn Valley in the short term, Yorkshire Water will be hoping the measures announced today will be enough to slow the fall in reservoir levels until the rain returns and replenishes in the longer term, with the combined challenges of climate change and population growth, water restrictions may become much more common. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

Warm rivers passing 20C has been ruinous for fish
Warm rivers passing 20C has been ruinous for fish

Times

time6 hours ago

  • Times

Warm rivers passing 20C has been ruinous for fish

The UK's hottest and driest spring on record has overheated rivers around the country, leading to concentrated water pollution, low flows and more fish deaths, according to the Angling Trust. River temperatures in England and Wales from March 20 to June 21 were the hottest since the trust's major citizen science project to monitor water quality started three years ago. In 2025 there have been 87 confirmed incidents of fish kills — meaning a sudden spate of localised deaths — which is higher than at this stage in any of the past three years. While those include deaths caused by natural factors, 36 were due to low flows which concentrate pollution from farms and sewage — higher than at this point in 2023 and 2024. Fish rescues have already been needed on the River Teme in Wales and River Redlake in Shropshire.

Exact time & date every phone in Britain will be pinged with Emergency Alert that triggers loud siren for 10 seconds
Exact time & date every phone in Britain will be pinged with Emergency Alert that triggers loud siren for 10 seconds

The Sun

time9 hours ago

  • The Sun

Exact time & date every phone in Britain will be pinged with Emergency Alert that triggers loud siren for 10 seconds

MILLIONS of mobiles will blast out a deafening siren as the government tests its emergency alert system - designed to warn people of deadly storms, floods or terror threats. The alarm will last around 10 seconds and will sound even if phones are set to silent. 1 It will happen at 3pm on Sunday, September 7, with the system expected to reach around 87 million devices across the UK. Ministers say the alerts could save lives by giving people crucial warnings when danger is near, similar to systems already used in countries like the US and Japan. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said: 'Emergency Alerts have the potential to save lives, allowing us to share essential information rapidly in emergency situations including extreme storms. Just like the fire alarm in your house, it's important we test the system so that we know it will work if we need it." The last nationwide test in 2023 saw mobiles across the UK blare out the alert, and since then, the system has been triggered during major storms, floods, and even when a World War II bomb was discovered in Plymouth. In January this year, 4.5 million people in Scotland and Northern Ireland received an alert as Storm Éowyn battered the UK with a red weather warning in place. During Storm Darragh last December, 3.5 million people in Wales and the South West got an alert — the storm killed two people. Police say the alerts were vital during the Plymouth evacuation, when more than 10,000 people were moved after the discovery of an unexploded bomb. Tracey Lee, Chief Executive of Plymouth Council, said: "It played a vital role in helping us safely evacuate over 10,000 people and coordinate a complex, multi-agency response." Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew added: 'By their nature, emergency incidents occur with very little notice. They can develop at speed and across wide areas which puts lives at risk. This system has the ability to send an alert to those whose lives may be at risk, to ensure they can act to help themselves and others." The alerts work on all 4G and 5G networks, but phones must be switched on to receive them. Special guidance is being issued to victims of domestic abuse with hidden phones, who may need to opt out to stay safe. The message sent on September 7 will clearly state it is only a test. The test comes alongside wider government plans to boost the UK's resilience — including £1.3 billion for new biosecurity centres, £4.2 billion for flood defences, and the biggest pandemic exercise in Britain's history, dubbed Exercise Pegasus.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store