Water scarcity levels rising across all of Scotland, SEPA says
SEPA says this rating means the "environmental impact is clear" and "action from abstractors is expected to protect rivers and the species that rely on them".
At this level, Scots are being urged to actively reduce water use, particularly during peak daylight hours.
In Fife and Aberdeenshire, SEPA bosses say we are seeing some of the driest conditions in "living memory" for this time of year.
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Some parts of Fife have now gone nearly four weeks without measurable rainfall. Across the east, river flows are well below normal for this time of year and without significant rain, conditions are unlikely to recover soon.
SEPA has defined four levels of water scarcity: Early Warning, Alert, Moderate Scarcity, and Significant Scarcity.
It follows on from a drier than normal autumn and winter with some areas of the east now having 11 months of below average rainfall.
With no significant rainfall currently forecast, it is likely that river and ground conditions will remain very dry over the next week, SEPA says.
Claire Tunaley, senior hydrologist at the water resources unit at SEPA said: 'We're seeing the kind of conditions we normally associate with late summer in some places – and it's only May.
'Groundwater and river levels across the east are already hitting record lows. In Fife and Aberdeenshire, we're seeing some of the driest conditions in living memory for this time of year. With parts of Scotland now at 11 months of below average rainfall it will take above-average rainfall over an extended period to recover to normal levels, especially for groundwater levels.
'Our message is clear: if you abstract water from our environment – whether you work in agriculture, energy, industry, distilling, food and drink or the leisure sector – you must take action now to help protect your operations and help safeguard Scotland's rivers and wildlife in the weeks ahead.'
Groundwater levels in Fife and Angus were at their lowest April averages on record, with Newton of Falkland recording the lowest level for April in 28 years.
Soil moisture deficits are continuing to increase, and soils are becoming drier than would be expected for the time of year.
In the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, records going back 97 years show flows are at their second lowest this early in the year, with only 1938 being drier. Typically, the lowest river flows in the Dee occur in July, August or September.
Scottish Water is calling on people to use water as efficiently as possible in homes and gardens and help the utility protect resources and maintain normal supplies across the country.
The amount of water the company put into the network across Scotland has had to be increased from mid-April by 150 million litres per day.
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