22 May, 2012
The South West is officially no longer in drought,
according to the Environment Agency.
It has stated that the threat of a hosepipe ban in south-western
counties is now minimal following the wettest April on record.
According to thisiscornwall.co.uk, 195.1mm of rain fell in Devon
last month and 167.3mm of rain fell in Cornwall, which is well
above double what is normally expected. The announcement could be a
relief to those in the farming industry, whose business may have
been severely affected had they not been able to use hose
pipes.
Dr. Paul Leinster, who is chief executive of the Environment
Agency, claimed that the body would continue to closely monitor the
levels of water available in rivers across the country.
He told The Press Association: "The recent record rainfall has
eased pressure on water resources in some parts of England, helping
levels in rivers and reservoirs to recover and providing relief to
farmers, gardeners and wildlife.
"The Environment Agency will continue to keep a close eye on the
situation. Low groundwater levels remain a concern across many
parts of England, with many still at a similar level to those in
1976 and unlikely to return to normal levels before the
winter."
Despite the good news, some areas in the East of the UK remain
in drought status, with hosepipe bans in place.
Source: Vertical Leap
