According to environmental groups, the protracted drought has a “severe” impact on river wildlife.
According to them, rivers are already under stress from pollution and demand for drinking water, and the impending drought will only exacerbate the situation.
According to the Rivers Trust, chalk streams, which are home to iconic species such as salmon, kingfisher, and otter, are of special concern.
Only 200 exist in the world, and 85 percent of them are in southern and eastern England.
“This is our Barrier Reef or Amazon rainforest; it is our unique contribution to global wildlife and biodiversity,” said Rivers Trust’s Christine Colvin.
She reported that several small chalk streams were beginning to dry up, while larger rivers were experiencing low water levels.
She continued, “The wildlife here is already stressed due to the rising temperatures, and their habitat is dwindling as the water levels continue to drop.” We do not want them to fall any further than they have already.
The reserves manager for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Animals Trust, Jamie Marsh, warned of a “severe scenario” for the region’s wildlife due to low river levels.
At a natural reserve on the banks of the River Itchen near Winchester, a pond has dried up, and low river flow is impacting food sources for fish, insects, and invertebrates, which has repercussions for species further up the food chain, such as water voles and otters.
“Our water supplies are under significant stress, and this prolonged drought is worsening the situation,” he said.
“What we as a society can do to help is to examine our water consumption and attempt to lessen it.”
“Many of our rivers are not in their natural state; they have been manipulated and engineered extensively. Currently, many of our river systems behave more like drains than rivers.”
Chalk streams and rivers rise from springs in chalk bedrock, which is a layer of water-retentive porous rock found underlying much of southern and eastern England.
This stratum of white limestone is comprised of the same material as the white cliffs of Dover and provides water to rivers and faucets throughout a large portion of southeast England.
Daily, millions of liters of water are pumped from the ground or extracted directly from rivers.
Southern Water, which provides water to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, stated that the decision to implement a hosepipe ban was “crucial” to protect the habitats of the River Test and the River Itchen, from which it draws water.
The firm said that river flows were around 25% lower than expected for July.
According to the most recent scientific forecasts, river flows in central and southern England are anticipated to stay unusually low for the remainder of the summer.
Water UK, which represents the water business, has reported that water companies with chalk streams in their territories have committed hundreds of millions of pounds to decrease and halt abstractions of water and that additional reductions will occur in the coming years.
As dry, hot summers are projected to grow more frequent, the Rivers Trust has called for a complete rethinking of how water is utilized.
Christine Colvin stated, “We want the government and water corporations to respond in a coordinated manner.”
This heat wave and persistent drought is a pressure test for us to prepare for the long haul, as we will see many more summers like this in the coming decades.
Birds that rely on worms in the soil and ground-feeding mammals such as badgers are also struggling to obtain food during the prolonged drought.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, butterflies, solitary bees, hoverflies, and other insects may also be affected by plants producing less nectar when they experience water stress.
Helen Bostock, the senior wildlife specialist at the Royal Horticultural Society, stated, “Many species of natural pollinators are still in decline, so they need all the assistance they can get. Gardens can be viewed as service stations for these pollinating insects.” Your garden may be the only reliable source of water and nectar for bumblebees and hoverflies during a drought.”
