Story perspectives
UK Announces £65M Drought Support as River Severn Orders Loom
8/22/2026
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Story summary
- The UK government announced a £65 million package to support drought-hit farmers.
- The Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales applied for a drought order on the River Severn.
- The National Drought Group moved its meetings to a weekly schedule as conditions worsened.
- Reservoirs fell to 62.6 percent, 16.3 percent below normal for this time of year.
- Water companies such as Severn Trent Water may cut river abstraction by 5 percent under the order.
