Wales Drought Declared Nationwide as Rivers Drop to Record Low Levels 2026

Key Points

• Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has declared drought status across the entire country of Wales on 30 July 2026.
• July 2026 is on course to be the driest July in Wales since records began 190 years ago, with the country receiving just 8% of its long-term average rainfall for the month.
• River levels across Wales are at exceptionally low levels, including the Clwyd, Alyn, Clywedog, Dyfi, Conwy, Cleddau, Cothi, Teifi, Wye and Usk.
• The drought status was initially declared for north Wales and the Upper Severn on 23 July 2026 before being extended nationwide.
• Environmental impacts include drying riverbeds, fish in distress, algal blooms, and increased wildfire risk.
• Farmers have raised concerns about crop growth, grazing conditions, and water supplies for livestock.
• Rhian Thomas, NRW’s Sustainable Water and Nature Manager, stated that the extreme weather patterns reflect the growing impacts of climate change.
• A hosepipe ban has been in place for around 33,000 properties in Ceredigion, north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire since 19 July 2026.

Wales (Wales Times) July 30, 2026 – Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has declared drought status across the entire country of Wales, marking an unprecedented environmental emergency as the nation heads toward its driest July in 190 years of recorded history. The announcement, made on Thursday 30 July 2026, extends drought status that was initially applied to north Wales and the Upper Severn catchment just one week earlier.

What is the current drought status across Wales?

The entire country of Wales is now officially in drought status, with Natural Resources Wales confirming that all catchments across the nation have moved from either normal or prolonged dry weather status into full drought classification. According to NRW figures, Wales has received just 8% of its long-term average rainfall during July 2026, with only one day remaining in the month.

As reported by Mark Mansfield of Nation.Cymru, NRW announced on Thursday that it was extending drought status nationwide, just a week after north Wales and the Upper Severn entered drought following prolonged hot, dry weather. The watchdog said river levels across much of the country were now exceptionally low, including the Clwyd, Alyn, Clywedog, Dyfi, Conwy, Cleddau, Cothi, Teifi, Wye and Usk. Groundwater levels have also continued to fall, with some lower than would normally be expected at this time of year.

The drought declaration follows a sequence of escalating water stress classifications. On 16 July 2026, NRW moved a number of catchments across North Wales, the Upper Severn and South East Wales into prolonged dry weather status. Following a further assessment on 23 July 2026, Gwynedd, Ynys Môn, Clwyd, Dee and Upper Severn catchments moved to drought status, while additional areas of South and West Wales moved from normal into prolonged dry weather status. The final assessment on 30 July 2026 confirmed that all remaining catchments had now crossed the drought threshold.

Which rivers are at exceptionally low levels?

Natural Resources Wales has identified multiple river systems across Wales that are currently running at exceptionally low levels, representing a significant environmental concern. The rivers specifically named by NRW as experiencing exceptionally low flows include the Clwyd, Alyn, Clywedog, Dyfi, Conwy, Cleddau, Cothi, Teifi, Wye and Usk.

As reported by the Independent, NRW added that the majority of rivers across Wales are running “exceptionally low”, with the situation continuing to deteriorate. In uk/local/swansea/">Swansea, the impact of low water levels has become visible to the public, where the River Tawe has dropped far enough for the Swansea Community Boat Trust to cancel recent sailings of its Copper Jack passenger boat between the marina and the Morfa Bascule Bridge. In a notice to passengers, the trust said the channel the boat has to navigate before reaching the main river was carrying very little water, with levels at its turning point also very shallow.

The low river flows are not isolated to specific regions but represent a nationwide phenomenon affecting catchments from Pembrokeshire in the south-west to Clwyd in the north. The Cleddau in Pembrokeshire and the Cothi and Teifi in Carmarthenshire are among the south-west Wales rivers listed as exceptionally low.

What environmental impacts are being observed?

Natural Resources Wales has reported growing environmental damage across Wales as a direct consequence of the drought conditions. NRW teams are dealing with increasing reports of drying riverbeds, fish in distress, algal blooms, and an ongoing risk of wildfires.

As reported by Rhian Thomas, NRW’s Sustainable Water and Nature Manager, to Nation.Cymru:

“The intensity of the heat and the exceptional lack of rainfall means this is a rapidly changing picture in Wales. Our teams are closely monitoring forecasts and river flows and responding to increasing environmental concerns and incidents across Wales.”

She added:

“The toll on the environment, our land and agriculture is clear to see, with many of our teams still dealing with the aftermath of extensive wildfires which have devastated forestry, grassland and special habitats.”

The dry conditions are leading to river beds drying out, distressing fish, causing algal blooms, and raising concerns from farmers about crop growth, NRW said. It added that there are also concerns about grazing conditions and levels of drinking water for livestock. As reported by Afonydd Cymru, the organisation representing the river trusts in Wales, the diminished river flows are leading to “serious issues,” resulting in the death of fish and other aquatic life.

In Swansea, the wildfire risk has been demonstrated locally, with a fire breaking out on Kilvey Hill above St Thomas homes last week, the third on the hillside in fifteen months. Anyone who spots a wildfire is asked to move to a safe location and call 999, with environmental incidents reportable to NRW’s 24-hour hotline on 0300 065 3000.

What are farmers saying about the drought?

Agricultural communities across Wales have expressed serious concerns regarding the effects of the drought on crop growth, grazing conditions, and the availability of drinking water for their livestock. The dry conditions are affecting agriculture, with concerns over crop growth, grazing conditions and water supplies for livestock.

As reported during ITV News coverage from the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwy, farmers indicated that the conversation had moved from dry weather to a situation that was “getting very serious”. Hannah Thomas, reporting for ITV News, noted that farmers would have to plan how they take water to their livestock because, quite simply, those rivers and streams are drying up on their land. They would also have to think about how they keep their livestock cool in the continuing heat, and they may even have to give them winter fodder because the grass has not grown in July.

Agricultural unions have raised alarms about failing crops and livestock suffering from heat stress. The combination of elevated temperatures and insufficient rainfall has created conditions where grass growth has been severely limited, forcing farmers to consider alternative feeding strategies for their animals.

What measures is NRW taking in response?

To help protect rivers and wildlife, NRW is continuing controlled water releases from reservoirs and implementing abstraction controls and other drought response measures set out in its drought plan. NRW said it is making reservoir and compensation releases to support river systems and fisheries, with abstraction controls in place under its drought plan.

As reported by Rhian Thomas to Nation.Cymru: “With no strong indications for notable rainfall in the forecasts, and risks of further heatwaves over the summer, it’s more important than ever that we all use water wisely. Every drop we waste is less water for our rivers and wildlife when they need it the most.” NRW said that it had stepped up environmental monitoring and was continuing to work with the Welsh Government, water companies, the Environment Agency and the Wales Drought Liaison Group to coordinate the response.

With drought also declared across several areas of England this week, NRW said it was working with the Environment Agency to monitor conditions on the cross-border Rivers Wye, Severn and Dee. NRW said that it is liaising with the Environment Agency on the rivers Wye, Severn and Dee, which cross the border between the two countries, “to ensure we have a full picture of river health”.

Around 33,000 properties in Ceredigion, north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire have been under a Welsh Water hosepipe ban since 19 July 2026. Separately, Dŵr Cymru introduced a Temporary Use Ban on 19 July affecting parts of Mid and South Ceredigion, North Pembrokeshire and North Carmarthenshire.

What did NRW officials say about the situation?

Rhian Thomas, NRW’s Sustainable Water and Nature Manager, has provided multiple statements regarding the deteriorating situation across Wales. As reported by the Independent, Ms Thomas said:

“The intensity of the heat and the exceptional lack of rainfall means this is a rapidly changing picture in Wales. Our teams are closely monitoring forecasts and river flows and responding to increasing environmental concerns and incidents across Wales.”

She continued: “The toll on the environment, our land and agriculture is clear to see, with many of our teams still dealing with the aftermath of extensive wildfires which have devastated forestry, grassland and special habitats. With no strong indications for notable rainfall in the forecasts, and risks of further heatwaves over the summer, it’s more important than ever that we all use water wisely. Every drop we waste is less water for our rivers and wildlife when they need it the most.”

Ms Thomas also addressed the broader context of climate change, stating to Nation.Cymru: “The extreme weather patterns we’ve seen over the last 12 months are a stark example of the impacts of climate change here in Wales and the UK. As an organisation, we’re already planning for these kinds of events to become more frequent, with hotter, drier summers and wetter winters predicted to become the norm.” She added that this includes long-term drought planning, flood risk management and how NRW manages its land to become more resilient to the risks of wildfire and pests in the future.

Background of the Drought Development

The current drought emergency in Wales represents the culmination of a prolonged period of dry weather that has built up over several months. The period from February to July 2026 marked the driest six-month span in Wales since 1976, exerting tremendous stress on rivers, groundwater, agriculture, and wildlife. From February to July, Wales recorded its 16th driest period in the last 190 years, marking the driest conditions since 1976. To date, Wales has experienced 555mm of rainfall from January to July 2026, which nearly matches the dry conditions of 2022, when the entire nation was declared to be in drought status by September.

The sequence of drought declarations began on 16 July 2026, when NRW moved catchments across North Wales, the Upper Severn and South East Wales into prolonged dry weather status. On 23 July 2026, following further assessment, Gwynedd, Ynys Môn, Clwyd, Dee and Upper Severn catchments moved to drought status, while additional areas of South and West Wales moved from normal into prolonged dry weather status. The final escalation occurred on 30 July 2026, when all remaining catchments across Wales crossed the drought threshold.

NRW declares a drought when a combination of indicators shows a significant shortage of rainfall and water availability that is affecting rivers, groundwater, ecosystems, agriculture and land management. Water companies operate separate triggers for public water supplies, meaning drought status does not automatically indicate water shortages for customers.

Predictions for Agriculture, Environment and Water Users

The extension of drought status across the whole of Wales is likely to have significant implications for multiple audiences in the coming weeks and months. For farmers and the agricultural sector, the continuation of dry conditions may necessitate increased expenditure on supplementary feeding for livestock, as grass growth remains severely limited. Farmers may need to utilise winter fodder reserves earlier than usual, potentially affecting their operational budgets and feed availability for the coming winter period.

For the environment and wildlife, the exceptionally low river levels and increased water temperatures create conditions that may lead to further fish mortality, algal blooms, and habitat degradation. The elevated wildfire risk means that outdoor enthusiasts, landowners and residents in rural areas will need to maintain heightened vigilance and adhere to fire safety guidance. As noted by NRW, the extreme weather patterns observed over the last 12 months reflect the growing impacts of climate change, with hotter, drier summers and wetter winters predicted to become the norm.

For water consumers, while drought status does not automatically trigger restrictions on public water supplies, the continuation of dry weather may lead to expanded hosepipe bans or temporary use restrictions if reservoir levels continue to decline. The 33,000 properties currently under hosepipe ban in Ceredigion, north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire may see restrictions extended to additional areas if conditions do not improve. NRW’s call for all residents to use water wisely reflects the organisation’s assessment that every drop conserved helps reduce pressure on rivers and wildlife during this exceptionally dry period.