Summer downpours fail to ease pressure on Scotland’s rivers as two more areas reach Significant Scarcity
Date published: 21 August 2026
The number of areas in Scotland at Significant Water Scarcity has increased from three to five this week, with prolonged low river flows continuing despite heavy rain in parts of the country.
The latest weekly water scarcity report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shows the Dee (Galloway) and Urr Water in Dumfries and Galloway have moved to Significant Scarcity. They join the River Teviot and Ettrick Water in the Scottish Borders and the Lower Dee and Water of Feugh in Aberdeenshire, which remain at Significant Scarcity.
The prolonged nature of the dry conditions can be seen in river flows. Ancrum on the River Teviot in the Scottish Borders has experienced 46 days of continuous low flows, with flows earlier this month reaching their fifth-lowest level in a 53-year record.
In Dumfries and Galloway, Dalbeattie, the reference gauge for Dee (Galloway) and Urr Water, has experienced the greatest number of low-flow days in 20 years. The Lower Dee and Water of Feugh in Aberdeenshire have also experienced around of 38 days of continuous low flows.
Heavy, thundery rainfall fell in parts of Scotland on Wednesday and some rivers have responded. However, there has been limited improvement in the overall water scarcity picture and further sustained rainfall will be needed for more widespread recovery.
There remains a marked contrast across the country. Much of northern and western Scotland remains at Normal Conditions, while prolonged dry conditions mean large parts of eastern Scotland continue to experience some level of water scarcity. River flows remain low to very low across much of the country, particularly in the east.
Eilidh Johnston, Senior Leader in Compliance, said:
“What we’re seeing this summer demonstrates why a few days of rain can’t be viewed as an automatic end to water scarcity. When rivers have been running low for weeks, recovery can require sustained rainfall in the right places.
“For businesses that rely on water from the environment, that uncertainty needs to be part of long-term planning. Using water efficiently and building resilience now can help businesses prepare for periods when water availability becomes more constrained.
“We appreciate the way abstractors have responded to this year’s water scarcity situation and the restrictions that have been necessary. We continue to see good compliance, helping to protect rivers at a time when they are under significant pressure.”
No irrigation licences are affected by Dee (Galloway) and Urr Water moving to Significant Scarcity. Restrictions remain in place for affected abstractors in the River Teviot and Ettrick Water areas.
Notes to editors
Current water scarcity levels
Significant Scarcity: River Teviot, Ettrick Water, Lower Dee and Water of Feugh, Dee (Galloway) and Urr Water
Moderate Scarcity: Deveron, Ythan, Don in Aberdeenshire, Dee in Aberdeen, Esk, Firth of Tay, Firth of Forth, Almond, Tyne in Lothian and Tweed
Alert: Findhorn, Spey, Esk in Angus and Esk in Dumfriesshire
Early Warning: Tay, Earn, Forth, Nith, Doon, Irvine and Ayr, Clyde, Cree and Annan
Areas not listed above are at Normal Conditions.
Current data and conditions
The latest information on water scarcity and river conditions is available through:
SEPA's Water Scarcity Situation Report – 20 August 2026 – the weekly assessment of water scarcity conditions across Scotland.
SEPA's Drought Risk Assessment Tool – shows low-flow monitoring stations and how close areas are to Significant Scarcity
SEPA's River Level Network – current river-level information from monitoring stations across Scotland
Rainfall data for Scotland – current and historic rainfall information
Water scarcity and flooding
Scotland can experience flooding and water scarcity at the same time. The two are not contradictory.
Flooding can result from intense rainfall over a relatively short period, while water scarcity reflects the effects of prolonged dry conditions on rivers soils and groundwater. Conditions can therefore vary considerably between different parts of Scotland and individual catchments.
Rain in an area also does not automatically mean water scarcity conditions will improve. After prolonged dry weather, intense rainfall can cause river levels to rise rapidly and lead to localised flooding, but those rises may be short lived. For water scarcity conditions to recover, river flows need to improve sufficiently and remain higher over time.
Dry soils and low groundwater levels can also take longer to recover, meaning sustained rainfall over longer periods may be needed to reverse the effects of prolonged dry conditions.
Water scarcity levels
SEPA uses five levels to describe water scarcity: Normal Conditions, Early Warning, Alert, Moderate Scarcity and Significant Scarcity.
The levels reflect increasing pressure on the water environment. At Significant Scarcity, SEPA may temporarily restrict abstractions from the environment where necessary to protect rivers and ecosystems.
Water scarcity levels relate to the water environment and are not an assessment of public drinking water supplies.
DRAT stations and significant scarcity
SEPA monitors a network of long-established low-flow gauging stations across Scotland to identify when river flows have remained unusually low for a sustained period.
The Drought Risk Assessment Tool (DRAT) shows how many days each station has been below Q95, a recognised low-flow threshold. When a station reaches 30 days below Q95, the catchments it represents move to Significant Scarcity and SEPA will impose any abstraction restrictions required.
Each station represents a defined Significant Scarcity area, which may contain one river or several catchments. As a result, the number of DRAT stations reaching the threshold and the number of areas at Significant Scarcity may be different.
How long water scarcity can last
Water scarcity does not necessarily end at the end of summer. Conditions can improve or deteriorate depending on rainfall and how rivers, soils and groundwater respond.
Further information and support
The National Water Scarcity Plan explains how water scarcity is monitored and managed in Scotland.
Further information is available on: