Water scarcity report - 19 June 2025
The Spey, Deveron, Ythan, Don (Aberdeenshire), Dee (Aberdeen), Esk, Firth of Tay and Tyne (Lothian) river catchments remain at Moderate Water Scarcity.
The Wick and Helmsdale catchments have recovered to Alert. The Naver, Findhorn, Firth of Forth, Almond and Tweed catchments remain at Alert.
Further recovery means that the rest of the country is at Early Warning or Normal Conditions.
Situation summary
Heavy showers affected much of the country late last week. This rainfall increased flow on the River Helmsdale, leading to the area’s recovery from Significant Scarcity. The wider Wick and Helmsdale catchments have recovered from Moderate Scarcity to Alert. The Thurso area and Orkney have recovered from Alert to Early Warning. Further south, the Tay catchment has also recovered from Alert to Early Warning.
Since the weekend, rain has been concentrated in the west, and particularly in the north-west, with little in the east. This rainfall has promoted further recovery in western areas. The Esk (Dumfriesshire), Nith, Dee (Galloway), Irvine and Ayr, Doon and Clyde catchments, as well as Loch Fyne, Kintyre, Loch Shiel and the Outer Hebrides, have recovered from Early Warning to Normal Conditions.
Above-average rainfall is still required for water scarcity levels to recover in the east of the country, where some parts have seen below-average rainfall for over a year.
What do the map colours mean?
| Normal conditions | Early warning | Alert | Moderate scarcity | Significant scarcity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | Green | Yellow | Orange | Red |
Water scarcity area descriptions
Weather Forecast
Mainly dry on Friday but a few isolated thundery showers developing in the north. Mostly dry again on Saturday but a chance of a few thundery showers developing, mainly late in the day. More unsettled on Sunday with showers or longer spells of main moving eastwards, perhaps heavy and thundery at times. A few scattered lighter showers on Monday.
Advice for water users
We advise water users, including those with private water supplies, to be aware of the potential risk of water scarcity this summer, and for businesses to plan ahead where possible. Advice for abstractors and irrigators.
Supporting information
This section goes into more detail on the data behind the water scarcity levels.
Rainfall and river flows
These maps show rainfall and river flows relative to the long-term average, for this time of year, over 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.
Rainfall over the last month has been normal across the north and east of the country, with the south and west seeing wet conditions. River flows over the month show a marked east-west split, with much of the east experiencing very low flows, and the north-east seeing extremely low flows, but the west generally showing high flows.
Over the last three months, parts of the east and north of the country have experienced very dry rainfall conditions. In the west of the country, normal conditions are more prevalent, with wet conditions in the central belt. River flows for this period remain extremely low in the east, and generally very low in the west.
Conditions over the past six months continue to be mixed. Rainfall across northern Scotland has varied between normal and dry conditions, with river flows similarly variable between normal and very low. However, the south, and up the east coast as far as Aberdeenshire, are very dry, with extremely low flows widespread.
What do the map colours mean?
| Rainfall | Extremely dry | Very dry | Dry | Quite dry | Normal conditions | Wet | Very wet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River flow | Extremely low | Very low | Low | Quite low | Normal conditions | High | Very high |
| Red | Orange | Light orange | Yellow | Green | Light blue | Dark blue |
Soil moisture deficit
This map shows this week’s soil moisture deficit. This is obtained from the Met Office Rainfall and Evaporation Calculation System (MORECS). Ground conditions are very dry or dry across much of the east of the country. In the west, ground conditions are generally quite dry or show no deficit.
What do the map colours mean?
| Extremely dry | Very dry | Dry | Quite dry | No deficit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Orange | Light orange | Yellow | Green |
Natural water storage – groundwater and loch levels
In each river catchment there is some degree of natural water storage, which can maintain river flows even when it is not raining. This natural water storage is mainly held in lochs and groundwater. When storage has been depleted it will take a lot of rainfall for levels to recover.
The maps below show recent groundwater and loch level compared to the long-term record at each individual station. Level is reported as high or low compared to the typical (‘normal’) level range for the time of year.
Level ranges are specific to each station and based on the long-term (minimum 10 years) record of mean monthly level values recorded at individual stations.
Despite the recent rainfall, due to the lack of recharge over the winter, groundwater levels across most of the country remain low to very low for the time of year.
Locations in Fife and Angus have recorded their lowest May levels on record. For example, the Newton of Falkland Borehole is at its lowest level for this time of year in its 28-year record. Without significant rainfall, levels are expected to continue to fall over the summer.
What do the map colours mean?
| Very high | High | Normal range | Low | Very low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark blue | Light blue | Light green | Light orange | Dark orange |
Flow, rainfall and groundwater data are accessed via SEPA's time series data service (API). SEPA's live data are subject to ongoing quality control and periodic review.
Scottish Water are responsible for public water supply and distribution in Scotland. Scottish Water reports on the raw water stored in these supplies.
Report copyright
- Current water scarcity levels - © SEPA. Some features of this information are based on digital spatial data licensed from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology © NERC (CEH). Contains OS data © Crown copyright (and database right).
- Areas of significant water scarcity - OS Data - © Crown Copyright - SEPA licence number 100016991 (2022)
- Rainfall, river flow, groundwater and loch levels - Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
- Soil moisture deficit - Data based on MORECS (Met Office © Crown Copyright). Some features of this information are based on digital spatial data licensed from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology © NERC (CEH). Contains OS data © Crown copyright (and database right). Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
- Weather forecast - Crown copyright [2022], Met Office