Back to Autumn water situation report 2025

Supporting information

This section goes into more detail on the data behind the report. SEPA gathers rainfall and river flow data from hundreds of sites across Scotland. We have a dedicated team of staff who do this work. We also monitor groundwater and loch levels and use soil moisture data from the Met Office. We compare the current conditions against the long-term values to see how dry (or wet) it has been.

Rainfall and river flows

The maps below show SEPA’s monitored rainfall (left) and river flow (right) from each monitoring station relative to the long-term average, for this time of year, over the last 3 months (autumn).

Across much of the south of the country, conditions have been normal (green) to very wet (dark blue) which is reflected in the generally high (blue) to very high (dark blue) river flows in the southwest and largely normal flows elsewhere. Areas of low (light orange) to quite low (yellow) river flows are persisting after the dry summer, particularly in Fife and East Lothian. In northern Scotland, rainfall has generally been normal (green), however parts of the Moray Coast and Aberdeenshire have experienced quite dry (yellow) to dry (light orange) conditions over the past 3 months. River flows have been quite low (yellow) to very low (dark orange) across much of the northeast, with more normal (green) conditions in the west and the far north. Meanwhile, Shetland has experienced low (light orange) river flows.

Maps of Scotland showing rainfall from each monitoring station, over autumn, relative to the long-term average for this time of year. The rainfall map (left) shows across much of the south of the country, conditions have been normal (green) to very wet (dark blue). In northern Scotland, rainfall has generally been normal (green), however parts of the Moray Coast and Aberdeenshire have experienced quite dry (yellow) to dry (light orange) conditions over the past 3 months.

Map of Scotland showing rainfall from each monitoring station, relative to the long-term average, for this time of year over 90 days.

Map of Scotland showing river flows from each monitoring station, over autumn, relative to the long-term average for this time of year. The river flows map show in the south, generally high (blue) to very high (dark blue) river flows in the southwest and largely normal flows elsewhere. Areas of low (light orange) to quite low (yellow) river flows are persisting, particularly in Fife and East Lothian. Quite low (yellow) to very low (dark orange) across the northeast, with normal (green) conditions west.

Map of Scotland showing river flows from each monitoring station, relative to the long-term average, for this time of year over 90 days.

Soil moisture

Soil moisture deficit is obtained from the Met Office Rainfall and Evaporation Calculation System (MORECS). There is no soil moisture deficit across the country.

Natural water storage

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.

Groundwater levels

Recent rainfall has led to some recovery of groundwater levels in all areas. However, levels remain low (orange) for the time of year in Fife, Angus and Aberdeenshire, with one borehole in each area reporting the lowest November level on record. Two further boreholes in Fife are at the lowest level for November in the last 20 years. Longer term recovery in these areas will depend upon recharge over the winter period.

Elsewhere levels are now normal (light-green) for the time of year.

A map of Scotland showing how the mean monthly groundwater level for November compares to the long-term record at each individual station.

Loch levels

Loch levels from our monitoring points across Scotland are broadly within the normal range (light-green) or higher for this time of year.

A map of Scotland showing how the mean monthly loch level for November compares to the long-term record at each individual station.

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.