How much rain will cure hosepipe issues/canal depth/reservoir levels?

Greenheart

Greenheart

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So...a couple of drops of rain over the UK today...

Given how our reservoir perimeters have shrunk, and some canals are at risk of restricted use, hoses have become criminal and Ma & Pa Joad are concerned about the wheat, does anybody know how long it needs to rain for, to set things straight?

Lots of lakes on Googlemaps appear much smaller than on the old maps I have. Of course, the Google images aren't all new, but I get the feeling the UK used to be awash with babbling brooks and large ponds, where now are just ditches and boggy acres.
 
Not ever enough so long as the water companies fail to deal with leaks in the main pipe system.

Then you could stop using treated water for toilets etc, to conserve a bit and cut down the expense, start using water catchment on private homes etc,etc. The technology is there and it's cheap enough - just need the effort to get out and use it!

Failing that there enough nice pleasant valleys in England you drown to supply the local needs and hope Wales never gets independance or you lot will be well and truly over barrel!!
 
A prolonged period of above average rainfall over autumn and winter is perhaps what you should hope for.
 
dancrane said:
So...a couple of drops of rain over the UK today...

Given how our reservoir perimeters have shrunk, and some canals are at risk of restricted use, hoses have become criminal and Ma & Pa Joad are concerned about the wheat, does anybody know how long it needs to rain for, to set things straight?

Lots of lakes on Googlemaps appear much smaller than on the old maps I have. Of course, the Google images aren't all new, but I get the feeling the UK used to be awash with babbling brooks and large ponds, where now are just ditches and boggy acres.
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Ask your local water company about how they use bore holes and where/which rivers, streams, ponds, canals they extract water from. You'll be supprised at how much the UK water table has dropped since they were allowed to do all the above without restaint or having to compensate for any subsidance & damage caused!
 
MartynG said:
A prolonged period of above average rainfall over autumn and winter is perhaps what you should hope for.
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That seems to be the alarming thing - how uncommonly dry our traditionally-wet seasons seem to have been, lately.

I'm just wondering what degree of drenching we'd need to endure, before everything was lush and verdant, and rivers and lakes were brimming again.

Hopefully a series of bank-holiday wash-outs will prevent the same dismal situation that's developing with Lake Mead on the Colorado River - a few more dry years and Vegas won't have enough hydro-electric power to light a neon topless-showgirls sign.
 
from the Environment Agency site:-

How much rain do we need to secure water supplies?

Even when we have normal amounts of rain, the high population density in England and Wales means there is less water available per person than in some Mediterranean countries who receive much less rain.
Although there is pressure on our water resources, we are not running out of water. Demand for water is greatest in the east and south east of the country, and longer term planning is aimed at finding the best way of meeting new demands in these areas.
Every 5 years, water companies are required by law to produce Water Resource Management Plans to identify the volume of water needed to meet the forecast demand level over a 25 year period. If the volumes of water currently available to the water company do not meet the predicted demand taking into account the natural variability of rainfall and demand, they implement demand management measures or bring on line a water resource scheme to restore the balance between supply and demand.
In planning for future water supply requirements, the Environment Agency and water companies use a twin track approach which means ensuring demand management measures are implemented as well as the development of new water resource schemes when the need is justified.


And here is the link to Water resource Management Tables from Severn.

http://www.stwater.co.uk/ConWebDoc/1516


The long term view is as frightening as the present water shortage threat in the Gulf, where an ICE report looks at a possibility that parts of the UAE, Quatar and other states will not have enough to provide drinking water in 7 years time. Quatar, for instance is building 30 reservoirs, each over 200 metres across and 10m tall.
 
You could all use a bit less water? Imagine if you lived aboard and used the same amount youuse at home - you'd need a tanker behind you just for daily use.

Education is the answer, USE LESS WATER. It can't won't last for ever at the rate we use it for irrigation let alone household & industrial use!

I used to (in a former life) recomend that if youhad the room then drill your own borehole and fit a rain water catchment system for washing wc use. Sort of future proofing your intrests, water will go up and keep going up in price as long as we use as we do!
 
I suppose there's some good reason why towns which are anywhere near the sea, don't have vast quantities of lightly-filtered seawater pumped into a main supply, for flushing lavatories?

Umm...what is that reason? Briny cisterns seem an obvious answer to cutting fresh water usage.
 
I would think it to do with the unique UK thing about having to have any houshold water supply, tap, toilet being drinking quality. The rest of Europe & many other countries don't bother and only have one suppyling drinking water. Therefore they can use non potable water to wash clothes, shower and flush the lo with.

Sea water would work fine, it's been working on commercial ships for many a year without any major problems.
 
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC said:
Need two wet winters to recharge the aquifers. April is the wettest month, lets hope that it rains non stop for the next two weeks; I don't have any plans to go sailing or go out:D:D
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I'll be sailing for the next three weekends (re-doing my RYA Dinghy Level 1 and doing Level 2 now I have a boat of my own) and would happily accept rain (though some sun would be nice) if it topped things up a bit.


...plus, if it gets biblical, I'll be on a boat.
 
Drought

I sympathise with you brits in that the real attraction of UK for me was always the abundance of fresh water in lakes and streams.
Here at home (Perth) (the other one) we have had water shortages for some years. We take more than half our potable water from the ground and now have 2 huge desalination plants on line and the rest from dams. (for 2 million people)
We do stick with the UK idea of all water must be potable. I think we need to begin a reticulation system for non potable water for gardens toilets industry etc.
I have a bore 24 metres deep to abundant reasonable though alkaline water which keeps the garden green. However I am only permitted to water 3 times per week.

Often mooted for Perth is a pipeline from the north where there are huge fresh water lakes and rivers. Sadly this is about 2000kms so pretty expensive. UK should consider a pipeline from the north where there is I think abundant fresh water. (and not so far)
A hundred odd years ago a pipeline was built to Kalgoorlie a gold mining town nearly 600kms. At the time water was so scarce it was nearly the price of whiskey. The pipeline cost something like 4 times the annual budget for the colony and was hugely criticised. Even to the extent that the chief engineer suicided over the news paper criticism. Once finished and soon paid for, it was a huge asset and still provides water to a very dry town which is still producing lots of gold.
Anyway just a bit of rambling. I hope you get lots of rain soon (but not floods) olewill
 
According to the chap from Southern Water on TV last week, we need about 2 months continuous rainfall to get things back to where they should be. Any less than this, and it looks likely that there will be a lot less, and we can look forward to increasing restrictions.
 
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