Fears of looming drought as water levels at Woodhead Reservoir continue to fall

Woodhead Reservoir is continuing to show low water levels as the heatwave in Manchester continues.

An amber heat warning is in place for large parts of the UK, including areas of Greater Manchester, until midnight on Sunday. Highs of up to 31C are forecast for Manchester over the next few days.

The hot temperatures have left many of the region’s reservoirs at under half capacity, as previously reported. Last week, water levels in the Pennine Sources, which includes Woodhead, were at just 48.9% - compared to an average level of 73.6% last year.

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Recent figures released by United Utilities say that water levels in the Pennine Sources are now at 49.3%, compared to 72.9% last year. While this is up slightly from last week (by 0.3%), recent pictures show water levels are still low in the reservoir.

In pictures taken this morning (August 11), Woodhead Reservoir, which lies south east of Oldham and north east of Stockport in Longdendale, north Derbyshire, can be seen looking hauntingly dry prompting fears of looming drought as the weather gets hotter towards the weekend.

Across southern parts of England and Wales, the Met Office recently raised the Fire Severity Index to the highest level, warning there was an “exceptional” risk of wildfires.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna told the PA news agency: “The risk is very high across much of central, southern and eastern England. Going into Friday and the weekend, it starts to increase further, going into the highest category of exceptional risk.”

There is also a heat health alert in place from the UK Health Security Agency, with experts advising people to look out for those who are