Despite recent rainfall, the Hebrides remain on SEPA’s ‘early warning’ water scarcity
list.
Ground water levels in the Western Isles risk dropping again after three weeks of
rainfall saw rivers and lochs rise slowly again following a long spell of warm and
dry weather.
While more rain is forecast in the coming week, hydrologists at the Scottish Environment
Protection Agency (SEPA) say well above-average rainfall will be needed to reverse
the effects of the long dry spell.
Long-term water scarcity pressures remain across Scotland after one of the driest
starts to the year for decades they warn.
Some catchments in the north and North East are continuing to deteriorate, while
others have not seen enough rain to recover.
Rain over the past week has led to recovery in areas of the west coast, Highlands
and Islands.
But the east has remained largely dry, due in part to the rain shadow effect where
moist air loses much of its rain as it moves over mountains, leaving drier conditions
on the other side.
This spring has been the second driest in 100 years in eastern Scotland and some
areas have had below average rainfall for more than 12 months.
Despite rainfall Western Isles faces ‘early warning’ risk of water scarcity says
SEPA
9 June 2025
