Dry weather has led to more Scottish river catchments moving through the water scarcity levels, according to the latest report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
The number of catchments affected continues to grow this week, with four additional areas moving into Moderate Scarcity and nine more reaching Early Warning. Around half of Scotland’s river catchments are now at one of SEPA’s water scarcity levels.
Moderate Scarcity is now in place in the Tyne in Lothian, Firth of Forth, Firth of Tay, Don in Aberdeenshire, Esk and Tweed catchments.
Alert remains in place for the Deveron, Ythan, Dee in Aberdeenshire, Almond and Findhorn catchments, while Early Warning now covers the Conon, Spey, Tay, Earn, Ness, Forth, Esk in Dumfriesshire, Annan, Nith, Dee in Galloway, Cree, Clyde, Irvine and Ayr catchments.
The River Lossie catchment is no longer at Significant Scarcity following rainfall last weekend. However, the overall trend across Scotland is one of continued drying, with more catchments now affected.
Water scarcity means there is less water available in rivers, lochs and groundwater, increasing pressure on the environment and on businesses, farmers and other organisations that rely on taking water directly from these natural sources.
Rainfall has been normal to wet across western and much of northern Scotland. In contrast, much of the east has experienced dry conditions, with parts of Angus and Fife extremely dry.
River flows reflect this pattern, with high to very high flows across western catchments and low to very low flows across much of the east. In the Tweed catchment, July river flows at the Coldstream gauging station reached the second lowest recorded at the site since records began in 1971.
Ground conditions are dry across much of eastern Scotland, particularly in parts of the northeast and along the east coast. Groundwater levels in Fife are also very low for the time of year.
SEPA are continuing to work directly with businesses, farmers and other organisations that take water from rivers, lochs and groundwater, providing practical advice to help them plan ahead, use water efficiently and reduce pressure on the environment.
Eilidh Johnston, SEPA Senior Leader in Compliance, said: “Scotland’s climate is changing, and periods of prolonged dry weather are becoming an increasingly important challenge for our rivers and the businesses that rely on taking water directly from the environment.
“While conditions are not as severe as they were at this point last year, the coming weeks and months are a critical time for water demand. Those who take water directly from rivers, lochs and groundwater should already be taking steps to use less, plan ahead and make sure they are prepared if conditions continue to deteriorate.
“We are working directly with businesses and other water users in affected catchments, providing practical advice to help them manage water responsibly and reduce pressure on Scotland’s rivers and the plants and animals that depend on them.
“Acting early will help protect the environment and reduce the risk of restrictions being needed later in the summer. Anyone concerned about accessing enough water for their business, or who needs advice on preparing for drier conditions, should contact SEPA as early as possible.”
SEPA are advising businesses and other organisations that take water directly from the environment to:
- monitor how much water they are using;
- use water as efficiently as possible;
- keep equipment in good working order to reduce leaks and losses;
- understand the water scarcity level in their catchment;
- have contingency plans in place should conditions worsen.
People can also help by reporting signs of water scarcity, including exceptionally low river levels, dry riverbeds and impacts on habitats, through SEPA’s website.
These observations complement SEPA’s monitoring network and help build a clearer picture of conditions across Scotland.
The latest Water Scarcity Report, catchment maps, advice for businesses and other water users, and information on reporting signs of water scarcity are available on SEPA’s website at sepa.org.uk/waterscarcity
SEPA Water Scarcity situation report – 16th July 2026
