Tag: SEPA

People across Scotland asked to help inform future plans by sharing their experiences of flooding

People across Scotland are being invited to share their experiences of local flooding issues to help inform how flood risk is managed in their communities, as work continues on Scotland’s next Flood Risk Management Plans.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) public consultation, launched on Wednesday 21st January, focuses on finding out about local flooding concerns in areas identified as having the highest flood risk. The feedback will help inform Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMP) covering 2028 to 2034, which will set out how Scotland reduces the impacts of flooding and builds resilience for the future.

Flooding is already affecting communities across Scotland, and climate change is increasing the likelihood of heavier rainfall and more frequent storms. SEPA’s most recent National Flood Risk Assessment (2025) shows that around 400,000 homes, businesses and vital services, around one in eight across Scotland, are currently in areas at medium risk of flooding. This number is projected to rise to around 634,000 by 2100 as the climate continues to change.

The FRMP consultation builds on work carried out in 2024, when Potentially Vulnerable Areas were reviewed, and consulted on, to identify where highest flood risk is most likely now and in the future. These areas help focus attention and investment where flooding is most widespread or complex, and where partnership working is essential to reduce impacts.

The current consultation marks the next step in that process, focusing on gathering local insight to ensure future plans reflect lived experience. Running until 22nd April, it asks communities to share their main flooding concerns and highlight projects, initiatives or actions already helping to manage flood risk.

The aim is to help develop Flood Risk Management Plans that support resilient, well-informed communities, recognising the role of individuals, organisations and partnerships alongside national agencies and local authorities in adapting to a changing climate.

Eleanor Cooper, SEPA’s Head of Environment Forecasting and Warning, said: “Flood risk in Scotland is increasing as our climate changes, and many communities are already experiencing the effects.

“The National Flood Risk Assessment published last year shows why it’s so important to plan ahead and work together to reduce the impacts of flooding.

“This consultation is about listening to communities and learning from local experience. By sharing concerns, experience and knowledge, people can help inform our understanding of flood risk in their area and support the development of flood risk management planning.”

The consultation is part of a two-stage process. A second, more detailed consultation will begin from December 2026, when further information on flood risk, objectives and proposed actions will be published in partnership with local authorities. The final Flood Risk Management Plans are due to be published in December 2027.

People can find out more and take part in the consultation at:

 Flood Risk Management Phase 1 Consultation – Scottish Environment Protection Agency – Citizen Space.

‘Plan ahead and look out for each other’: Swinney plea as winter bites

Resilience room updated on impacts of snowfall

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) convened yesterday to discuss ongoing efforts to recover from the recent heavy snow in northern Scotland and preparations for further snow and ice warnings.

The meeting was chaired by Justice Secretary Angela Constance and attended by First Minister John Swinney, Cabinet Secretaries, the Met Office, transport operators, Police Scotland, local authorities, resilience partnerships and utilities companies.

First Minister John Swinney has asked people to continue to follow advice on staying safe in winter and thanked those involved in supporting others.

Mr Swinney said yesterday: “The cumulative impact of the heavy snowfall across northern Scotland has been significant and there has been a huge effort to keep transport moving and public services open.

“At present, there is still some travel disruption but trunk roads are open and rail, ferry and air services are working to get back to normal as quickly as possible. Likewise many schools are closed today but remote learning is in place for young people, while contingency plans are in place for affected health and social care services.

“There will be further snow and ice, with yellow warnings in large parts of Scotland and temperatures set to remain cold, so impacts will continue to be felt in the coming days which could include transport problems and I would encourage everyone to plan ahead, look out for each other and pay close attention to  the range of weather and travel advice available.

“I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard, day and night, to keep Scotland open and moving. Public services have been collaborating well in sharing information and vehicles, while I have heard of truly exceptional efforts by farmers, volunteers and members of the public offering to clear local roads, dig out cars and keep people safe. That community spirit is truly heartening to hear.

“Ministers will continue to keep the situation under review.”

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: “Local resilience partnerships are continuing to meet to co-ordinate and deliver the response to disruption experienced by communities in the north and north east of Scotland following heavy snowfall over the weekend.

“We have been working closely with resilience partners across local authorities, other emergency service partners, transport partners, NHS and health and social care partnerships, and other local organisations to support communities affected by adverse weather and keep public services open where possible.

“Some services may be impacted by adverse weather, and I would encourage the public to check on neighbours or relatives, if they are able to do so safely.

“Heavy snow and ice means driving conditions are likely to continue to be hazardous in some areas. Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary.

“If you need to travel, please fully clear your vehicle windows of snow and ice before you drive, drive to the conditions, be prepared for delays and allow extra time for your journey.”

Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.

Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website. 

Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website.

One in eight properties across Scotland at medium risk of flooding

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) latest assessment of flood risk shows a sharp rise in number of properties at risk across the country.

The National Flood Risk Assessment (NFRA) 2025 report reveals 400,000, or one in eight, homes, business and vital services are in areas of medium risk of flooding. Medium risk is where there is a greater than 0.5 likelihood of flooding each year.

This figure is up from 284,000 in 2018 and projected to reach 634,000 by 2100 due to climate change.

The NFRA is a strategic tool that provides a national picture of the risk of flooding in Scotland. For the first time it also shows where flooding will be deepest, not just where it will happen:

25,000 properties are at medium risk from the sea, with more than one in three homes in areas at risk of deeper flooding. Flooding from this source will see the largest proportional increase this century as sea levels rise and storm surges intensify.

84,000 properties are at medium risk of flooding from rivers, with 5,000 residential properties currently in areas of high-risk deep flooding of at least 30cm and set to double by 2100.

327,000 properties are at medium risk from surface water and small watercourses, a number set to grow by 200,000 by the end of the century – although flooding from this source is generally shallower.

The report estimates flooding costs are approaching £500 million each year and that figure is growing.

Eleanore Cooper, Head of Environmental Forecasting and Warning at SEPA, said: “Flooding is Scotland’s most severe climate-related risk. Communities from the Borders to the Highlands and Islands have lived with the impact of flooding for decades and, as our climate changes, those impacts are accelerating.

“The NFRA performs a key role in advancing our flood resilience, providing evidence to inform coordinated action on flooding and support decisions on investment for flood risk management.

“It gives us the clearest picture yet of what lies ahead and, ultimately, is a roadmap to better flood resilience.”

NFRA 2025 is the cornerstone for the implementation of Scotland’s Flood Resilience Strategy and the next cycle of flood risk management planning. It will help shape SEPA’s National Flood Risk Management Plans, which will be consulted on in early 2026, and the subsequent Local Flood Risk Management Plans, which will be published by Lead Local Authorities for local plan districts in 2028.

NFRA has benefited from richer property data, improved climate projections, and enhanced modelling methods, meaning comparisons with 2018 data isn’t straightforward – science and understanding have moved on.

Read the full National Flood Risk Assessment 2025 report on SEPA’s website. Supporting data will be published by SEPA in Spring 2026.

Have your say on improving Scotland’s water environment

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are calling on Scots to have their say on the future of the nation’s water environment.  

The environmental regulator has launched a public consultation, Safeguarding Scotland’s Water Environment, about what it calls Significant Water Management Issues – issues that are having a significant adverse impact on the condition of the water environment and that it seeks to tackle.  

The water environment is one of Scotland’s most precious natural assets. It supports a rich diversity of wildlife, contributes to people’s health and wellbeing and provides for the sustainable growth of Scotland’s economy.  

Water experts at the agency have identified seven key focus areas for the next six-year water management cycle:  

  • rural diffuse pollution (the release of potential pollutants from a range of activities such as agricultural run-off) 
  • the physical condition of rivers
  • artificial barriers to fish migration (physical modifications to rivers built for water storage, navigation, water abstraction and crossings for road and rail transport)
  • sea lice from marine fish farms
  • water use (ensuring our water resources are resilient to a changing climate and managed within environmental limits)
  • wastewater and sewer networks 
  • chemicals in the water environment 

The consultation outlines the targeted work already underway to address these complex issues and sets out a recalibrated approach to achieving further vital progress with partners over the next period, in line with the evolving context.  

Input from members of the public and communities is essential to ensure plans reflect local experiences, practical solutions and a wide range of perspectives across Scotland.

Respondents can have their say on the Significant Water Management Issues and offer their thoughts on the role this work could play in supporting climate adaptation, nature recovery and health and wellbeing.  

Safeguarding Scotland2019s Water EnvironmentDownload

Rachel Harding-Hill, Head of Environmental Resilience and Enhancement at SEPA, said: “Protecting and improving our water environment as a vital natural asset is fundamental to Scotland’s efforts to build resilience to climate change and to ensure that the needs of wildlife, people and the economy can be met and safeguarded into the future. This requires ongoing effective management of the issues that are having a negative impact in a catchment-wide approach. 

“Our current proposals are at a formative stage, and we want to gather valuable evidence of the range of experiences and opinions, knowledge and ideas on this pivotal issue to inform our decision-making. 

“We know people across Scotland share our respect and aspirations for our water environment and we look forward to engaging with them at this key stage of our planning.”  

The consultation will feed into Scotland’s River Basin Management Planning (RBMP) – Scotland’s six-yearly framework for protecting and improving the water environment – which will be further consulted on in December 2026. The current RBMP cycle ends in December 2027.  

The Safeguarding Scotland’s Water Environment consultation is open now on SEPA’s consultation hub. Have your say at https://consultation.sepa.org.uk/water-unit/swmi 

Bathing waters continue to perform well across Scotland for 2026

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has published the 2026 bathing water classifications, showing the national picture across Scotland’s coasts and inland waters. The majority of designated bathing waters continue to meet high environmental standards, with 47 rated Excellent and 26 rated Good for the year ahead. 

A further 13 bathing waters are classified as Sufficient, and three coastal locations remain Poor. In total, 82% bathing waters achieve Good or Excellent, and 97% meet required standards, reflecting the progress delivered through regulation, investment and sustained partnership working since classifications were first introduced in 2015. 

As Scotland’s environmental regulator, SEPA monitor water quality across all 89 designated bathing waters during the summer months from 15 May to 15 September, working with Scottish Water, local authorities, land managers and communities to identify issues and support action. Classifications are based on a four-year rolling dataset, meaning both long-term improvements and isolated high results can influence year-to-year changes. 

These results reflect that pattern. Several bathing waters have improved their classification and consistently strong results across the dataset reflect on the ground improvements. Others have moved down a category where one or more elevated results affected the four-year picture. Where necessary, SEPA will continue to focus improvement work at these locations to support recovery and long-term resilience. 

For the 2026 season, Kinghorn Harbour and Lower Largo in Fife and Fisherrow Sands in East Lothian remain classified as Poor. Each location is supported by a tailored improvement plan which can involve SEPA, Scottish Water, local authorities and land managers as appropriate. 

This work can include targeted investigations into pressures on local drainage and wastewater networks, action to tackle diffuse pollution, misconnection tracing and enhanced monitoring at key points in the catchment. SEPA will provide updates on progress at these sites ahead of the 2026 bathing season. 

Dr Ruth Stidson, Principal Scientist for Bathing Waters at SEPA, said: “Scotland’s bathing waters continue to perform well overall, with most achieving Good or Excellent status for the year ahead. The progress made over the past decade reflects significant investment and strong partnership working across the country. 

“As we look to the future, our priority is driving improvement at the most impacted locations and building resilience across the wider water environment.

“With changing weather patterns and increasing pressures on drainage and wastewater systems, ongoing regulation is essential – alongside collaboration with Scottish Water, local authorities, land managers and communities. 

“We are committed to reducing pollution at source, protecting public health, and providing clear, accessible information for everyone who enjoys Scotland’s waters.” 

Key city project nears completion

SCOTTISH WATER – ‘DRAINING THE RAIN’ ON CORSTORPHINE ROAD

A £3million project to help prevent wet wipes and other sewer related debris from entering the Water of Leith at Murrayfield in Edinburgh is nearly complete.

Since June, Corstorphine Road has been reduced to one lane while Scottish Water upgrades a key storm overflow, constructing a new spill chamber and screens.

Earlier this month a giant 20 tonne concrete ‘lid’ was lowered into place, marking a major milestone for the project.

Scottish Water Senior Project Manager Ethan Gillies Denning said: “Work has progressed well, despite challenging ground conditions and we are aiming to finish by early December.

“We are extremely grateful to road users and residents who have been patient throughout and have coped well with the disruption on their doorstep.

“We have worked closely with Murrayfield Stadium and Edinburgh City Council to make sure hundreds of thousands of fans have been able to get safely to major events such as the Oasis concerts.

“Similar arrangements are being made so that supporters should have no problems at the autumn rugby internationals that kick off this weekend.

“These projects can be difficult to deliver but once completed, the benefits will ensure the environment is protected for many years to come.”

The project is part of Scottish Water’s Improving Urban Waters programme, an additional £500million package of investment to improve the environment and make it more enjoyable for customers to explore their local area.

Working closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Scottish Water has identified 108 high-priority storm overflows for improvement or replacement for water quality or aesthetic – sewer related debris – reasons.

Under the banner ‘Draining the Rain, Enhancing the Environment’ the investment helps prevent sewage related debris such as wet wipes from entering the environment during periods of rainfall.

The project is being delivered by Scottish Water’s alliance partner Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA).

Customer Manager Jennifer Renton said: “Work has progressed well despite some challenges along the way, and we sincerely appreciate the public’s understanding and patience throughout the process.

“We are proud and grateful to be part of Scottish Water’s Improving Urban Waters programme, an important investment in enhancing our environment for future generations.”

ExxonMobil Chemical Limited fined £176,000 for six days of flaring ‘that sounded like a jet engine’

ExxonMobil Chemical Limited was fined £176,000 at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court yesterday (28th October 2025) after pleading guilty to breaching its environmental permit during six days of continuous flaring at its Cowdenbeath site in April 2019. 

The conviction follows an extensive regulatory investigation by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) involving specialist regulatory, technical, scientific and enforcement staff, which resulted in referral to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in July 2020. 

The flaring caused significant disruption to the local community, with SEPA receiving more than 900 complaints, the highest number ever for a single environmental event in Scotland. Residents described the noise as “like a jet engine” or a “blowtorch”, which left them unable to sleep. People were reluctant to go outside due to the noise and many referenced anxiety and the fear that something more serious, like an explosion, could happen. 

A loss of steam on 21st April 2019 forced ExxonMobil Chemical Limited to shut down operations at its Fife Ethylene Plant and flare around the clock for almost a week.  

SEPA’s investigation found that: 

  • Smoke from the elevated flare stack exceeded legal limits, with emissions darker than Ringlemann Shade 2 for 110 minutes – more than seven times the 15 minutes permitted.   
  • Significant noise pollution was caused, based on monitoring in the community and statements from residents. 
  • ExxonMobil Chemical Limited had processes and contingency plans that should have prevented the incident, but they were not followed to a high enough standard.  
  • Poor maintenance scheduling, a lack of understanding of the site’s steam balance, and failure to update risk analyses left the plant vulnerable, resulting in the shutdown and prolonged flaring.  

Ross Haggart, SEPA’s Chief Operating Officer for Regulation, Business and Environment, said: “For nearly a week, communities around ExxonMobil Chemical Limited’s site were impacted by unacceptable and preventable flaring, causing noise and disruption on a scale that was simply intolerable.  

“The scale of complaints, the highest number ever received by SEPA for a single environmental event, illustrates how many people were impacted by the noise, described as “like a jet-engine”, that disturbed sleep and caused fear and anxiety. 

“Our investigation found that ExxonMobil had processes in place that could have prevented this incident, but they were not followed to a high enough standard. Today’s result holds the company to account for these failures, and the serious impacts communities experienced.  

“While flaring is an important safety mechanism at facilities like this, it must be the exception rather than routine. Significant investment in new flaring infrastructure and operational improvements has been driven by SEPA’s programme of enforcement, and we will continue to keep a firm focus on compliance going forward.” 

SEPA’s twin-track approach 

SEPA have maintained a firm twin-track approach to compliance, ensuring the company is held to account while securing the technical improvements needed to address the root causes of unacceptable flaring. 

Through SEPA’s regulatory requirements, ExxonMobil Chemical Limited has made major investments including the installation of low-noise elevated flare tips and multi-million-pound upgrades to improve steam management, reduce risk and minimise the frequency and duration of flaring events. 

This approach demonstrates SEPA’s commitment to delivering accountability and long-term compliance, delivering tangible improvements for the community.  

Scotland’s east coast faces ‘significant water scarcity’

Scotland faces record water scarcity with 17 catchments at Significant

Scotland’s east coast is facing record pressure on its rivers, with 17 areas now at Significant Scarcity – the highest number since the current version of the National Water Scarcity Plan was introduced. More areas could reach this level in the coming days.

While it is difficult to compare directly with previous years because area boundaries have been refined over time, this year stands out for the scale and duration of low rivers flows. In the Lower Spey, for example, the 2025 season has seen the highest number of low-flow days in a 70-year record.

In response, SEPA have imposed temporary restrictions on licensed abstractions in affected areas. The total number of licence restrictions put in place so far this year is around 270, the highest number SEPA have ever issued.

Significant Scarcity is now affecting the Upper Tweed, Mid-Tweed and Lauderdale, Tyne (Lothian), Fife (East Neuk), Leven (Fife), Lunan Water, Lower Dee and Water of Feugh, South Ugie Water, River Findhorn, Findhorn (East), River Avon, Lower Spey, Deveron, Upper and Lower Don (Aberdeenshire), Ythan and North Fife areas.

All affected licence holders have been issued with letters explaining what they need to do, with the time and date the restrictions come into effect. SEPA officers are out in catchments daily, monitoring conditions and supporting abstractors.

The River Lossie will reach Significant Scarcity on Friday. Unless there is sustained rainfall over the coming days the Brodie, River Helmsdale, Cromarty Firth (North), Inverness (East), River Nairn, Kyle of Sutherland and River Carron areas are due to go to Significant Scarcity next week.

While some rain is forecast, it is not yet clear whether this will be enough to see rivers recover enough to lift restrictions. SEPA will monitor the situation closely.

Regional conditions

North-East

Significant Scarcity: Deveron, Ythan, Upper and Lower Don, Lower Dee and Water of Feugh

Moderate Scarcity: Rest of the Dee

Speyside

Significant Scarcity: Lower Spey, River Findhorn, Findhorn East, River Avon, and from Friday the River Lossie

Moderate Scarcity: Rest of the Findhorn (Brodie and River Nairn), Mid and Upper Spey

Highlands and Islands

Moderate Scarcity: Helmsdale, Shin, Conon, Inverness (East)

Alert: River Naver, Thurso, Orkney

Early Warning: Shetland

Central – East

Significant Scarcity: East Neuk of Fife, Leven, Lunan Water, North Fife, Tyne

Moderate Scarcity: Almond and the rest of the Esk, Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay catchments

South – East

Significant Scarcity: Upper Tweed, Mid-Tweed & Lauderdale

Moderate Scarcity: Rest of the Tweed catchment

Unusual year of pressure

This year has been highly unusual, with repeated dry weather keeping rivers under strain throughout 2025.

Rivers naturally cope with changes in flow as part of their annual cycle, but extended low flows increase pressure on river ecology and recovery takes longer. Repeated low-flow years increase the risk of long-term or even permanent changes.

To better understand the impacts, SEPA has increased ecological monitoring. Additional assessments have been carried out over the summer to assess impacts on fish, in-stream ecology, and water quality.

David Harley, SEPA’s Head of Water and Planning, said: “With 17 catchments now at Significant Scarcity, and more abstraction licences restricted than ever before, Scotland’s rivers are under record pressure.

“Restrictions are always a last resort, but they are essential to protect the environment and all water users. The National Water Scarcity Plan sets out an approach which ensures the correct balance between protecting the environment and providing water for human and economic activity. It has clear thresholds for when restrictions are imposed and lifted, based on detailed monitoring of river levels underpinned by evidence and expertise in relation to the impact of extended low flows on river ecology.

“This year has been highly unusual – we’ve not seen water scarcity conditions persist for this length of time before. It underlines the importance of learning from these events and planning for how Scotland uses and protects its precious water resources in the face of climate change.”

SEPA: More of eastern Scotland reaches Significant Water Scarcity

Ten river catchments in eastern Scotland are now at Significant Water Scarcity, as prolonged dry conditions continue across the east. 

The Lower Spey (covering River Avon and Lower Spey catchments) and Berwickshire (covering Berwickshire coastal and Whiteadder catchments) reached Significant Scarcity on Monday (1st September).  

Upper Don, Lower Don, North Fife, Deveron, Ythan, and Lower Tweed catchments were raised to Significant last week. 

Letters explaining what abstraction licence restrictions are in place have been issued to all affected licence holders, detailing the action that needs to be taken, and the date these restrictions come into force. 

This week’s report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shows that a number of other areas in the country also remain under pressure. Without sustained rainfall, further catchments are at risk of reaching Significant Scarcity in the coming week. 

Current conditions 

Much of the east coast currently remains at Moderate Scarcity, including the wider Tweed and Ythan catchments, Dee (Aberdeen), Esk (Angus), Firth of Forth, Almond and Tyne (Lothian). 

Thurso, Shin, Conon and Inverness East have been raised to Alert, joining Helmsdale and Orkney. 

Away from the east, conditions are improving. The Clyde, Tay and Earn catchments have recovered from Alert to Early Warning thanks to improved soil moisture and river flows.  

Much of the southwest has also returned to Normal conditions. 

Further catchments are at risk of reaching Significant Scarcity unless they see enough sustained rainfall to recover. These are more defined areas, linked to individual drought risk assessment stations across Scotland.

In the north-east, the Findhorn, Findhorn East, South Ugie Water, Lower Dee, Water of Feugh and Lunan Water are all at risk. Further south, the Leven and the East Neuk (Fife), the Tyne (Lothian), Upper Tweed, Mid-Tweed and Lauderdale could also be raised to Significant. 

Evidence and impacts 

August brought below-average rainfall across the east of Scotland, with some areas receiving less than a third of the normal amount. This continues a year-long deficit in places, reflected in record-low groundwater levels at several SEPA boreholes. 

  • Newton of Falkland in Fife has recorded its lowest level in its 28-year record 
  • Muirton Nature Reserve in Angus has recorded its lowest level in its 17-year record 

David Harley, SEPA’s Head of Water and Planning, said: “This situation has been developing over many months. Groundwater, which usually recharges over the wetter months, and spring snowmelt are like a  bank account that rivers can normally draw on to keep flowing through the summer.

“This year that account is running dry, leaving rivers without their usual baseflow. For example, the Lower Spey hasn’t had this many low-flow days since 1972. That’s having real impacts on people, businesses and the environment. 

“Our decisions are guided by science and data, and our DRAT station monitoring plays a critical role in our ability to respond quickly, fairly and proportionately. Our ongoing monitoring over the summer has enabled us to anticipate risks and engage early with abstracters, ensuring that restrictions on water abstraction were implemented only when absolutely required. 

“These will be lifted as soon as the situation changes and we are confident that rivers have recovered sufficiently.” 

SEPA officers are present in catchments where restrictions are now in place, ensuring licence holders understand what the measures mean for them and providing advice on using water wisely. 

At the same time SEPA ecologists are carrying out surveys in the most affected catchments to monitor how invertebrate communities, the foundation of the river food web, are coping with prolonged low flows.

This information will help SEPA identify whether river communities are holding steady or shifting in ways that could undermine the long-term ecological health of Scotland’s waters.

Healthy river systems are not just vital for wildlife, they provide the stable, resilient water resources that Scotland’s businesses and communities depend on for the long term.  

Anyone can track conditions via SEPA’s Drought Risk Assessment Tool (DRAT), which shows colour-coded stations across Scotland and how close they are to Significant Scarcity.

Clicking on an individual station will show how many days it has been at Q95, a recognised low flow threshold.

When a station reaches 30 days the catchments linked to the station will be moved to Significant Scarcity, and SEPA will move to impose any restrictions required.  

Six areas of Scotland at Significant Scarcity as rivers remain low

Six areas of Scotland are now at Significant Scarcity, the highest level, as prolonged dry conditions continue across the east. 

The Upper Don and Lower Don reached Significant Scarcity on Wednesday, with the Lower Tweed catchment being escalated today (Thursday). The North Fife, Ythan and Deveron catchments were announced earlier this week.

Temporary restrictions have been issued on some abstraction licences in these areas, limiting the amount of water that can be taken from the environment.  

This week’s report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shows that a number of other areas in the country also remain under pressure. Without sustained rainfall, further eastern catchments are at risk of reaching Significant Scarcity in the coming week. 

Moderate Scarcity  

  • Escalated this week: Findhorn, Firth, Forth and the Dee in Aberdeen. 
  • Already at Moderate Scarcity: Spey, Esk (Angus), Almond, Tyne (Lothian) and wider areas of the Ythan, Firth of Tay Tweed catchments. 

Alert  

  • Escalated this week: Tay, Clyde and Helmsdale 
  • Already at Alert: Orkney and Earn 

Early Warning 

  • Escalated this week: Conon and Ness  
  • Already at Early Warning: Wick, Forth, Esk (Dumfriesshire), Annan, Dee (Galloway), Cree, Irvine and Ayr, Leven (Dumbartonshire), Naver, Thurso. 

How did we get here? 

The current situation is the result of prolonged, cumulative pressures on Scotland’s water environment.

A dry autumn and winter in 2024/2025 meant rivers and groundwater did not receive their usual recharge, and a lack of snow over the winter denied eastern rivers the gradual spring replenishment that snowmelt normally brings.

Every month of 2025 so far has recorded below-average rainfall in the east, leaving rivers increasingly vulnerable. 

While the west of Scotland saw some improvement after heavy rain earlier in the summer, those gains have not been sustained, and conditions there are also beginning to deteriorate. 

Rain is forecast for parts of Scotland over the coming days, with showers expected Thursday and Friday and heavier, more widespread rain likely in the northeast on Saturday. However, it remains uncertain whether this will provide meaningful relief to rivers that have been under sustained pressure for months. 

David Harley, Head of Water and Planning at SEPA, said: “Six areas of Scotland are now at Significant Scarcity, the highest level of water scarcity we have. It’s a critical moment for farmers, businesses and communities who depend on these rivers.  

“We’ve been warning about water scarcity and the impact it could have on Scotland since May and communicating directly with abstractors across the summer.

“We also been working with key partners, including Fisheries Management Scotland, NFUS, Scotch Whisky Association and Scottish Golf to help the country prepare for potential restrictions.

“We’ve spoken directly to farmers, distillers, golf courses, industry and hydropower businesses over the past few months – this should not come as a surprise to anyone.  

“SEPA officers will be out in areas where restrictions are in place, ensuring abstractors understand their obligations and helping with any questions they may have.  

“While rain is forecast in the coming days, it is too soon to know if it will bring real relief. SEPA will keep monitoring conditions closely and take the action needed to protect our rivers, the environment, and the livelihoods that rely on them.”