In 2011, the UK experienced its driest spring on record, whilst the drought that affected central and eastern England during 2011 persisted into 2012. The consequence was that water companies were required to submit drought permits to the Environment Agency. Drought permits and the associated monitoring require a complex blend of specialised services.
ESI, supported by APEM and Hydro-Logic, produced Environmental Assessment Reports to support a potential application by Severn Trent Water for Drought Permits on the Derwent and Churnet catchments. This work required a detailed assessment of the potential impacts of the Drought Permits on the local ecology and development, in close consultation with the Environment Agency and Natural England, of appropriate mitigation measures.
Since 2010 ESI and partners have also been carrying out associated monitoring of the stream flows and ecology in these catchments. Our team was commissioned by Severn Trent Water to develop Environmental Assessment Reports for potential Drought Permits on the Leam, Wye and Severn at Trimpley.
ESI’s highly skilled consultants have years of experience in hydrogeology and groundwater monitoring and are ideally placed to advise on all aspects of drought permits and drought monitoring and the associated regulatory framework.