Solent and South Downs reservoir levels and drought status
Reservoir storage in Solent and South Downs at the end of September 2026: Ardingly (Ouse) 22.8% and Arlington (Cuckmere) 38.5%. That is the latest figure the Environment Agency has published; it is 19 days old. Environment Agency drought status on 15 October 2026: Solent and South Downs: severe drought in parts (stage 3 of 3); drought elsewhere since the start of August 2026.
Covers Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West Sussex and East Sussex (Environment Agency Solent and South Downs area).
Reservoir figures
Figures for 30 September 2026 (19 days ago). Source: Environment Agency, Solent and South Downs water situation report: September 2026 (published 14 October 2026). Percentages are of total capacity.
| Reservoir | % full | Long-term average |
|---|---|---|
| Ardingly (Ouse) | 22.8% | 68% |
| Arlington (Cuckmere) | 38.5% | 57.5% |
Report: Solent and South Downs water situation report: September 2026 (PDF), Environment Agency.
Exceptionally low in the latest weekly report
In the week ending 13 October 2026 the Environment Agency classed these reservoirs in this area as exceptionally low for the time of year, the lowest of its bands:
- Ardingly reservoir (South East Water)
Source: Dry weather and drought in England: 9 to 15 October 2026, published 16 October 2026.
Drought status
| Environment Agency area | Status |
|---|---|
| Solent and South Downs | Severe drought in parts (stage 3 of 3); drought elsewhere since the start of August 2026 |
On 9 October 2026 Yorkshire moved into drought. On 15 October 2026 the government declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex.
Source: Dry weather and drought in England: 9 to 15 October 2026, published 16 October 2026 (3 days ago). Every area in England.
The Environment Agency manages drought in England in four stages after normal. Prolonged dry weather: an established period of low rainfall, river flows or groundwater for the time of year. Drought: prolonged low and notably low indicators, with stress on water supplies and possible restrictions on non-essential water use. Severe drought: exceptionally low indicators over a long period, with emergency measures possible. Recovery: indicators improving and returning towards normal. Natural Resources Wales uses the same stages for Wales. Water companies have their own drought levels and decide on hosepipe bans for their own areas.
Hosepipe bans and water company pages
Water companies decide on hosepipe bans for their own supply areas, which do not follow the area above. Companies that supply this area:
| Water company | Hosepipe ban in the Environment Agency's list? | Official pages |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Water | Yes: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight | No checked link yet: find it on the company's own website |
| South East Water | Yes: whole company area |
Hosepipe ban page |
| Portsmouth Water | No, not in the list | No checked link yet: find it on the company's own website |
"Yes" means the company is in the list of temporary use bans (hosepipe bans) in the Environment Agency's weekly report of 9 to 15 October 2026 (published 16 October 2026). A ban can cover only part of a company's area, and companies can start or lift one between reports, so check the company's own page. Links were checked when this page was built (18 October 2026).
Where these figures come from
Every figure on this page is copied from an official report, with the date it is for. The reports are PDFs and web pages, not data feeds, so the figures are typed in from each report and then checked automatically against the report's own text before the page is rebuilt. Nothing is estimated or forecast here.
- Solent and South Downs water situation report: September 2026, Environment Agency, published 14 October 2026. Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Dry weather and drought in England: 9 to 15 October 2026, Environment Agency, published 16 October 2026. Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Environment Agency). Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights reserved. SEPA's water scarcity report states no reuse licence, so this site shows only the level SEPA gives each area, with a link to the report.
What the numbers mean
- % full is the water held as a share of the reservoir's capacity. Reports use total, live (usable) or net capacity; each table says which when the report does. Figures for a "group" combine several linked reservoirs.
- Long-term average (LTA) is the usual level for the same time of year in the reservoir's past records. "Below normal", "notably low" and "exceptionally low" are the Environment Agency's bands against those records.
- Reservoir levels alone do not decide drought status or hosepipe bans: the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales also look at rainfall, river flows and groundwater, and each water company follows its own drought plan.
- Northern Ireland is not covered: we have not found an openly licensed NI Water or DAERA reservoir report to use. Scottish Water's reservoir levels are not linked because we did not find an official page for them.
Questions
What are reservoir levels in Solent and South Downs now?
Reservoir storage in Solent and South Downs at the end of September 2026: Ardingly (Ouse) 22.8% and Arlington (Cuckmere) 38.5%. This is from Environment Agency, Solent and South Downs water situation report: September 2026 (published 14 October 2026) and is 19 days old. The Environment Agency publishes these figures once a month.
Is Solent and South Downs in drought?
Environment Agency drought status on 15 October 2026: Solent and South Downs: severe drought in parts (stage 3 of 3); drought elsewhere since the start of August 2026.
Is there a hosepipe ban in Solent and South Downs?
The Environment Agency's report of 16 October 2026 lists a hosepipe ban (temporary use ban) at Southern Water (Hampshire and the Isle of Wight) and South East Water (whole company area). Portsmouth Water is not in that list. Company supply areas do not follow these area boundaries, so check your own water company.
How often are these figures updated?
The Environment Agency publishes reservoir figures for each area once a month, usually around the middle of the following month, and a weekly drought report during dry periods. This page is rebuilt from those reports, and every figure shows the date it is for. Water companies often publish more recent levels on their own sites, linked on this page.
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