Water Shortages / Drought

[XAM2175]

Considering that "experts" have been saying that East Anglia has less rain than the Sahara for many years, I'm surprised the announcement has taken so long.

I'm not sure how "has less rain than the Sahara" is something that simplifies the selection of a site for a new reservoir?

 

[eMeS]

I'm not sure how "has less rain than the Sahara" is something that simplifies the selection of a site for a new reservoir?

I don't suppose it does, but local papers mention it quite frequently.
With regard to siting any new reservoir, finding somewhere with the fewest people to rehouse must be an important factor. At the moment, Anglian Water haven't announced any water supply restrictions, but East Anglia is expected to house many more people in the next few years, and my area of Milton Keynes is certainly having lots of new house building.

 

[Magdalia]

"experts" have been saying that East Anglia has less rain than the Sahara for many years

I don't know this particular claim, but East Anglia is definitely the part of the UK that gets least rainfall. In 2022 it has been particularly dry, with February being the only month that was wetter than average, and with virtually no rain at all in July and August.

East Anglia is expected to house many more people in the next few years

That's already happening. Comparing the 2021 and 2011 censuses, three of the top six local authority areas for population growth were Bedford, Peterborough and Cambridge.

In my view availability of water is the most significant constraint on future economic development.

I wonder what they will do with the earth removed?

The middle of the Fens is a strange place to build a reservoir from an engineering perspective. I suspect that earth dug out of the hole in the middle will be used to create banks round the outside to keep the water in.

 

[philthetube]

I just wonder where the water is going to come from to fill the reservoir. bearing in mind that even areas with quite high rainfall are suffering water shortages and there are not many fast flowing rivers in the fens.

 

[Magdalia]

I just wonder where the water is going to come from to fill the reservoir. bearing in mind that even areas with quite high rainfall are suffering water shortages and there are not many fast flowing rivers in the fens.

The Rivers Ouse and Nene have big catchment areas, both have sources on the western edge of Northamptonshire. The Ouse and Nene flood plains do have flooding in winter, though not every year.

A lot of that water ends up in the Welney Washes, a critical ecosystem for migrating wildfowl, my main concern is that a new reservoir doesn't wreck that.