Grass sprouting where water once shimmered: that’s the stark reality facing parts of the United Kingdom as the summer of 2025 draws to a close. Months of relentless heat and dry spells have left reservoirs and canals across the country parched, with some areas now so dry that greenery has begun to reclaim the cracked earth. It’s a scene that has left many locals and officials alike shaking their heads in disbelief.
According to striking photos and reports cited by The Guardian and BBC News, both Jumbles Reservoir and Wayoh Reservoir in Lancashire have turned a surprising shade of green, with grass and other vegetation thriving in what should be aquatic environments. The reasons are clear: the UK has endured four widespread heatwaves so far this year, and with two weeks still to go until the end of meteorological summer, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the warmest summers on record. Met Office data confirms that both maximum and minimum temperatures have been significantly above average, and the mean temperature from June 1 to August 17 stands at 16.2°C—1.6°C higher than the long-term meteorological average.
Water levels have plummeted as a result. United Utilities, the water company responsible for much of the northwest, reports that reservoir levels in the region have dropped to just 54% of capacity, compared to 75% at the same time last year. The situation is even more dire in the Pennines, where reservoirs have sunk to a mere 36% of capacity, down from 67% a year ago. The implications are serious, not just for water supply, but for communities and industries that depend on these waterways.
It’s not just reservoirs feeling the pinch. Canals leading into major cities—including Manchester and Leeds—have been forced to close due to low water levels, stranding boaters on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Ashton Canal, Rochdale Canal, and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The Canal and River Trust, which manages these historic waterways, has pointed directly to the dry weather and repeated heatwaves as the culprits. As Matthew Symonds from the Trust put it, “Our canal network is feeling the strain after one of the driest springs on record and several heatwaves already this summer.”
The Trust’s response has been all hands on deck. On-the-ground teams have been kept busy with a variety of interventions: manually operating pumps, sealing up lock gates with ash, installing stop planks, making quick repairs to leaks, checking flow gauges, and keeping feeders clear. Volunteer lock keepers are working side by side with boaters to manage boat traffic at lock flights, hoping to save every possible drop of water. “Behind the scenes, our hydrology experts are keeping a day-to-day view of levels and planning for a range of scenarios based on projected demand and rainfall to see how to make best use of the available water,” explained Symonds.
Meanwhile, United Utilities has been quick to praise the public’s response to the crisis. Grant Batty, the company’s water services director, highlighted the efforts of customers: “We want to thank our customers for everything they have been doing to help protect water supplies and we’re asking them to continue to do their bit. 74% of customers are aware of the impact of dry weather on water resources, and we have seen a fantastic response from customers with increased leak reporting and a reduction in demand.” Batty went on to note that in some areas, there’s been strong uptake of free home water audits, which help customers identify and fix leaks—like the notorious ‘leaky loo’—and ultimately save both water and money.
United Utilities is also working overtime behind the scenes, carefully managing water resources through its integrated network of pipes to move water from one part of the region to another, wherever it’s needed most. The company is monitoring the situation daily, aiming to balance the needs of people and the environment as best as possible. “We are working hard to carefully manage our water resources through our vast integrated network of pipes to move water around from one part of the region to another, where it is needed and will continue to monitor the situation daily to ensure we manage and balance the water needs of people and the environment in the best possible way,” Batty said.
But is there any relief in sight? As speculation swirled about a possible fifth heatwave, the Met Office stepped in to clarify the outlook for the final weeks of summer. According to the weather service, a new high-pressure system is indeed setting up over the UK—but this time, it’s positioned to the north of Scotland. “As we move into the final weeks of summer, high pressure is once again asserting itself across the UK. However, unlike previous spells, this system is positioned to the north of Scotland, which means it won’t be ushering in a heatwave,” the Met Office said in a recent statement. Instead of more blistering temperatures, the high pressure is expected to act “like a boulder in a stream,” diverting the jet stream and bringing one or two showers to the southwest, with the rest of the country experiencing largely dry but not particularly warm conditions.
Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle summed up the season’s unusual warmth: “It’s looking like this summer is on track to be one of the warmest, if not ‘the’ warmest, since the series began in 1884. What’s striking is the consistency of the warmth. June and July were both well above average and even outside of heatwaves, temperatures have remained on the warmer side. This persistent warmth is driven by a combination of factors including dry ground from spring, high-pressure systems, and unusually warm seas around the UK. These conditions have created an environment where heat builds quickly and lingers. While we haven’t seen record-breaking highs, with 35.8°C the peak so far this year, the overall trend in consistently above-average temperatures is what matters.”
Looking back, the UK’s warmest summers on record include 2018, 2006, 2003, 2022, and the legendary heat of 1976. With the current summer’s mean temperature already among the highest, and with two weeks still left to go, it seems likely that 2025 will join—or perhaps even top—that list. Still, as officials and communities grapple with the immediate impacts of drought and heat, the focus remains on careful management and adaptation.
For many in the north and across the UK, the sight of grass growing in once-bustling reservoirs and canals is both a warning and a call to action. As the climate continues to shift and weather patterns become less predictable, the lessons of this extraordinary summer will likely shape water management and public attitudes for years to come.
