BRITAIN'S DROUGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 34, 9 August 1934, Page 13

BRITAIN'S DROUGHT

POSITION IS SERIOUS

THAMES SUPPLY FALLING

DRY CYCLE WARNING

(From "Tho Post's" Sapresentative.) LONDON. July 6.

. While we read cabled news of floods and blizzards in the Dominion we look on a blue sky in this country day after day. Even a drought in Great Britain, is generally characterised by periods of grey sky and occasional showers, but this past week has added clear skies and great heat to the water scarcity. According to Mr. E. L. Hawke, meteorological superintendent of Hampshire Observatory, no real break in tb'e drought is likely for tho next three months. . ."The signs are that wo arc in the midst of a dry cycle which may last tilll 1936," ho said in an interview. "This is the most serious drought for 250 years. The 1921 dry period lasted fifteen months. This has already lasted twenty months. Two hundred years of rainfall records show that a drought is rarely broken in the summer months. Even if there were to be a fait amount of rain now evaporation would. nullify its value. In the four summer months London loses 20 per cent, moro than it gains by normal rainfall. All my observations point to a very serious situation ahead." DRAWING ON RESERVES. In spite of appeals for economy and the restrictions imposed on Juno 28, the daily consumption of the water of the Metropolitan Water Board has incroased. It is believed that consumers are iuclinod to think that with tho restrictions now in forco there is no need to be careful in the use of water for ordinary purposes. "Wo want to emphasise," an official of tho board stated, "that there is still the greatest need for economy in the use of water. Wo aro drawing on our reserves, and we must conserve an adequate supply for the next' fow months. The avoidance of further restrictions will depend on the way in which consumers respond to the appeal made by the board." The present' state of the River Thames shows the need of eontinuod economy in the use of water. Notwithstanding tho rainfall towards tho end of June tho flow of tho river has fallen again to 250,000,000 gallons during 24 hours. The temporary break in tho drought between June 21 and June 28 resulted in nearly an inch and a half of rain falling over the Thames watershed above Teddrugton.. Of this quantity approximately half an inch fell on June 25. The flow of tho river, which had fallen to about 230,000,000 gallons daily immediately before the rainfall, improved temporarily to some 400,000,000 gallons on June 26. But it lias since steadily subsided, with the result that yesterday the flow at Teddington was the same as it was on June 18—namely, 250,000,000 gallons. According to official figures an inch and a half of rain'falling over the Thames watershed represents approximately 83,000,000,000 gallons of water. But the recent rainfall had so little effect on tho river ijhat of this quantity only about 600,000,000 gallons are stated to have passed down the Thames. EMERGENCY POWERS.* 1 The Minister of Health told , the House of Commons that the Ministry, as far as possible, was in control of the situation, with the assistance of tho water authorities of the ' country. Wherever there was a shortage measures were being taken to alleviato the position., Under the emergency powers water authorities were doing all that could be done to develop new supplies, and in several instances fresh ."emergency supplies had been developed. ■Ho assured : the House that all that could bo done was being done to relieve the hardships of districts suffering from scarcity. v Some private firms who have artesian wells on their premises have offered water to local councils and made it possible to resume street watering. Artesian well engineers are having a very busy time. One firm is drilling 100 per cent, more wells than in normal times. The well engineers are impressing on the local authorities that the .failure, of water supplies in ..many districts is traceable to the fact that the wells from which they were drawn have not been carried down beyond the .upper beds, which aro dependent upon yearly seasonal rains. The accumulated rainfall of countless centuries has furnished inexhaustible quantities in the lower basins which have as yet been exploited only to a relatively small extent. These supplies, tho well engineers point out which are contained not only in the lower, but the intermediate storage plaeeß, are free from contamination, and can be made available through the medium of efficiently constructed wells.