Fish and birds suffer as drought deepens

Fish and birds suffer as drought deepens


Britain's wildlife is being devastated by the drought, with ducks dying, fish suffocating and birds struggling to breed, experts have warned.

The Environment Agency has highlighted more than 100 sites where wildlife has fallen victim to the long, dry spell.

The effects of the drought are not confined to the south east, with rivers reduced to trickles, ponds and canals turning green and fish and birds dying across the length and breadth of England and Wales.

In the last two months, the agency has mounted more than 20 operations to rescue fish from parched rivers and streams, including 1,000 wild brown trout which were plucked to safety from the River Nadder, near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

Thousands of other fish have not been so lucky, with carp and salmon proving especially vulnerable to changes in their habitat. Near Sheffield, more than 400 fish, including many roach, perished when levels fell in the River Idle.

The Thames is also affected, with higher than usual salt concentrations killing off insects such as mayfly and fresh-water-loving fish such as dace.

Bacteria and algae and pond weed are, however, thriving.

An outbreak of botulinum bacteria in Bear Brook, near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, and in Hook Marsh Lake in North London killed at least ten ducks.

And in Limehouse Cut canal in East London three boats have been deployed with the sole purpose of keeping heat-loving duck weed under control.

Dr David King, the agency's director of water management, said: 'The drought is not only affecting the way we use water - we've now seen 21 months of below-average rain and the environment is suffering too.

'We're seeing ponds and rivers dying up, fish becoming stranded and algal blooms.

'At first we couldn't see the impact of the drought around us, as the real problems were in the south east.

'But the continued lack of rainfall, low water levels and recent high temperatures have put pressure on the environment right across England and Wales.

'It is clear that the impact of the drought is no longer contained just to the south east of England. where water shortages were impacting on people's water use. The environmental problems are much more widespread.'

His warning came as the RSPB released a report which claimed the drought was being exacerbated by the reckless wasting of water by water companies, property developers and farmers.

A RSPB spokesman said: 'The profligate waste of this country's water has made a bad situation worse.

'Climate change and two dry winters have put increasing pressure on the country's water resources and wildlife.

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'But those resources would be better able to cope without the huge volumes of water squandered through the madness of leaking pipes, water-greedy housing and over-zealous land draining.

'England, which 400 years ago was covered by huge areas of wetland, is now an over-drained and inceasingly desiccated shadow if its former glory.'

In its report, Dry Rot: Is England's Countryside Dying of Thirst?, the charity highlights the plight of wetland birds, such as lapwings and snipe.

These birds are struggling to find the waterborne insects needed to feed both themselves and their young.

The report says: 'Many birds will not settle to breed.

'Those that do are unlikely to successfully hatch eggs and rear chicks, as they struggle to find food even for themselves.'

Some bat species are also suffering from the lack of insects, while falling river levels are leaving water vole burrows dangerously exposed to predators.

Frogs, toads and newts are being left high and dry and seeking refuge in garden ponds.

Both the RSPB and the environment agency called on householders, businesses and water companies to do more to conserve water.

Phil Burston, the RSPB's water policy officer, said: 'While we might not be able to prevent natural drought, we can reduce its impacts on wildlife and the environment by the way we manage water.

'A world that treats water in this way will be a more drought-resistant world.'

Been writing about this all day. depressing stuff.

Found a dried-up river and had a natter with the farmer about it. All very sad.

Worst of all the EA's put out a report in similar vein tonight which seems to assume in the small pring things are going to be this bad next year.