Havant Thicket reservoir is presented as part of England’s water resilience plans while drought restrictions affect millions.
Temporary drought rules let eligible English farmers cut, graze or establish some environmental scheme land differently, with the paperwork still attached.
The National Drought Group response tackles water pressure after heatwaves while a fictional watering can discovers the paperwork behind a dry summer.
Hampshire enters prolonged dry weather as the Environment Agency protects the River Test, while an umbrella demands a formal role.
England’s rainfall is near average, but dry soils, low flows and rising demand have sent the official watering can into administrative overdrive.
England’s water supplies are relatively healthy, the weather is behaving suspiciously and the National Drought Group is monitoring both with a clipboard.
England’s water levels have recovered from drought, but flooding shows that normal weather can still arrive with a dramatic administrative plot twist.
