We are seeing longer spells of intense heat broken by bursts of intense rain. Dry, baked ground can't soak up a sudden downpour, so water races off fields and into rivers and roads instead of seeping into the soil and the chalk aquifers beneath. Shifts in global weather patterns, such as the building Super El Niño and the disturbances to weather that surround it ripple out to the UK too, making those swings harder to predict.

So, the question isn't just "how much rain do we get?" It's "how do we hold on to it when it comes, and let it go slowly?"

A looming water deficit

Water scarcity is no longer a distant threat even for our part of the country. Even with the South West being known for its damper conditions over other southern regions, most places are expected to be water deficit by the 2030s, meaning demand from homes, farms and industry will outstrip what our reservoirs, rivers and aquifers can reliably supply.

This matters for people, but it matters just as much for wildlife. Our chalk streams and rivers depend on steady flows of groundwater to stay healthy. When water levels drop during a dry summer, habitats shrink and water temperatures rise, putting stress on the plants and animals that depend on them.

Low river flows also reduce oxygen levels in the water, making it harder for fish and aquatic invertebrates to survive. Fish are particularly affected because fewer young fish are able to hatch, survive and reach adulthood, a process scientists call recruitment. Over time, this can lead to declining fish populations.

Slower, shallower rivers are also less able to dilute pollution. This can encourage excessive algal growth, which blocks sunlight and uses up even more oxygen as it decomposes. In severe cases, algae can smother river habitats, further damaging the delicate ecosystems that depend on clean, flowing water.

Building resilience on farms and in communities

The good news is that many of the actions our Water Team delivers help address both flooding and drought. Measures that slow water down and hold it in the landscape can reduce flood peaks after heavy rain while also helping replenish groundwater supplies for dry periods. In many cases, tackling one problem helps tackle the other.

We saw the value of this approach during the exceptionally hot and dry summer we've just experienced. While many fields, verges and landscapes turned brown under prolonged dry conditions, healthy river valleys often remained green. These areas benefited from functioning floodplains, healthy soils and groundwater-fed rivers that continued to supply moisture even during the driest weeks. They acted as vital refuges for wildlife, providing cooler conditions, food and shelter when surrounding habitats were under stress. They were also cooler places for us to shelter in too – with parklands and gardens with watercourses staying a couple of degrees cooler than places without. 

Farmers are on the front line of these changing conditions. A resilient farm is one that can cope with both a parched summer and a waterlogged winter, and we work with our farmers and landowners to make that possible. From improving soil health and restoring wetlands to creating features that store water in the landscape, these measures can help farms become more resilient while also benefiting surrounding communities and wildlife.

Communities matter too. In Marlborough, people understood that flooding was a risk and that preparing for it is just as important as trying to prevent it. Natural Flood Management is an important part of the solution, but it cannot solve everything on its own. How communities respond to flooding, support vulnerable residents and work together before, during and after an event is equally important. Building resilience means recognising that both floods and droughts are part of our future, and taking action now to ensure our rivers, landscapes and communities are better prepared for both.

What we're delivering

Through the Resilient Avon programme, funded by Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), we are working to improve flow resilience on the Wiltshire section of Hampshire Avon. This helps to mitigate against the impact of water being abstracted from the catchment for public supply.

The aim is to make the river more resilient during low flows and drought. A big part of that is floodplain storage: giving the river room to spill out onto its floodplain and move back and forth naturally, rather than being confined to a single channel.

Well-connected floodplains do several jobs at once. They store floodwater, release it slowly, recharge the ground, and create rich habitats for aquatic life.

Working with more than 40 parishes

Through the Wiltshire Rural Run Off Project (WRROP), our team are working with over 40 parishes to offer Natural Flood Management advice. For each the team are analysing the local situation and suggesting practical interventions that could make a difference and help deliver Natural Flood Management at a local scale.

So what does Natural Flood Management actually look like? The team use a range of natural processes:

Leaky dams: wood and branches from trees nearby are felled and placed in small streams and wet ditches. Leaky dams let normal water levels flow but hold back water during heavy rain, helping to re-wet the surrounding landscape and slow the peak flow of water heading downstream.

Hedges and edges: keeping wider margins along rows of hedges and strips of grasses or wildflowers along field edges and watercourses that help slow down the water run-off and hold it in the soil, giving time for the water to infiltrate down to the groundwater below. Managing ditches near agricultural fields so run-off is slowed and held rather than rushed downstream.

Cover crops over winter: In agricultural settings keeping ground covered, for example under winter wheat or maize, so bare soil isn't washed away, plus companion cropping, where a second crop grows beneath the main one.

Tree planting: especially wet-loving species such as alder and willow. Trees catch rain in their canopy, and their roots help water soak into the soil, by up to 30%. They also clean and slow water on its way to the river. Tree canopies also help lock in moisture during extreme heat. 

Protecting our most special rivers

In Wiltshire we are lucky to have some of the rarest and most beautifully crystal clear chalk rivers in the world. Often likened to rainforests due to their rarity and ecological value – it’s crucial that we protect them and do everything we can to prepare them in this fluctuating climate. Drought and flooding aren't going away, by working with nature, slowing water down and giving it space, we can make Wiltshire's waterways more resilient to them, while creating better habitats for wildlife and reducing the risk of flooding for people at the same time.

Do you have the opportunity to make space for water on your land contact our award winning water team waterteam@wiltshirewildlife.org who might be able to help.