Image description: The Blanco River near the city of Blanco in Blanco County, Texas during the big drought of 2011. Image by Earl McGehee/ Flickr

Scotland is facing increasing water scarcity as prolonged dry weather continues to affect river levels, particularly in the east of the country. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued restrictions in areas where rivers have reached ‘significant scarcity’, the highest alert level.

As reported by The Scotsman, SEPA has introduced curbs on water abstraction in the Ythan catchment in Aberdeenshire and North Fife, where river levels have remained critically low for over 30 days.

The agency has warned that without consistent rainfall, more catchments could escalate to the highest alert level. Rainfall data shows that every month of 2025 has been drier than average on Scotland’s east coast, with some areas experiencing a 40% deficit compared to long-term averages.

In a related report, SEPA’s senior manager Eilidh Johnston stated that “rivers in eastern Scotland remain under sustained pressure” and that this is the third time this year the region has approached significant  scarcity.

The BBC has also highlighted the situation, noting that while some areas have seen temporary relief from recent rainfall, much of the water runs off quickly due to dry ground conditions, limiting its impact on river  levels.

SEPA has been in direct communication with licence holders since May, advising them to reduce water abstraction and follow licence conditions. Chris Dailly, SEPA’s head of environmental performance, emphasised that “protecting the water environment remains a top priority” and urged abstractors to have contingency plans in  place.

With the Met Office forecasting continued dry spells, the situation remains precarious. SEPA continues to monitor conditions and update its weekly Water Scarcity Reports to guide water use and conservation efforts.