Environmental impacts

River Pang at Bucklebury Ford As river and groundwater levels continue to decline across the Thames area, many rivers are experiencing very low flows. As groundwater levels fall, the natural sources of some rivers move further downstream, causing sections of river further upstream to dry out.

One example of this is the River Pang at Bucklebury Ford, which is now dry. This has been observed during previous droughts and, given the severity of the current conditions, is not unexpected. Recovery will depend on sustained rainfall over the coming months to replenish groundwater levels and restore normal river flows.

Our fisheries teams have been working closely with affected communities, responding to incidents linked to algae crashes and low oxygen levels in rivers and ponds.

We will require sustained rainfall over the autumn and winter months for river flow and groundwater levels to recover.