SEPA water restrictions | EverythingAboutWater

Scotland Faces Record Water Scarcity With 17 Catchments at Significant Scarcity

Dec 1, 2025Dec 1, 2025 eawater

Scotland’s east coast is facing record pressure on its rivers, with 17 areas now at Significant Scarcity – the highest number since the current version of the National Water Scarcity Plan was introduced. More areas could reach this level in the coming days. While it is difficult to compare directly with previous years because area boundaries have been refined over time, this year stands out for the scale and duration of low rivers flows. In the Lower Spey, for example, the 2025 season has seen the highest number of low-flow…

Six Areas of Scotland Now at Significant Scarcity as Rivers Remain Low

Oct 25, 2025Oct 25, 2025 eawater

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has confirmed that six areas of Scotland are now at Significant Scarcity, the highest level, as prolonged dry conditions continue across the east. The Upper Don and Lower Don reached Significant Scarcity on Wednesday 27 August, with the Lower Tweed catchment being escalated on Thursday 28 August. The North Fife, Ythan and Deveron catchments were announced earlier this week. Temporary restrictions have been issued on some abstraction licences in these areas, limiting the amount of water that can be taken from the environment. A report…