Water UK, water companies, RSPB and many other organisations to address this
issue.
The development of a new national level drought plan in 2015 is significant for
the governance assessment, which will be presented in Sect. 5.4. For example,
when we visited the region in 2013 a number of stakeholders indicated that there
was a lack of clarity in the way problems were defined and goals related to drought
were set, as well as lack of clarity over how particular drought strategies and
processes are implemented, and by whom. This created a sense of fragmentation of
roles and responsibilities of regional responses to drought within the Somerset
region.
The EA report “Drought response: our framework for England” (Environment
Agency 2015a) provides a better outline of the responsibilities for managing water
resources during periods of drought. The main organisations responsible during a
drought include
• “the EA; provides strategic oversight and responsible for monitoring, reporting,
advising and acting to reduce the impact of a drought on the environment and
water users
• water companies; responsible for managing water supply for their customers and
taking a range of measures to maintain supplies whilst minimising environmental impact
• government; responsible for policies relating to water resources.
A number of other organisations and groups also play an important part in
managing drought, including NE, Canal and River Trust, local councils and
representative bodies such as National Farmers’ Union (NFU), UK Irrigation
Association and environmental charities. All those involved in dealing with the
effects of drought plan their activities in case a drought occurs and ensure that
the responsibilities of different parties are clearly defined and understood”.
(Environment Agency 2015a, p. 6).
During a drought the EA carries out a range of actions at a variety of scales
depending on the nature of the drought (Environment Agency 2015a). Drought
incident teams decide on courses of action including a range of environmental,
hydrological and social-economic indicators to categorise drought; assess short- and
long-term forecasts of drought; convene strategic drought management groups
relevant to the scale of drought (e.g. National Drought Group); act as rapporteur to a
range of governmental actors, partners, water companies, stakeholders and the
media; deal with drought orders and permit applications from water companies;
implement environmental restrictions on abstraction licences; and provide clear
advice to the government (Environment Agency 2015a).
With regards to other actors during droughts, the role of Defra is to work with
the EA and water companies to maintain public water supplies and minimise
damage to the environment (Environment Agency 2015a). Water companies
should be prepared for periods of dry weather through a range of plans called
5 Governing for Drought and Water Scarcity …
89
issue.
The development of a new national level drought plan in 2015 is significant for
the governance assessment, which will be presented in Sect. 5.4. For example,
when we visited the region in 2013 a number of stakeholders indicated that there
was a lack of clarity in the way problems were defined and goals related to drought
were set, as well as lack of clarity over how particular drought strategies and
processes are implemented, and by whom. This created a sense of fragmentation of
roles and responsibilities of regional responses to drought within the Somerset
region.
The EA report “Drought response: our framework for England” (Environment
Agency 2015a) provides a better outline of the responsibilities for managing water
resources during periods of drought. The main organisations responsible during a
drought include
• “the EA; provides strategic oversight and responsible for monitoring, reporting,
advising and acting to reduce the impact of a drought on the environment and
water users
• water companies; responsible for managing water supply for their customers and
taking a range of measures to maintain supplies whilst minimising environmental impact
• government; responsible for policies relating to water resources.
A number of other organisations and groups also play an important part in
managing drought, including NE, Canal and River Trust, local councils and
representative bodies such as National Farmers’ Union (NFU), UK Irrigation
Association and environmental charities. All those involved in dealing with the
effects of drought plan their activities in case a drought occurs and ensure that
the responsibilities of different parties are clearly defined and understood”.
(Environment Agency 2015a, p. 6).
During a drought the EA carries out a range of actions at a variety of scales
depending on the nature of the drought (Environment Agency 2015a). Drought
incident teams decide on courses of action including a range of environmental,
hydrological and social-economic indicators to categorise drought; assess short- and
long-term forecasts of drought; convene strategic drought management groups
relevant to the scale of drought (e.g. National Drought Group); act as rapporteur to a
range of governmental actors, partners, water companies, stakeholders and the
media; deal with drought orders and permit applications from water companies;
implement environmental restrictions on abstraction licences; and provide clear
advice to the government (Environment Agency 2015a).
With regards to other actors during droughts, the role of Defra is to work with
the EA and water companies to maintain public water supplies and minimise
damage to the environment (Environment Agency 2015a). Water companies
should be prepared for periods of dry weather through a range of plans called
5 Governing for Drought and Water Scarcity …
89