UK's year of drought and flooding unprecedented, experts say

Rain's picture

The Guardian - Adam Vaughan, 10/18/12

The scale of drought recovery in 2012 has 'not been seen before', says Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

A standpipe

Bans on water use were put in place for large parts of England during spring 2012. Photograph: Alamy
 

The dramatic switch from drought and hosepipe bans in England this spring to the wettest April to June ever and widespread flooding was of a magnitude never seen before, water experts said on Thursday.

While water supplies have made "dramatic" recoveries from droughts before, such as in 1975-76, "sustained recoveries of this magnitude during the late spring and summer have not been seen before," said Terry Marsh, from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH).

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