Dry rivers and 'dangerous conditions for wildlife' at wettest place in England

Rivers at the wettest place in England are drying up in the prolonged hot weather.
The completely dry riverbed of the River Derwent near Rosthwaite Credit: West Cumbria Rivers Trust

There are fears about the impact prolonged hot weather is having on wildlife with rivers running dry at the wettest place in England.

The Lake District's Borrowdale Valley regularly records more rainfall than any other location but the current high temperatures have seen water levels drop drastically.

West Cumbria Rivers Trust and the National Trust say conditions could spell disaster for wildlife in and around the River Derwent's watercourse.

Ruth Mackay, a fisheries project officer with the West Cumbria Rivers Trust, said: "We have images being sent in from around the valley of the rivers and tributaries bone dry. Already our nature is under stress.

"If a drought impacts a river, there is usually chance to recover in the succeeding years, but when it happens year after year, it becomes catastrophic for the wildlife that depend on it."

In the last few years The National Trust and West Cumbria Rivers Trust have been carrying out river restoration work to help mitigate the effects of climate change in the Derwent catchment.