North Powys is now Wales' last remaining area that is no longer in drought, Natural Resources Wales has confirmed.

The Upper Severn catchment, which includes the Llanidloes, Newtown and Welshpool areas, has moved into "drought recovery status" following heavy and sustained rainfall over recent weeks.

Natural Resources Wales said the whole county is recovering from the drought following a spring and summer that were some of the driest periods since records began.

But prolonged rain has seen water levels recover to expected levels for the time of year, allowing the Upper Severn to join with the rest of Wales in drought recovery status.

OTHER NEWS:

Latest data from Hafren Dyfrdwy reveals that the current levels at the Clywedog Reservoir, near Llanidloes, is at 65.8 per cent capacity - an increase of a quarter (40.2 per cent) since late September.

Natural Resources Wales said: "This change in status reflects the impacts that continued rainfall has had on the catchment with river flows consistently at levels we’d expect for the time of year (including baseflow) and the risk of regulating the river over the winter (releasing water from the reservoir for the environment) has greatly diminished.

"The status ‘recovery from drought’ reflects that there may be localised residual concerns (such as low groundwater levels) however as these concerns reduce we will move areas back into ‘normal’ drought status – this does not mean that there won’t be long-term impacts to ecosystems, just that this drought event has concluded.

 

Water levels at Clywedog Reservoir fell during one of the driest periods on record. Picture by Rwth Hughes/Camera Club

Water levels at Clywedog Reservoir fell during one of the driest periods on record. Picture by Rwth Hughes/Camera Club

Replacing fencing at Clywedog. Picture by Norman Crisp.

Replacing fencing at Clywedog. Picture by Norman Crisp.

 

"We will continue our routine hydrological and ecological monitoring in the lead up to spring as this is a critical period in terms of drought for next year."

The River Severn, the longest river in Britain, extends from its source in the Mid Wales hills at Plynlimon to the mouth of the Bristol Channel.