Yorkshire, South area catchments- Notice of Application for Drought Permits.

YORKSHIRE WATER SERVICES LTD 

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR DROUGHT PERMITS

TAKE NOTICE that due to the threat of a serious water shortage in the Yorkshire area caused by an exceptional shortage of rain,

YORKSHIRE WATER SERVICES LIMITED (company number 02366682) whose registered  office is at Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD6 2SZ is applying to the Environment Agency for a series  of drought permits in the South Area catchments under section 79A of the Water Resources Act  1991 (as amended). The drought permits are intended to be in place for up to six months from date of issue and propose to reduce the compensation releases from Scout Dike Reservoir, Underbank Reservoir, Langsett Reservoir, Damflask Reservoir,  Dale Dike Reservoir, More Hall Reservoir and Rivelin Reservoir,  and to reduce the maintained flow at Dunford Bridge which is supported by Winscar and Lower Windleden Reservoirs.

Scout Dike Reservoir in our Don Valley group (grid reference SE 23 04) Yorkshire Water releases water from Scout Dike Reservoir under conditions defined by the Ingbirchworth Reservoir abstraction licence

(2/27/05/012). The terms of the Ingbirchworth Reservoir abstraction licence state Yorkshire Water must release flow from Scout Dike Reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourses, Scout Dyke and the River Don. Under the licence conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge not less than 4.00 megalitres per day when the reservoir level is above the control line defined in the licence, or 2.70 megalitres per day when the reservoir level is below the control line.

The drought permit application for Scout Dike Reservoir is to reduce the compensation release required when the reservoir is at or below 25% of its capacity to 2.70 Ml/d then after two weeks to reduce to 1.35 Ml/d. If regional reservoir stocks are below the Regional Drought Control Line for more than four consecutive weeks, the compensation flow would reduce further to 0.89 Ml/d, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan.

Winscar Reservoir and Lower Windleden Reservoir supporting the maintained flow at Dunford Bridge (grid reference SE 16 02)  Yorkshire Water is licensed to impound water in Winscar Reservoir for supply to customers under the impoundment licence (2/27/05/152). This licence has been revised by the Environment Agency’s enforcement letter dated 13 December 2024. The Winscar Flow Trial Local Enforcement Position (LEP) state Yorkshire Water must release flow from Winscar Reservoir and/or Lower Windleden Reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourse, the River Don. Under the LEP conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge a combined compensation flow of not less than 7.00 Ml/d during summer (May – September inclusive), or a flow not less than 9.00 Ml/d during winter (November – April inclusive). In October the compensation flow will be 7.00 Ml/d if Winscar reservoir group stocks are below the control line, or will be 9.00 Ml/d if Winscar group stocks are above the control line. In addition to the combined flow, there is a minimum flow of 1.00 Ml/d from Windleden Lower and a minimum flow of 2.00 Ml/d from Winscar.

The drought permit application for the Winscar group option is to reduce the flow trial group compensation release and minimum flow requirements by 50% to a

combined compensation flow of 3.50 Ml/d during summer (May to October) or 4.50 Ml/d during winter (November to April) from the date the permit is granted. Under a 50% reduction the minimum flows from Winscar will reduce to 1.00 Ml/d and the minimum flow from Windleden Lower will reduce to 0.50 Ml/d from the date the permit is granted. A further reduction of the combined compensation flow will be to 2.33 Ml/d in summer (May to October) or 3.00 Ml/d in winter (November to April) and a reduction in the minimum flow from Winscar to 0.66 Ml/d and from Windleden Lower to 0.33 Ml/d if regional reservoir stocks are below the regional Drought Control Line, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan.

Langsett Reservoir (grid reference SE 21 00) Yorkshire Water releases water from Langsett Reservoir under conditions defined in the Langsett Reservoir abstraction licence (2/27/05/032). The terms of the licence state that Yorkshire Water must release flow from Langsett Reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourse, the Little Don River (or The Porter). Under the licence conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge not less than 7.00 megalitres per day from November to March, 5.00 megalitres per day in April and October, and 3.50 megalitres per day from May to September when the reservoir stocks are above the upper control line as specified in the Langsett abstraction licence. If the reservoir stocks fall below the lower control line, Yorkshire Water must discharge not less than 4.00 megalitres per day from November to March, 3.00 megalitres per day in April and October, and 2.00 megalitres per day from May to September.

The drought permit application for Langsett Reservoir is to reduce the compensation release required when Langsett reservoir stocks are above the control line by 50% to 3.50 megalitres per day from November to March, 2.5 megalitres per day in April and October, and 1.75 megalitres per day from May to September. Additionally, the application seeks to reduce the compensation release required when the reservoir stocks are below the control line by 50% to 2.00 megalitres per day from November to March, 1.50 megalitres per day in April and October, and 1.00 Ml/d from May to September. A further reduction to the compensation release to 2.33 megalitres per day from November to March, 1.66 megalitres per day in April and October, and 1.17 megalitres per day from May to September when stocks are above the control line, or 1.33 megalitres per day from November to March, 1.00 megalitres per day in April and October, and 0.67 megalitres per day from May to September when stocks are below the control line, if regional reservoir stocks fall below the regional Drought Control Line, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan. Underbank Reservoir 

(grid reference SK 25 99) Yorkshire Water releases water from Underbank Reservoir under coincident conditions defined by the abstraction licence for Langsett Reservoir (2/27/05/032) and the abstraction licence for Midhope Reservoir/ Knoll Brook Intake (2/27/05/011). The terms of the licences state that Yorkshire Water must release flow from Underbank Reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourses, the Little Don River and the River Don. Under the licence conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge not less than 21.7 megalitres per day from Underbank Reservoir when the reservoir level is above the control line as defined in the Langsett and Midhope licences, or 16 megalitres per day when the reservoir level is below the control line.

The two drought permit applications are to reduce the compensation release required when Underbank Reservoir is below the compensation control line by 50% to 8 megalitres per day from the date the permit is granted and to reduce further to 5.33 megalitres per day if regional reservoir stocks are below the regional Drought Control Line for more than four consecutive weeks, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan. 

Damflask Reservoir (grid reference SK 28 90)

Yorkshire Water releases water from Damflask Reservoir under conditions defined by the Dale Dike Reservoir and Agden Reservoir abstraction licence (2/27/05/030). The terms of the licence state that Yorkshire Water must release flow from Damflask Reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourses, the River Loxley and the River Don. Under the licence conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge not less than 28 megalitres per day when the reservoir level is above the control line defined in the licence, or 18 megalitres per day when the reservoir level is below the control line. The drought permit application for Damflask Reservoir is to reduce the compensation release required when the reservoir is below its compensation control line by 50% to 9 megalitres per day from the date the permit is granted and to reduce further to 5.94 megalitres per day if regional reservoir stocks are below the regional Drought Control Line for more than four consecutive weeks, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan.

Yorkshire Water also releases water from Dale Dike reservoir under conditions defined by the Dale Dike Flow Trial Local Enforcement Position (LEP). The terms of the LEP require that Yorkshire Water must release flow from Dale Dike reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourse, the Dale Dike. Under the conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge not less than 3.30 megalitres per day. As of August 2025, this compensation flow regime is yet to be licensed, however a variation application to add the compensation requirement to the Dale Dike Reservoir and Agden abstraction licence (2/27/05/030) was submitted by Yorkshire Water and is currently in the process of being determined.

Therefore, as part of this  application,

Yorkshire Water is proposing the reduction of Dale Dike’s compensation from not less than 3.30 megalitres per day to not less than 1.65 megalitres per day from the date of the grant of the drought permit for Damflask Reservoir and to reduce further to not less than 1.10 megalitres per day if regional reservoir stocks are below the regional Drought Control Line for more than four consecutive weeks, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan.

Rivelin Lower Reservoir/Rivelin  Depositing Pond (grid reference SK 28 86) Yorkshire Water is licensed to impound water in Rivelin Upper and Lower Reservoirs for supply to customers under the Rivelin Reservoirs and Redmires Reservoirs abstraction licence (2/27/05/029). Under the licence conditions, Yorkshire Water must release flow from Rivelin Lower Reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourses, the River Rivelin and the River Don. Under the licence conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge from

Rivelin Depositing Pond to ensure not less than 10.3 megalitres per day flows through Rivelin Gauge to the River Rivelin.

The drought permit application for Rivelin Depositing Pond is to reduce the compensation release by 50% to 5.15 megalitres per day from the date the permit is granted and to reduce further to 3.43 megalitres per day if regional reservoir stocks are below the regional Drought Control Line for more than four consecutive weeks, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan.  More Hall Lower reservoir,  in our Ewden group (SK 28 95) Under conditions defined by the Broomhead

Reservoir abstraction licence (2/27/05/031)

Yorkshire Water must release flow from More Hall Reservoir to compensate the downstream receiving watercourses, Ewden Beck and the River Don. Under the licence conditions, Yorkshire Water must continuously discharge from More Hall Reservoir to ensure not less than 12 megalitres of flow is released through the More Hall Gauge to the River Ewden when the reservoir level is above the compensation control line defined in the licence and 9.1 megalitres per day is released when the level is below the control line.

The drought permit application for More Hall Reservoir is to reduce the compensation release when the reservoir level is below the lower of its compensation control lines by 50% to 4.55 megalitres per day from the date the permit is granted and to reduce further to 3.03 megalitres per day if regional reservoir stocks are below the regional Drought Control Line for more than four consecutive weeks, as defined in the Yorkshire Water Drought Plan. The anticipated effect of the proposed drought permits, if granted, will be to reduce the rate of draw down on reservoirs in the South Yorkshire Area. This will aid winter refill and conserve stocks for public water supply. It will result in a reduction in flow in the downstream receiving watercourses. However, it will mean compensation flow from the reservoirs to the watercourses can be provided for longer than if the compensation releases continued at the current rates.

Yorkshire Water, in consultation with the Environment Agency, has carried out an assessment of the potential environmental impacts resulting from each of these drought permits. This includes an environmental monitoring plan and mitigation measures to reduce the impacts on the downstream ecology.

Anyone may inspect the proposals at the following locations, free of charge, during normal working hours for a period of seven days from the publication of this notice (Friday 8th August):

• Yorkshire Water, Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ.

• Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds, LS11 9AT.

• Penistone Post Office - 17 Market St, Penistone, Sheffield S36 6BZ (Scout Dike Reservoir).

• Holmfirth Post Office, Station Road, Holmfirth,

HD9 1AD (Winscar and Lower Windleden Reservoirs).

• Wortley Post Office, Park Avenue, Sheffield, S35 7DB (Underbank Reservoir).

• Bradfield Post Office, Woodfall Lane, Bradfield, Sheffield, S6 6LA (Damflask Reservoir).

• Lodge Moor Post Office, 58 Rochester Rd, Sheffield S10 4JQ (Rivelin Reservoir).

• W harncliffe Side Post Office, Brightholmlee Ln, Wharncliffe Side, Sheffield S35 0DQ

(Morehall Reservoir)

Copies of the proposals are also available to view on the Yorkshire Water website (www. yorkshirewater.com/drought-permits), and further information on the drought plan can be found at: https://www.yorkshirewater. com/about-us/our-vision-and-plans/ resources/drought-plan Objections may be made in writing to the Environment Agency quoting the name of the applicant and reference NPS/DP/250009 at: Water Resources Permitting Support Centre,

Environment Agency, Quadrant 2, 99 Parkway Avenue, Parkway Business Park, Sheffield, S9 4WF or psc-waterresources@environmentagency.gov.uk Objections should be made by 15th August. The response should outline if you are making a formal objection to the proposal and the grounds for the objection

Objectors may also send a copy of their objection to:

Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ or publicaffairsteam@yorkshirewater. co.uk.

Dated: 8th August 2025

Signed: Dave Kaye, Director of Water and Waste Water Service Delivery            

Perminder Kaur, General Counsel Yorkshire Water, Western House, Halifax Road,

Bradford, BD6 2SZ