After a dry summer, mild September and driest October on record; Britain faces a threat of drought next summer.
Water supplies are replenished in the ground in two stages: autumn rainfall wets the soil until it reaches it’s soil-moisture deficit (SMD), which is the point where it will stop absorbing the water. Once at it’s SMD, the soil allows rain to pass into the water table during the winter. It is naturally stored in the water table until the next summer. But a particularily dry autumn has not reached the SMD. Winter rains will have to work hard to ?catch up’.
Currently, the desalination plant provides one-third of the water supply, the Higher and Lower Moors provide the other two-thirds to St Mary’s. The desalination plant will have to be in good condition should there be a drought in Britain this summer, as it’s demand may be three-fold.
Global Warming: What is to come?
Amongst concerns made by scientists over global warming is the effects brought on by more tropical weather. Current ?climatic zones’ will move north by 300 km in 50 years time. Currently, we are in the temperate climate, but will become Mediterranean, and our climate similar to that of La Rochelle (north of Bordeaux) in France. This may sound appealing, but it will mean many more storms and no snows in the winter.
It is predicted that 40 % more rain will fall on Penzance in 80 years time.
It is also predicted that British temperatures will rise by 1.5? to 4.5’. A consequence of this will be a sea level rise of 0.4 metres. At this height, and with severe storms, the Islands are in an uncomfortable climate. Worse still, if the Lower and Higher Moors suffer salt contamination due to sea level rises, there will be pressure on the desalinated water supply.