El Nino is back, and the forecasters are not mincing their words. The Met Office and the World Meteorological Organisation say El Nino has formed in the tropical Pacific and is expected to strengthen, with a strong chance of a "very strong" event, and several models point to what some are calling a record-breaking "Super El Nino". The headlines have turned quickly to fears over hunger and famine as harvests come under threat around the world. As a water pump specialist, my mind goes straight to what this means for water: where it falls, where it does not, and how we move it about.
What El Nino is, and why it is really a water story
El Nino is a natural warming of the surface of the tropical Pacific that shifts weather patterns across much of the planet. In an El Nino year the rains move. Some regions are hit by heavy rainfall and flooding, while others are pushed into drought, typically drier across Australia, Indonesia, parts of southern Asia, Central America and southern Africa, and wetter in parts of southern South America, the southern United States and the Horn of Africa. Because so much of the world's food is grown in exactly those places, an El Nino is a water-resources event first and a food-security event second. When the rain does not arrive where the crops are, yields fall and prices follow.
I will be straight about the UK, because there is a lot of loose talk around El Nino: its direct effect on British weather is debated, as our weather is driven far more by the Atlantic. But the food on our shelves depends on harvests in the regions El Nino hits hardest, and separately, agriculture in the UK has increasingly faced extreme "stop-start" weather, swinging violently from flooding to historic droughts. Whatever the label, water security, both having it and getting rid of it, is becoming a year-round concern.
A thought prompted by Clarkson's Farm
For those watching Clarkson's Farm Series 5, we all cannot help but note the dry weather that impacted on crop growth, and with El Nino the extremes of weather may be more likely. Whilst I have not had sight of Clarkson's full farm, I note there are various watercourses, which got me wondering whether an irrigation pump could help, taking water from a watercourse or from a storage area.
Taking water from a watercourse: the rules first
Before anyone reaches for a pump and a hose, this is where the law matters. With regard to abstraction, the GOV.UK guidance to check if you need a licence to abstract water is clear: if you plan to take more than 20 cubic metres (20,000 litres) a day, you are likely to need an abstraction licence from the Environment Agency. And if you want to build or alter a structure that can permanently or temporarily change the water level or flow, you should check if you need a licence to impound water too.
If you need a licence, you must check your local abstraction licensing strategy to find out what the water availability status is in your catchment, and whether you are likely to get a licence. The Environment Agency is responsible for managing water resources in England, and they have to make sure there is enough water for people, covering public water supply, industry and agriculture, alongside a healthy environment. They control how much water is taken with a permitting system, granting new licences and regulating existing ones using the catchment abstraction management strategy (CAMS) process and the abstraction licensing strategies. Their publication managing water abstraction sets out the approach and the regulatory framework within which they manage water resources. In short, in a water-stressed catchment a new licence is far from guaranteed, which is exactly why storing your own water is becoming so attractive.
Storing what falls: tanks, roofs and re-use
Again, I do not know the farm situation, but I note the latest SuDS drainage standards put water re-use at number one in the hierarchy, ahead of soaking it away or piping it off. It makes me wonder whether tanks could store the water which runs off the farm barn roofs, with an irrigation pump installed inside to draw on it when the crops need it. A large agricultural roof sheds a surprising volume in a single downpour, and that is water you can use later without troubling a licence, because you collected it rather than abstracted it.
Springs and boreholes: what lies beneath
In fact, looking at the area of Chadlington, it is striking how recently the village relied on its own water. While locals historically relied entirely on fresh natural springs, the water board only switched the village to mains water in the 1970s, and despite this, many residents still collect drinking water from local springs to this day.
Looking at the BGS maps for the area around the farm, there appear to be various boreholes nearby, which suggests groundwater is accessible. Where it is, a well or borehole pump can be a dependable, drought-proof supply. It is also worth noting, with regard to water extraction, that if you are drilling deeper than 15 metres you must notify the British Geological Survey (BGS) before starting work, and you still need to check abstraction limits and your local licensing strategy. None of that is a reason not to do it, but it is a reason to do it properly.
Three jobs pumps will be doing as the weather swings
Whatever El Nino does or does not do to our skies, the direction of travel for UK weather is more extreme and more changeable. From where I sit, that points to three clear jobs for pumps.
The bottom line
I would not tell you El Nino is about to rewrite the British forecast, because honestly nobody can. What I can say is that water, having enough of it, storing it, moving it and getting rid of it, is becoming a bigger part of how we all live and work, on farms and at home. The sensible response is not panic but preparation: know the rules before you draw from a watercourse, store what falls on your roofs, and have the right pump ready for both the dry and the deluge.
If you are weighing up irrigation, drainage or a borehole supply and want a straight answer on what is allowed and what will actually work, that is exactly what we do. Read our guide to choosing a pump for irrigation, or call the team on 0115 987 0358.
Frequently asked questions
Does El Nino affect the weather in the UK?
Only indirectly and weakly. El Nino strongly shifts weather across the tropics and parts of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia, but its direct effect on UK weather is limited and debated. The bigger effects for the UK are on global harvests and food prices, alongside our own warming, increasingly extreme climate.
Do I need a licence to take water from a river or borehole?
In England, if you take more than 20 cubic metres (20,000 litres) a day from a river, stream, pond or underground source, you are likely to need an abstraction licence from the Environment Agency. Whether you will get one depends on your catchment and its abstraction licensing strategy. Always check before you start.
Can I store rainwater for irrigation without a licence?
Rainwater you collect and store, for example from shed or barn roofs into tanks, is generally yours to use and is not abstraction, so it avoids the licensing that taking water from a watercourse triggers. It also sits at the top of the sustainable drainage hierarchy, which now prioritises re-use. A pump then delivers it to your crops or garden when needed.
What pump do I need for irrigation?
Most irrigation pumps are well and borehole pumps for drawing from depth, or surface pumps for tanks, reservoirs and open watercourses. The right one depends on your water source, the flow and pressure your system needs, and the distance and height involved. Our irrigation range and Pump Finder will point you to it.
Do I need to tell anyone before drilling a borehole?
Yes. If you drill deeper than 15 metres you must notify the British Geological Survey before starting work, and you must still check abstraction limits and your local licensing strategy. It is worth taking advice before committing to a borehole.
