The head of the river has moved 5 miles (8km) downstream to Somerford Keynes, according to the Rivers Trust, which operates across the UK and Ireland. The flow there is weak and only discernible. “What we are seeing at the source of the iconic River Thames is sadly emblematic of the situation we face across the country, now and in the future,” Christine Colvin, Director of Advocacy and Engagement at the Rivers Trust, said in a statement. sent to CNN. “Source” refers to the beginning, or head, of a river. “While it’s not unusual for the spring to be dry in the summer, to see only the river flowing five miles downstream is unprecedented,” he said. “The climate crisis is leading, and will lead, to more extreme weather, including droughts and heatwaves. This poses a serious threat to rivers and, therefore, the wider landscape.” He added that the country needs to build resilience against the future climate. “This means detecting domestic leaks, fixing network infrastructure leaks, using water more efficiently indoors and implementing sustainable drainage solutions as part of desperately needed green infrastructure,” Colvin said. The shifting of river heads comes as authorities in England warn that the nation could officially go into drought sometime in August. Southern England recorded its driest July on record since 1836, with just 17% of average rainfall, according to the Met Office. The country as a whole recorded just 35% (about 23mm) of average rainfall in July. Several water companies have already announced pipe bans in areas of southern England. The UK Met Office has warned that high temperatures will return to England next week, although they are not expected to reach anywhere near the record highs seen in July. It said in a statement that an area of high pressure was building from the Atlantic to the south and south-west of England and that temperatures could reach the low 30s by the end of next week. “We could see parts of the UK move into heatwave conditions if above-average temperatures continue for three or more days,” Met Office chief Steve Willington said. “As high pressure builds in, there is very little in the forecast for substantial rain, especially in those areas of southern England which have experienced very dry conditions over the past month.” Rebekah Sherwin, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said early August sunshine in the UK did not have the same warming potential as mid-July because the sun is lower in the sky and the days are shorter. “Both of these factors suggest that we are very unlikely to see temperatures peaking much above the low to mid 30s,” he said. “However, this would still be a warm weather.” In continental Europe, some countries, including France, are experiencing their third heatwave of the summer and pockets of the continent are in drought.
