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Cambrian News
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Cambrian News
One weekend of rain won't save Wales from a drought: What the experts say on our bipolar weather
Water is the word on everybody's lips- 'record lows' are being rewritten in headlines daily as the country heads towards an official drought. Writing about a potential drought hitting mid-Wales is a strange and increasingly common thing, but the UK is in line for one if the exceptionally dry weather conditions continue. Experts say we need flood-level rainfall to reverse the impact this spring has had on our water supplies – a level of rainfall not seen since 2012. The 2012 floods caused a deluge in Ceredigion - this was taken on 14 June, 2012, in Talybont ( Arwyn Parry Jones ) Exceptionally dry weather is threatening UK's waterways with low river levels and reservoirs with restrictions including hosepipe bans on the table. A Drought Liaison Group made up of Welsh government, water companies, NRW and farming unions met on 22 May – upgrading Wales to 'prolonged dry weather' (one step before 'drought' status). Farmers are considering irrigating their crop fields, including one who would be doing this for the first time in their 52-year history. Patrick Holden of Holden Farm in Lampeter, which has dairy cows, carrots and potatoes, said: 'It would be the first time we've had to irrigate – very few people are set up for it. 'This is the most significant prolonged dry spell we've known since 1976. 'The dairy herd drink quite a lot, and we use a lot in cheese making. 'If this weather carries on, we'll have a big problem.' Holden Farm grows carrots for a Welsh veg in schools initiative ( Patrick Holden ) However, only seven weeks ago the Cambrian News wrote about the poo in our water , which water companies blame excessive rainfall for. This was after Ceredigion received the highest number of hours of sewage overflow in the UK in 2024. Water companies blamed heavy rainfall, forcing them to eject sewage into our rivers to avoid sewage backing up into our houses. Last year was remembered for its rain, being the 17th wettest year since 1836 – meaning water supplies aren't as bad as they could have been. But as river levels lower and water companies and farmers put pressure on these water sources when reservoirs become low, the pollution in the rivers becomes all the more pressing. How bad has this dry spell been for Wales? Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said most Welsh rivers are low or exceptionally low after March was the driest on record since 1944. Wales received 59 per cent of the rainfall expected between February-April, becoming one of the driest springs on record for the country. South Wales is one of the only places in the UK where river levels are normal - Pembrokeshire and Cleddau received more rainfall than expected. A Met Office map showing the percentage of average rainfall across the UK in March 2025 ( Met Office ) But North Wales is a different story – rivers Dee and Conwy saw 'record lows' as well as the Ysgir in Powys says Afonydd Cymru, the charity representing Welsh river trusts. Afon Dee recorded its lowest flows in March and April in 55 years, whilst Conwy had just 24 per cent of its average flows in April. A spokesperson for Afonydd Cymru warned of the negative impacts low flows can have on the natural environment, raising water temperatures, reducing oxygen levels, concentrating pollution and increasing risk of algal blooms: 'Spring is also a crucial time for migration for important fish species. 'Juvenile salmon make their journey downriver to sea - low flows make them especially vulnerable to predation. 'If we do not see a period of wet weather soon, there might be serious issues for wildlife and a need for rapid implementation of further drought measures. 'In the meantime, river trusts across Wales will continue work to improve their catchments' ability to hold back water during wet periods, reducing flood risk and ensuring more is released into rivers during drier months.' Rhian Thomas, Sustainable Water and Nature Manager at NRW, said: 'While there is some welcome rain forecast, it will take more significant rainfall for water levels to recover from this prolonged dry spell. 'Such a dry start to the year is causing considerable concern for the health of our ecosystems and habitats, as well as for land management and the agricultural sector. 'As such, we have taken the decision to move the whole of Wales into prolonged dry weather status. 'For us, this means stepping up our actions and monitoring across Wales to help mitigate the impacts on the environment, land, water users and people, and responding to environmental incidents.' Water levels appear low at Nant y Moch reservoir - though not a drinking water reservoir, the water levels are illustrative of the impact the weather has had on water levels in Ceredigion ( Cambrian News ) Dŵr Cymru/ Welsh Water said its water reservoir levels are 'below where they would usually be at this time of year – this varies across our operating area'. Ian Christie, Managing Director of Water, Asset Planning and Capital Delivery at Dŵr Cymru, said: 'Unless we see a good amount of rainfall, it's essential that we continue to preserve the supplies in our reservoirs and rivers. 'As well as asking people to do their bit, we are working hard around the clock to make sure we do everything we can to get as much treated water into the system, and our teams are fixing 700 leaks per week. 'We are grateful to customers for their help. 'We're not asking people not to use their water as this is essential to keep you healthy, we're just asking them to use the water they need but avoid wasting it.' Hafren Dyfrdwy Cymru said leaks are one of their main priorities, though customers can remain 'confident in their water supply': 'We're always investing to future proof customer's water supply to tackle the challenges of climate change and population growth, and this is something we committed to in our business plan for the next five years, which will see us further tackle leakage rates and invest further in our infrastructure.' How is this affecting our growers? The weather has received mixed reviews from farmers - Mr Holden was able to turn out his cows much earlier thanks to the unseasonable warmth: 'Normally what stops us is wet land, but the soil has been so dry, they've milked really well this spring – they've loved it.' It's also given farmers an easier ride through lambing and calving season, with the mild weather being 'beneficial for the health of newborn animals'. But spring is also a significant period for hay and silage making, when farmers would usually expect good growth – some have reported buying feed in whilst holding livestock back on fields that haven't grown sufficiently. National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru Deputy President Abi Reader warns it could cause big issues with sileage yield later on in the year. David (pseudonym), a cattle farmer in north Powys, has faced another problem – watching multiple wildfires rage for days edge closer to his land. Firefighters dealing with grass fire ( MAWWFS ) Having moved his cattle to safety during the most recent fire, he said: 'It's something I'm concerned about, absolutely. 'Though it's unlikely wildfires would spread to my land, if they did, it would represent a massive threat to my land and livelihood.' His main water source is a spring which dries up within a few weeks without rain. His backup is a hydraulic ram pump drawing water from a stream, but this also depends on there being enough water for the pump to be effective. David said: 'Traditionally, water in Wales has always been abundant, but that isn't an assumption we can necessarily make in future. 'These dry spells seem to be getting more frequent and longer, so I'll need to rethink our water supply.' Others are asking about future protections, calling for the easing of regulations to build private reservoirs. Holden Farm built a reservoir after the 1976 drought, which is considering expanding if water supply issues persist. Farmers also turn to rivers to supplement their supplies, the health of which is something Mr Holden is concerned about: 'If these trends carry on it would be the national interest for the Welsh government to build resilience in the local food system, part of which is the safe supply of water. 'Rivers in Wales suffer from water pollution - a lot of this is because of agricultural pollution and I say that as a dairy farmer. 'The fact that we have so much water pollution is a symptom of poor farming, too many animals in too few acres. 'The NRW needs more rigorous policing of water quality from farms, dairy in particular.' Patrick Holden's Hafod cheddar was one of three award-winning cheeses stolen in the heist ( Holden Farm Dairy ) Echoing this, NFU Cymru wants more support for farmers through Welsh government's Sustainable Farming Scheme – the main source of government support for farming. The revised scheme was published in November 2024, to widespread criticism. NFU Deputy President Abi Reader said: 'Stability measures including those designed to help farmers cope with extremes in weather and climatic events, as well as measures that enable farmers to make investments in water storage and management infrastructure like reservoirs, are also going to be needed." A Welsh Government spokesperson said £366m is available for agricultural support across schemes in the coming year. As well as the Drought Liaison Group which is directing the water shortage issue collaboratively with farmers, they added: 'Significant changes to our climate and weather will continue to develop over the next few decades, and it is essential that we take steps now to build resilience to the potential impacts of climate change. 'We're working with partners to monitor the levels of water bodies across Wales and the impact the dry weather may have on farmers, including through the UK-wide Agriculture Market Monitoring Group.' What is causing the hot weather? Though global warming is expected to cause more extreme weather events across the world, from hotter summers to colder winters and more dramatic storms, this current dry spell is caused by 'blocking highs' - and scientists don't know whether this is linked to climate change or not. Blocking highs are areas of high pressure which are slow moving. However for the UK, global warming is predicted to cause more frequent and longer periods of dry weather and less rainfall. Are water shortages inevitable? James Wallace, the chief executive of River Action, says no - 'this crisis was avoidable'. Blaming 'corporate greed and regulatory complacency' for sick waterways and dry reservoirs, he adds: 'Rather than punish the culprits, customers have been told by government they will be fined £1,000 if they break a hosepipe ban. 'Yet again, the public will bear the costs of a failing water industry.' One method of slowing water flow is through green roofs, as seen here being maintained by volunteers at Machynlleth's Centre for Alternative Technology ( Centre for Alternative Technology ) Joe Wilkins, environmental campaigner from Clarach and consultant for housing developer firm BDW Consultancy Ltd said that low levels have never been taken seriously in Wales: 'Given our climate, we've always focused more on high water levels. 'But with climate change, we are now most likely going to see more of these 'extreme' weather conditions of very dry and wet periods and therefore we need to make sure our infrastructure can cope with both.' He points to interventions which can help with too much rain and too little - slowing the water flow during periods of heavy rain by reinstating forestry and wetlands – something developers can incorporate into plans, as well as preventing water run-off with green rooves and using less tarmac and concrete. One technique already being done is to stop draining peatlands by re-blocking the drains ('grips'). Students learning about vertical flow reedbed systems at CAT. Dr Fisher said: "Post-graduate students at CAT study issues around global water use and demand and carry out investigations on our site to examine applied and local solutions to water security. This includes examining how we capture and clean our own water onsite, reduce domestic water use through the use of low-flow and compost toilets, and manage green roofs for slowing the flow of water from our roofs." ( Centre for Alternative Technology ) According to Dr Jane Fisher, Lead Academic at Machynlleth's Centre for Alternative Technology, grip blocking raises the water table, stabilising the yearly flow of rivers. Land that holds water better increases the area's resilience to drought and slows the flow of water in periods of heavy rainfall, reducing the risk of flooding and sewage overflow. She explains: 'Wetter woodlands are more able to survive dry summers, and will also provide more reliable flow of water to feed the rivers, even in drought.' Beavers, which have recently been reintroduced to Wales, are a natural way of slowing water flow. For individuals, Dr Fisher recommends looking into the water used 'not just at home, but how much is used in what we purchase' such as in intensive beef production, maize, exotic foods, clothing and electrical goods. Water companies are asking the public to be more conscious of their water consumption by doing things such as:
Indianapolis Star
07-05-2025
- Health
- Indianapolis Star
'We are all richer for having had him in our lives': Patrick Holden dies after 500 Festival run
Patrick Holden, 29, was a rising star in the world of pharmaceutical medicine and had just started a new life in New York City. Holden had recently been promoted to Eli Lilly 's newest director of health outcomes liaison, a feat he was able to accomplish within five years of being with the company. His family would attribute his success to his 'rare combination of kindness, intelligence, and unwavering integrity,' which were a driving force in how he operated his life and were highlighted in the work he was doing at Eli Lilly. He led an initiative at Eli Lilly to uncover and address care gaps for patients battling cancer, reflecting his passion for helping others through his pharmaceutical work, specifically focusing on breast cancer research, according to his obituary. He was recently promoted to the position to advance patient care in the Allegheny region. However, his life abruptly ended on Saturday, May 3, 2025, after suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest while visiting his hometown of Indianapolis. The Marion County Coroner's Office identified Holden as the man who died after the 500 Festival mini-marathon on May 3. Holden died at Methodist Hospital, according to the coroner. The suddenness of his death came as a shock to many within his family, friends and the community, primarily due to his age. Days after his death, a GoFundMe was posted to help his wife with the funeral expenses, relocation costs and paying off the remainder of Patrick's student loans. Within hours of being published, it achieved its $20,000 fundraising goal. Who was Patrick Holden? Holden had accomplished a lot in the 29 years he had in this world. He grew up in Indianapolis, graduating from Brownsburg High School as valedictorian before starting his undergraduate degree at Butler University. While studying at Butler, he became a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and eventually served as the fraternity's president. In 2020, Holden graduated from Butler University with an MBA and PharmD. Holden's work ethic and personal philosophy were noticed by not just his professors but also by his academic colleagues, according to Craig Caldwell, dean of the Lacy School of Business at Butler University. 'Normally, the MBA students didn't have a lot of respect for the PharmD MBAs like Pat,' Caldwell said in a Facebook post about Holden. 'Every semester, I would survey the class with this question: Which one of your peers was the most influential on your thinking? Despite his limited work experience, Pat Holden won in a landslide. Student 10 plus years his senior with a lot of work experience benefited from his wisdom.' After graduating from Butler, Holden started his career at Eli Lilly and Co., inspired by his mother's battle with breast cancer, according to a fundraiser honoring Holden's work against cancer. Holden started at Eli Lilly as an associate consultant and quickly climbed up the ranks, going from manager, to associate director of U.S. oncology, to associate director of health outcome liaison before ultimately settling in as the director of health outcomes in March of 2025. Similar to his time in college, Holden's work ethic and passion were felt by many who worked with him at Eli Lilly. 'His unique gift was the ability to encourage and motivate others while keeping them completely at ease,' Bill Pilat said about Holden in his obituary memory board. 'There are many important things Patrick was able to advance through his work that impacted lives of people he didn't know, and he leaves a lasting impression on all of us who got to work with him. I will never forget his positivity and his ability to make you feel simply feel better.' 'We are all richer for having had him in our lives. Though his time with us was far too short, his impact was deep and enduring. His presence will be profoundly missed, and his memory will stay with us always,' said Logan Schwering, senior director of HR at Eli Lilly. Holden's family willhold a service for him at Connection Point Church, located at 1800 North Green Street in Brownsburg, on May 9, 2025. His memorial visitation will start at 9 a.m. and his service will go from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
Forbes
07-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Could Sustainably-Farmed Cows Be Part Of The Climate Change Solution?
Herd of Hereford beef cattle in the English landscape, Cumbria, UK. (Photo by: Farm Images/Universal ... More Images Group via Getty Images) Universal Images Group via Getty Images Grass-fed cows and sheep can be part of the solution to climate change, provided farmers move to more circular and less intensive way of working, according to a new analysis. The new study by the Sustainable Food Trust challenges the popular view that cattle are often part of the problem when it comes to climate change, and instead highlights the environmental benefits of cows raised on grass, without fertilizers or chemicals. It argues regenerative farming systems depend on crop rotations with grasses and legumes that naturally improve soil health. The report also claims moving to low-input, pasture-based grazing systems would help reverse the enormous loss of biodiversity that has occurred across U.K. arable and improved grassland areas over the past century. And it says grazing is also essential for the conservation of important habitats and species and can even play a central role in rewilding projects. Trust founder and chief executive Patrick Holden said the prevailing wisdom that cattle are part of the problem when it comes to climate change is 'flawed' in an interview. He said previous calculations failed to take into account the umbilical interrelationship between cows and the soils underneath them. He told me that with the right grazing systems soil carbon sequestration can more than offset the emissions of animals like cows and sheep. Holden added the prevailing orthodoxy was first challenged by Professor Myles Allen from Oxford University, who identified flaws in the way methane from cows had been calculated, which undermine the potentially positive contribution that the livestock sector can make. 'It's not the cow, but the how,' said Holden. 'If the farming systems which currently predominate throughout the U.K. and the world continue, then we will not be able to claim that the cow could be part of the solution. 'These systems are extracting soil carbon, using very large quantities of nitrogen fertilizer and other chemical inputs, which are very carbon heavy,' added Holden. 'In order to make cows part of the solution, you have to move to a system called mixed farming, which is based on a crop rotation to build up the fertility of the soil.' Dr. Catherine Broomfield, from the Centre for Rural Policy Research at the University of Exeter, said the debate about agriculture and climate change has tended to focus on a narrow set of metrics in an interview. Dr. Broomfield added farming is a system and like any system it is complex and in the case of farming, highly place specific. For this reason, she said it is important the public and policy debate moves away from focusing on one aspect, such as methane emissions, when trying to make a meaningful assessment as to whether cattle and sheep farming is a good or bad thing for people and the planet. She added both farming practices and the location where cattle are being farmed both need to be taken into account when estimating environmental impacts. 'If you just take just the U.K. the climate here allows us to grow naturally rain-fed grass in abundance, so for many farms it is possible to produce beef from a pasture-based system with no or very little supplementary grain-based feed,' Dr. Broomfield told me. 'And we often forget what's underneath our feet,' she added. 'Long-term permanent pasture grassland that has not been ploughed ever or for several decades, is a massive store of carbon. 'We also know that incorporating short-term pasture into the arable crop rotation, that are then grazed by cattle and sheep is very good for re-building soil health, including soil organic carbon and enabling the soil to sequester even more carbon. 'It also reduces the need for synthetic fertiliser and herbicides which is good for soil and all other living things'. 'Place-appropriate pasture-based cattle and sheep farming can be an incredibly important part of building a sustainable, healthy food system for everyone.' Professor Benjamin Selwyn from the University of Sussex said the report makes a 'useful contribution to the discussion' around the future of agriculture and food systems in an interview. But Professor Selwyn added questions remain about how such a move would encourage people to move to more sustainable diets. He also said there also needs to be more 'radical action' and financial support from central government to help the beleaguered British farming sector. 'While the notion we can move towards regenerative agriculture and adopt more agroecological ways of producing meat is a step in the right direction, we need many more rapid steps in that direction,' he added.
