Farmers in Antwerp province may not pump water from streams and ditches until further notice as the heat and lack of rain lead to code orange drought measures in Flanders
Flanders is “in a phase of effective water scarcity,” according to the Drought Commission. The commission meets periodically to determine if the region needs to declare official drought conditions and take measures.
The commission has declared code orange, the second in a three-level code system for drought. Code orange indicates that the water level in rivers, lakes and streams are low as are groundwater levels. It also indicates that the situation will not end soon as little rain is in the forecast.
Code orange does not indicate that drink water levels are low, so no restrictions are being placed on households in terms of use of water. Restrictions have been placed on farmers and growers in Antwerp province: They may not at present pump irrigation water from streams and ditches as they are used to doing.
Temperatures falling
Some rain is expected to fall in the next week across Flanders, particularly on Wednesday, but it will not be enough to end drought conditions. As for temperatures, they are falling, with a high of 26°C forecast for Brussels today and 21°C to 23°C expected in the coming seven days. These milder temperatures will continue for the rest of the month.
Belgium stopped short of an official heat wave this week. The Royal Meteorological Institute declares a heat wave only when the temperature is 25°C or higher for five consecutive days, with three of those days measuring 30°C or higher. Yesterday the temperature at RMI headquarters in Ukkel was 29.1°C.