Rainfall
The flow in the River Ver is dependent on rainfall to recharge the aquifer, from which water is pumped to supply the needs of the district (see Aquifer page). Recharge largely happens in the winter and early spring; any rainfall during the summer has little effect as surface water evaporates and is used up by growing vegetation. Although after heavy rains, at any time of year, the run-off can cause short-term improvement in flow, it takes many weeks for any effect to be measured in aquifer levels or to have any long-term effect on the river.
It is therefore important for the Ver Valley Society to monitor rainfall figures regularly throughout the year and we do this with the help of Rothampstead Research Station. (see tables below). Although the April 2007 rainfall was probably the driest month ever May was the wettest month since 2001. The mainly wet months since the 2006 summer has off set the effect of the two previous dry winters.
This has resulted in the aquifer being above the average since March 2007 for the first time in three years.
Rainfall 2008
| Month 2008 |
Actual rainfall (2008) Millimetres |
Average Rainfall in Millimetres |
+/- mm Average |
Percent Average |
| January |
103.20 |
69.70 |
33.50 |
148.1% |
| February |
21.90 |
48.80 |
-26.90 |
44.9% |
| March |
108.50 |
53.90 |
54.60 |
201.3% |
| April |
53.50 |
53.50 |
0.00 |
100.0% |
| May |
87.00 |
49.70 |
37.30 |
175.1% |
| June |
35.30 |
60.20 |
-24.90 |
58.6% |
| July |
|
0.00 |
|
#DIV/0! |
| August |
|
0.00 |
|
#DIV/0! |
| September |
|
0.00 |
|
#DIV/0! |
| October |
|
0.0 |
|
#DIV/0! |
| November |
|
0.0 |
|
#DIV/0! |
| December |
|
|
|
#DIV/0! |
|
|
|
|
|
| TOTALS |
409.40 |
335.80 |
73.60 |
121.9% |
Rainfall 2007
| Month 2007 |
Actual rainfall (2007) Millimetres |
Average Rainfall in Millimetres |
+/- mm Average |
Percent Average |
| January |
91.60 |
69.70 |
21.90 |
131.4% |
| February |
97.44 |
48.60 |
48.84 |
200.5% |
| March |
57.60 |
53.90 |
3.70 |
106.9% |
| April |
2.80 |
53.50 |
-50.70 |
5.2% |
| May |
135.80 |
49.70 |
86.10 |
273.2% |
| June |
72.40 |
60.20 |
12.20 |
120.3% |
| July |
86.8 |
44.60 |
42.20 |
194.6% |
| August |
64.6 |
53.90 |
10.70 |
119.9% |
| September |
29.2 |
61.00 |
-31.80 |
47.9% |
| October |
57.1 |
74.7 |
-17.60 |
76.4% |
| November |
80.0 |
66.2 |
13.80 |
120.8% |
| December |
67.1 |
70.1 |
-3.00 |
95.7% |
|
|
|
|
|
| TOTALS |
842.44 |
706.10 |
136.34 |
119.3% |
Rainfall 2006
| Month 2006 |
Actual Rainfall (2006) Millimetres |
Average Rainfall Millimetres |
+/- mm Average |
Percent Average |
| January |
29.20 |
69.70 |
-40.50 |
41.9% |
| February |
41.40 |
48.80 |
-7.40 |
84.8% |
| March |
49.50 |
53.90 |
-4.40 |
91.8% |
| April |
51.00 |
53.50 |
-2.50 |
95.3% |
| May |
89.00 |
49.70 |
39.30 |
179.1% |
| June |
15.00 |
60.20 |
-45.20 |
24.9% |
| July |
35.60 |
42.10 |
-6.50 |
84.6% |
| August |
110.00 |
53.70 |
56.30 |
204.8% |
| September |
54.20 |
61.00 |
-6.80 |
88.9% |
| October |
105.00 |
74.70 |
30.30 |
140.6% |
| November |
104.40 |
66.20 |
38.20 |
157.7% |
| December |
95.00 |
74.10 |
20.90 |
128.2% |
| |
|
|
|
|
| TOTALS |
779.30 |
707.60 |
71.70 |
110.1% |
Rainfall 2005
| Month 2005 |
Actual rainfall (2005) Millimetres |
Average Rainfall in Millimetres |
+/- mm Average |
Percent Average |
| January |
33.8 |
69.7 |
-35.9 |
48.5% |
| February |
36.2 |
48.8 |
-12.6 |
74.2% |
| March |
43.2 |
53.4 |
-10.2 |
80.9% |
| April |
65.6 |
53.5 |
12.1 |
122.6% |
| May |
44.4 |
49.7 |
-5.3 |
89.3% |
| June |
44.0 |
60.2 |
-16.2 |
73.1% |
| July |
39.0 |
42.1 |
-3.1 |
92.6% |
| August |
58.6 |
53.7 |
4.9 |
109.1% |
| September |
65.0 |
61.0 |
4.0 |
106.6% |
| October |
88.4 |
74.7 |
13.7 |
118.3% |
| November |
53.8 |
66.8 |
-13.0 |
80.5% |
| December |
53.0 |
74.5 |
-21.5 |
71.1% |
| |
|
|
|
|
| TOTALS |
625.0 |
708.1 |
-83.1 |
88.3% |
|
