After the extremes of last winter's rainfall it is surprising how quickly the natural world reverts to normal. Some flood victims are still trying to dry and repair their homes, but rivers and streams are flowing gently and even the groundwater has receded. There were record groundwater levels in some parts of southern England in February and aquifers are still very high across the south including London and as far north as Cambridge. In these areas and in parts of the Scottish borders, including Cumbria and Dumfries, where rain was heavy and prolonged, there are valleys that were once water meadows where flooding is still visible. It is disappearing steadily, however, and remaining surface water will soon go.
As often happens with British weather the long wet spell was followed by a dry period, particularly in the south and east, long enough for gardeners on higher ground with well-drained soils to start complaining about the drought. In some areas of the east the groundwater levels are officially "below normal" for the time of year. Generally though, the chalk streams of the south, which are spring-fed, have been revived by the winter deluge, and it bodes well for summer water supplies both for wildlife and people.
However, now that spring is well advanced and everything is growing fast the amount of water being sucked out of the ground, particularly by big trees, means the groundwater will continuing receding until the autumn. It would take another deluge of biblical proportions to change that.