John Lawson’s abstraction report
“Low flows and drying of the River Tarrant: history, causes, impacts and potential solutions.” The independent review commissioned by RTPS, published in full.
Read the reportEvidence · Advocacy · Action
Keep the River Tarrant flowing
The Tarrant, our Dorset chalk stream, now runs dry each year, harming wildlife, the community and the valley. We are local volunteers who gather and share evidence, monitor flows and habitats, and work with residents, farmers, Wessex Water and the Environment Agency on practical fixes.
Source to Stour
- Rises near Stubhampton
- Tarrant Gunville
- Tarrant Hinton
- Tarrant Launceston
- Tarrant Monkton
- Tarrant Rawston
- Tarrant Rushton
- Tarrant Keyneston
- Tarrant Crawford
- Joins the River Stour
About us
What we investigated
The River Tarrant Protection Society (RTPS) commissioned an independent review of why our chalk stream has seen more frequent low flows and drying. The work gathered historic accounts and archives, including mill records and fisheries notes, alongside rainfall data, observation-borehole groundwater levels and spot-gauged river flows. It considered a range of potential influences, including climate variability, land use and public water-supply abstraction, and tested a simple catchment model against what residents and volunteers have observed on the ground.
What we’re doing next
RTPS will engage with the Environment Agency, Wessex Water and local partners to review the evidence together and agree next steps. We’ll focus on a practical, monitoring-led approach so changes can be tracked clearly and transparently, without pre-judging a single “fix”. We’ll keep the community involved through local meetings and regular updates in The Tarrant Times and online.
Latest news
All newsRTPS meets the Environment Agency
Minutes have been agreed by both sides. A further meeting is planned for April 2027.
Valley meeting planned for spring 2027
RTPS aims to hold a meeting for the whole valley in April or May 2027.
The record
Reports, reviews and the agreed minutes of our meetings with the Environment Agency, published in full.
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Report
Low flows and drying of the River Tarrant: history, causes, impacts and potential solutions John Lawson · 122 pages24 September 2025
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Review
Review of the Lawson report Mott MacDonald, for the Environment AgencyApril 2026
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Minutes
Agreed minutes of meeting with the Environment Agency Agreed by both parties4 September 2026
Seen the river low or dry?
Report it to the Environment Agency's 24-hour incident hotline, then let the Society know. Each report adds to the record.