Sunken village of Derwent re-emerges from depths after summer of drought

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Sunken village re-emerges from depths after summer of drought Suha Kidwai Thursday 22 October 2026 18:54 BST Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover The pump house which once provided water to Derwent Village ( Getty ) The sunken Derbyshire village of Derwent has re-emerged after a prolonged dry spell severely depleted water levels at Ladybower Reservoir. Water capacity at the reservoir has fallen to under 32 per cent following months of below-average rainfall across the East Midlands. Severn Trent Water has urged visitors to stick to designated paths, warning that the newly exposed reservoir bed is muddy and unsafe. Derwent was intentionally flooded in the 1940s ,alongside neighbouring Ashopton, to build the reservoir to supply water to major cities. The re-emergence comes as around 82 per cent of England remains in drought, with officials warning that depleted water supplies will take time to recover. In full Beautifully preserved buildings seen for first time in decades after drought exposes lost village