The Flood Map for Planning Service includes several layers of information. This includes the Flood Zones data which shows the extent of land at present day risk of flooding from rivers and the sea, ignoring the benefits of defences, for the following scenarios:

• Flood Zone 1 – Land having a less than 0.1% (1 in 1000) annual probability of flooding. • Flood Zone 2 – Land having between 0.1% - 1% (1 in 100 to 1 in 1000) annual probability of flooding from rivers or between 0.1% - 0.5% (1 in 200 to 1 in 1000) annual probability of flooding from the sea, and accepted recorded flood outlines . • Flood Zone 3 – Areas shown to be at a 1% (1 in 100) or greater annual probability of flooding from rivers or 0.5% (1 in 200) or greater annual probability of flooding from the sea.

Flood Zone 1 is not shown in this dataset, but covers all areas not contained within Flood Zones 2 and 3. Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) use the Flood Zones to determine if they must consult the Environment Agency on planning applications. They are also used to determine if development is incompatible and whether development is subject to the exception test. The Flood Zones are one of several flood risk datasets used to determine the need for planning applications to be supported by a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and subject to the sequential test.

The Flood Zones are a composite dataset including national and local modelled data, and information from past floods.

The Flood Zones are designed to only give an indication of flood risk to an area of land and are not suitable for showing whether an individual property is at risk of flooding. This is because we cannot know all the details about each property.

PLEASE NOTE: This dataset has been retired. It has been superseded by https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/04532375-a198-476e-985e-0579a0a11b47. Links to this data will be removed after April 2025. We encourage users to download this Flood Zones dataset if you would like to retain a comparison ability beyond this date.

The Flood Map for Planning (Rivers and Sea) includes several layers of information. This dataset covers Flood Zone 3. It is our best estimate of the areas of land at risk of flooding, when the presence of flood defences are ignored and covers land with a 1 in 100 (1%) or greater chance of flooding each year from Rivers; or with a 1 in 200 (0.5%) or greater chance of flooding each year from the Sea.

This dataset is designed to support flood risk assessments in line with Planning Practice Guidance; and raise awareness of the likelihood of flooding to encourage people living and working in areas prone to flooding to find out more and take appropriate action.

The information provided is largely based on modelled data and is therefore indicative rather than specific.

Locations may also be at risk from other sources of flooding, such as high groundwater levels, overland run off from heavy rain, or failure of infrastructure such as sewers and storm drains.

The information indicates the flood risk to areas of land and is not sufficiently detailed to show whether an individual property is at risk of flooding, therefore properties may not always face the same chance of flooding as the areas that surround them. This is because we do not hold details about properties and their floor levels.

Information on flood depth, speed or volume of flow is not included.

The Flood Map for Planning (Rivers and Sea) includes several layers of information. This dataset covers Flood Zone 3. It is our best estimate of the areas of land at risk of flooding, when the presence of flood defences are ignored and covers land with a 1 in 100 (1%) or greater chance of flooding each year from Rivers; or with a 1 in 200 (0.5%) or greater chance of flooding each year from the Sea.This dataset is designed to support flood risk assessments in line with Planning Practice Guidance; and raise awareness of the likelihood of flooding to encourage people living and working in areas prone to flooding to find out more and take appropriate action.The information provided is largely based on modelled data and is therefore indicative rather than specific.Locations may also be at risk from other sources of flooding, such as high groundwater levels, overland run off from heavy rain, or failure of infrastructure such as sewers and storm drains.The information indicates the flood risk to areas of land and is not sufficiently detailed to show whether an individual property is at risk of flooding, therefore properties may not always face the same chance of flooding as the areas that surround them. This is because we do not hold details about properties and their floor levels.Information on flood depth, speed or volume of flow is not included.NOTE: We have paused quarterly updates of this dataset. Please visit the “Pause to Updates of Flood Risk Maps” announcement on our support pages for further information. We will provide notifications on the Flood Map for Planning website to indicate where we have new flood risk information. Other data related to the Flood Map for Planning will continue to be updated, including data relating to flood history, flood defences, and water storage areas.Defra Network WMS server provided by the Environment Agency

The Historic Flood Map is a GIS layer showing the maximum extent of individual Recorded Flood Outlines from river, the sea and groundwater springs that meet a set criteria. It shows areas of land that have previously been subject to flooding in England. This excludes flooding from surface water, except in areas where it is impossible to determine whether the source is fluvial or surface water but the dominant source is fluvial.

The majority of records began in 1946 when predecessor bodies to the Environment Agency started collecting detailed information about flooding incidents, although we hold limited details about flooding incidents prior to this date.

If an area is not covered by the Historic Flood Map it does not mean that the area has never flooded, only that we do not currently have records of flooding in this area that meet the criteria for inclusion. It is also possible that the pattern of flooding in this area has changed and that this area would now flood or not flood under different circumstances. Outlines that don’t meet this criteria are stored in the Recorded Flood Outlines dataset.

The Historic Flood Map takes into account the presence of defences, structures, and other infrastructure where they existed at the time of flooding. It will include flood extents that may have been affected by overtopping, breaches or blockages.

Flooding is shown to the land and does not necessarily indicate that properties were flooded internally.

The Pennsylvania Flood Risk Tool is an interactive web map application developed by Penn State University with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This application depicts 1% annual chance floodplain boundaries in an online map environment. https://pafloodrisk.psu.edu/home/index.html

PLEASE NOTE: this dataset has been retired. It has been superseded by data for Flood Risk Areas: https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/f3d63ec5-a21a-49fb-803a-0fa0fb7238b6

Shapefile for Indicative Flood Risk Areas generated using the Environment Agency's Communities at Risk Approach. This information is provided by the Environment Agency for use by LLFAs in their review during 2017 of Preliminary Flood Risk Assessments and Flood Risk Areas under the Flood Risk Areas. it must be used in conjunction with data for Indicative Flood Risk Areas generated by the Environment Agency using the cluster method as well.

The Indicative Flood Risk Areas are primarily based on an aggregated 1km square grid Updated Flood Map for Surface Water (1 in 100 and 1000 annual probability rainfall), informally referred to as the “blue square map”.

This dataset is a component of Indicative Flood Risk Areas (shapefiles)

A bundle download of all Indicative Flood Risk Areas spatial datasets is also available from this record. Please see individual records for full details and metadata on each product. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2016. All rights reserved.

Flood and Coastal Risk Management - Incident Management.

Coastal Flood Zones are areas susceptible to coastal flooding. This is a spatial dataset.

Set of shapefiles defining Indicative Flood Risk Areas for local risk. Indicative Flood Risk Areas are provided by the Environment Agency for use by Lead Local Flood Authorities in England in their review during 2017 of Preliminary Flood Risk Assessments and Flood Risk Areas under the Flood Risk Regulations.

The Indicative Flood Risk Areas are primarily based on an aggregated 1km square grid Updated Flood Map for Surface Water (1 in 100 and 1000 annual probability rainfall), informally referred to as the “blue square map”. These are 1km grids across England and consist of the following data layers:

• Surface Water Flood Risk Exposure Grid – 1km square grid that shows places above the flood risk threshold defined, using the 1 in 100 and 1000 annual probability (deep) Flood Map for Surface Water. • Flood risk thresholds used to generate the “blue Squares”: - Number of people > 200 - Number of critical services, including electricity and water > 1 - Number of non-residential properties > 20 • Cluster Maps – are aggregations of 3km by 3km squares that each contain at least 5 touching "blue squares" (i.e. 1km grid squares where one of the thresholds above is exceeded) • Communities at Risk by Lead Local Flooding Authority • People Sensitivity Map by Lead Local Flood Authority. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2016. All rights reserved. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence

The Flood Map for Planning includes several layers of information, which includes data created to support the use of Flood Zones in the planning process. They show the extent of land at risk of flooding to a defined annual exceedance probability (AEP) or chance of flooding each year. These scenarios show a present day risk; climate change scenarios are available separately. These datasets include the following scenarios: ● Undefended: 0.1% AEP (1 in 1000) Rivers/Sea ● Undefended: 1% AEP (1 in 100) Rivers/ 0.5% AEP (1 in 200) Sea ● Defended: 0.1% AEP (1 in 1000) Rivers/Sea ● Defended: 1% AEP (1 in 100) Rivers/ 0.5% AEP (1 in 200) Sea The undefended products show flood extents that ignore the presence and condition of flood defences. The defended products take into account the presence of flood defences and assume that they operate in the way they were intended (or designed) to function. This does not include any asset failure (or removal) scenarios. These datasets are designed to only give an indication of flood risk to an area of land and are not suitable for showing whether an individual property is at risk of flooding. This is because we cannot know all the details about each property. Information on flood depth, speed or volume of flow is not included. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

Public Awareness of Flood Risk: the Role of the Environment Agency Flood Map, 2006-2007 aims to investigate how ‘official’ information translates into public understanding and action, using the example of the Environment Agency's (EA) flood map web site. The study has two different elements; a web survey and flood map experiments.

The web survey was delivered on-line from the EA servers, with a portal on the flood map site. Users of the EA web page were asked to complete the survey which resulted in 1,395 valid responses. Questions were asked about the EA website and in particular the flood map.

The flood map experiments were in-depth interviews with 51 respondents from specially selected case study areas which had different degrees of flood experience. Individuals were asked to work through online flood map material and their responses to specific questions were recorded. The case study areas where: Brockenhurst, Hampshire (9 participants - inland river flooding/moderate risk); Hambeldon, Hampshire (11 participants – recent groundwater flooding/high risk), Carlisle, Cumbria (13 participants – recent inland river flooding/high risk), and a control population of university environmental management students representing highly informed users with low current risk - Portsmouth University (18 participants).

Further information is available from the ESRC award web page.


Main Topics:

Web survey: provides an assessment of user experience of the flood information service, and profile of the user community.

Flood map experiments: provides in-depth understanding of individual user experience of the flood map looking particularly at preferences regarding the search for flood risk information and information format, base mapping (scale, style, navigation etc) and presentation mode (colour, transparency, interactivity etc).

The Flood Map for Planning (Rivers and Sea) includes several layers of information. This dataset covers Water Storage Areas. It shows those areas that act as a balancing reservoir, storage basin or balancing pond. Their purpose is to attenuate an incoming flood peak to a flow level that can be accepted by the downstream channel. It may also delay the timing of a flood peak so that its volume is discharged over a longer time interval. We have assumed that water storage areas act perfectly and give the same level of protection as when our assessment of the area was carried out. Water storage areas do not completely remove the chance of flooding and can be overtopped or fail in extreme weather conditions.

This dataset is designed to raise awareness of the likelihood of flooding and to encourage people living and working in areas prone to flooding to find out more and take appropriate action.

These 3 layers show the extent of flooding from surface water that could result from a flood with a 3.3% (1 in 30), 1% (1 in 100), and 0.1% (1 in 1000) chance of happening in any given year.Surface water flooding happens when rainwater does not drain away through the normal drainage systems or soak into the ground, but lies on or flows over the ground instead. Managing the risk of flooding from surface water is the responsibility of lead local flood authorities (LLFA). The LLFA is the unitary authority or if there is no unitary authority, the county council for the area.The Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for publishing surface water flood risk maps however mapping of surface water flood risk areas is responsibility of LLFAs. We, the EA, produced the Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (RoFSW) map on behalf of LLFAs, using their input and information. It assesses flooding scenarios as a result of rainfall with a 3.3% (1 in 30), 1% (1 in 100), or 0.1% (1 in 1000) chance of occurring each year. Although surface water flood risk information is not suitable for identifying whether an individual property will flood it does gives an indication of the broad areas likely to be affected.More information - What is the Risk of Flooding from Surface map

Dataset shows Environment Agency Designated Flood Zone 3

The Flood Map for Planning includes several layers of information, which includes data created to support the use of Flood Zones in the planning process. This dataset shows the extent of land at risk of flooding to a defined annual exceedance probability (AEP) or chance of flooding each year, taking into account the possible effects of climate change as detailed below. This dataset represents the following scenario: ● Defended: 3.3% AEP (1 in 30) Rivers/Sea The defended products take into account the presence of flood defences and assume that they operate in the way they were intended (or designed) to function. This does not include any asset failure (or removal) scenarios. Climate change scenarios have been produced to indicate the possible impacts of climate change on future risk. The climate change allowances are based on the latest UK Climate Projections (UKCP18) from the Met Office, using the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5. The specific climate change scenarios shown are as follows: ● the ‘Central’ allowance for the 2080s epoch (2070-2125) for risk of flooding from rivers ● the ‘Upper End’ allowance for risk of flooding from the sea, accounting for cumulative sea level rise to 2125 For climate change scenarios, it is assumed that existing flood defences continue to function in the same way as present day. No allowance is made for any future changes to flood defence design or operation. These datasets are designed to only give an indication of flood risk to an area of land and are not suitable for showing whether an individual property is at risk of flooding. This is because we cannot know all the details about each property. Information on flood depth, speed or volume of flow is not included. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved.

Flood Risk Areas:This metadata record is for Approval for Access product AfA256. Flood Risk Areas identify locations where there is believed to be significant flood risk. The EU Floods Directive refers to Flood Risk Areas as 'Areas of Potentially Significant Flood Risk' (APSFR). Flood Risk Areas have been defined by the Environment Agency (main rivers and the sea) and Lead Local Flood Authorities (surface water). Other sources of flooding are not covered. This dataset includes Flood Risk Areas defined for both Cycle 1 (December 2011) and Cycle 2 (December 2018). The criteria used to determine significance are explained in supporting guidance document supplied with this data. Flood Risk Areas determine where Flood Hazard and Risk Maps and Flood Risk Management Plans must subsequently be produced to meet obligations under the EU Floods Directive. INFORMATION WARNING Flood Risk Areas are designed to meet the needs of the European Floods Directive. They are designed for broad planning purposes only and are not appropriate for any other type of flood mapping. Other flood mapping is available which is more appropriate to showing localised flood risk.Flood Warning Areas:This record is for Approval for Access product AfA054 Flood Warning Areas. These are geographical areas where we expect flooding to occur and where we provide a Flood Warning Service. They generally contain properties that are expected to flood from rivers or the sea and in some areas, from groundwater. Specifically, Flood Warning Areas define locations within the Flood Warning Service Limit that represent a discrete community at risk of flooding.Flood Warnings are issued when flooding is expected to occur, Severe Flood Warnings are issued to similar areas when there is a danger to life or widespread disruption is expected.INFORMATION WARNING: Groundwater flood warning areas are property based, usually containing a discrete urban area, suburb, city, village, or hamlet and were created in various ways. In general specialists used the national groundwater dataset, historical maps, bedrock geology and records of properties affected by groundwater flooding in the past to create the groundwater flood warning areas. Additional data sources, including groundwater susceptibility maps, borehole data, local modelling and LiDAR may also have been used depending on the location of the area.Flood Warning Areas can be created, amended, or deleted at certain times in the year. This dataset was last updated on:20th November 2024The scheduled updates where changes may be introduced are:21st February 202422nd May 2024 - due to the ongoing flooding, this was postponed until June 5th14th August 2024 and20th November 2024Please note that these dates may change at short notice if there are system issues or a large-scale flood event.Flood Alert Areas:This record is for Approval for Access product AfA055. Flood Alert Areas are geographical areas where it is possible for flooding of low-lying land and roads to occur from rivers, sea and in some locations groundwater. A single Flood Alert Area may cover the floodplain within the Flood Warning Service Limit of multiple catchments of similar characteristics. A Flood Alert Area may contain one or more Flood Warning Areas. In some coastal locations a Flood Alert may be issued for spray or overtopping and be defined by a stretch of coastline.A Flood Alert is issued to warn people of the possibility of flooding and encourage them to be alert, stay vigilant and make early / low impact preparations for flooding. Flood Alerts are issued earlier than Flood Warnings to provide advance notice of the possibility of flooding and may be issued when there is less confidence that flooding will occur in a Food Warning Area. Flood Warnings Areas (established to apply to discrete communities) are available in AfA054.INFORMATION WARNING: The groundwater flood alert areas are either at a community/local scale, or where this is not possible are more generalised and based on other factors, such as geology and counties. In general, specialists used the national groundwater dataset to make a comparison with historical maps and bedrock geology to create the groundwater flood alert areas. Additional data sources, including groundwater susceptibility maps, borehole data, local modelling and LiDAR may also have been used depending on the location of the area.Flood Alert Areas can be created, amended, or deleted at certain times in the year. This dataset was last updated on:November 20th 2024The scheduled updates where changes may be introduced are:21st February 202422nd May 2024 - Due to the ongoing flooding, this was postponed until June 5th14th August 2024 and20th November 2024Please note that these dates may change at short notice if there are system issues or a large-scale flood event.

This dataset is now retired and replaced with the following:

Reservoir Flood Extents - Fluvial Contribution (National) https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/db114020-465a-412b-b289-be393d995a75 Reservoir Flood Extents - Wet Day (National) https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/d81646cf-37e5-4e71-bbcf-b7d5b9ca3a1c Reservoir Flood Extents - Dry Day (National) https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/c66ee97f-49d2-454e-9a19-d48a47bd22ad

This is the simplified version of the outline Reservoir Flood Map Outline (Depth) as shown on the gov.uk Flood Risk website. This is one of 3 available "Risk of Flooding from Reservoirs" Web Mapping Services; Maximum Flood Depth, Maximum Flood Extent, Maximum Flood Speed.

Simplified in this context refers to the fact that unlike the detailed product, individual reservoir flood map depths are not shown separately, and one merged outline shows the maximum flood depth for all reservoir flooding scenarios together.

This is a data layer showing a combined reservoir flood map for 2,092 Large Raised Reservoirs including attributed data. The data shows the maximum depth of flooding should reservoirs be breached, and although the location of each reservoir can be inferred they are not explicitly shown on the maps. The Reservoir Flood Map Maximum Flood Outline (Depth) in its simplified form is referred to externally as Risk of Flooding from Reservoirs – Maximum Flood Depth.

The Reservoir Flood Map Outline (Depth) shows the maximum flood depths that might be expected if a reservoir were to fail and release the water it holds. Since this is a prediction of a credible worst case scenario, it’s unlikely that any actual flood would be this deep. These data are intended for emergency planning only and are not reliable for large scale flood risk assessments.

Please note that only flood maps for large reservoirs are displayed. Flood maps are not displayed for smaller reservoirs or for reservoirs commissioned after reservoir mapping began in spring 2009.

Information Warning: Only the Maximum extent, velocity and depth categories are available under the standard OGL terms when supplied as a WMS. This excludes the underlying data. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2019. All rights reserved.

Flood and Coastal Risk Management - Incident Management.

Infrastructure at Risk to Flooding is a combination of: Receptors Vulnerable to Flooding Database, Flood Zones, National Flood Risk Assessment 2008 Spatial and Areas Susceptible to Surface Water Flooding.

This is the simplified version of the outline Reservoir Flood Map Outline (Extent) as shown on the Environment Agency website. Simplified in this context refers to the fact that unlike the detailed product, individual reservoir flood map extents are not shown separately, and one merged outline shows the maximum flood extent for all reservoir flooding scenarios together.

This is a data layer showing a combined reservoir flood map for 2,092 Large Raised Reservoirs. The data shows the maximum extent of flood should reservoirs be breached, and although the location of each reservoir can be inferred they are not explicitly shown on the maps. The Reservoir Flood Map Maximum Flood Outline (Extent) in its simplified form is referred to externally as Risk of Flooding from Reservoirs – Maximum Flood Extent.

The Reservoir Flood Map Outline (Extent) shows the largest area that might be flooded if a reservoir were to fail and release the water it holds. Since this is a prediction of a credible worst case scenario, it’s unlikely that any actual flood would be this large. These data are intended for emergency planning only and are not reliable for large scale flood risk assessments.

Please note that only flood maps for large reservoirs are displayed. Flood maps are not displayed for smaller reservoirs or for reservoirs commissioned after reservoir mapping began in spring 2009.

Information Warning: The Maximum extent category is available under the standard OGL terms when supplied as a WMS. This excludes the underlying data. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2019. All rights reserved.

Flood and Coastal Risk Management - Incident Management.

Flood Map for Surface Water 1:30 Rainfall dataset is the second generation Surface Water Flood Maps shows areas susceptible to flooding from overland flow before the runoff enters any water course or sewer. Usually associated with high intensity rainfall (typically >30mm/hr) resulting in overland flow and ponding in depressions in the topography, but can also occur with lower intensity rainfall or melting snow where the ground is saturated, frozen, developed to otherwise low permeability. Surface water flooding does not include sewer surcharge in isolation but these maps do account of surface water drainage systems as appropriate. This is a spatial dataset.

WWNP Floodplain Woodland Planting Potential is our best estimate of locations where tree planting on the floodplain may be possible, and effective to attenuate flooding. The dataset is designed to support signposting of areas of floodplain not already wooded. The dataset is based upon fluvial Flood Zone 2 of the Flood Map for Planning. A set of open access constraints data was used to erase areas which contained existing woodland, watercourses, peat, roads, rail and urban locations.The information provided is largely based on modelled data and open constraints data, and is therefore indicative rather than specific. Locations identified may have more recent building or land use than available data indicates. It is important to note that land ownership and change to flood risk have not been considered, and it may be necessary to model the impacts of significant planting.The Environment Agency’s Flood Map for Planning (2016) - Flood Zone 2 (0.1% AEP) was used to delineate areas close to the watercourse in the floodplain which may be suitable for tree planting. The ‘Woodland Constraints’ data was then applied, masking existing woodland, watercourses, peat, roads, rail and urban areas.