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.

Users of these datasets should always check they are suitable for the intended use

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 It has been superseded by https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/04532375-a198-476e-985e-0579a0a11b47.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 2 and should not be used without 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 between Zone 3 and the extent of the flooding from rivers or the sea with a 1 in 1000 (0.1%) chance of flooding each year. This dataset also includes those areas defined in Flood Zone 3.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

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 2 and should not be used without 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 between Zone 3 and the extent of the flooding from rivers or the sea with a 1 in 1000 (0.1%) chance of flooding each year. This dataset also includes those areas defined in Flood Zone 3.

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 Service includes several layers of information. This includes the Flood Zones plus climate change data which shows how the combined extent of Flood Zones 2 and 3 could increase with climate change over the next century, ignoring the benefits of any existing flood defences. We have assumed no changes to flood defences or land-use that could occur in future. The effects of climate change on flood risk we may see in the future could be different to those currently considered. Flood Zones plus climate change should be used to help planners and developers identify the need for: • a site-specific flood risk assessment • the sequential test. The dataset can also help to inform the preparation of strategic flood risk assessments. The Flood Zones plus climate change are a composite dataset including national and local modelled data, and information from past floods. The Flood Zones plus climate change 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. Flood Zones plus climate change uses the following climate change allowances: • ‘Central’ allowance for the 2080s epoch (2070-2125) for risk of flooding from rivers • ‘Upper End’ allowance for risk of flooding from the sea, accounting for cumulative sea level rise to 2125. Users of these datasets should always check they are suitable for the intended use. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved.

Flood zones are a guide produced by the Environment Agency to demonstrate the probability of river and sea flooding in areas across England. Flood zones are based on the likelihood of an area flooding, with flood zone 1 areas least likely to flood and flood zone 3 areas more likely to flood. The flood zones were produced to help developers, councils and communities understand the flood risks present in specific locations or regions. Despite being a very useful indicator of an area’s flood risk, the zones cannot tell you whether a location will definitely flood or to what severity.

Flood Map for Planning (Rivers and Sea) includes the following datasets:Flood Zone 3Flood Zone 2Flood Storage AreasThe information on the Flood Map for Planning (Rivers and Sea) is designed to only give an indication of flood risk to an area of land and is not sufficiently detailed to show whether an individual property is at risk of flooding.It doesn't show flooding from other sources, such as groundwater, direct runoff from fields, or overflowing sewers.

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.

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 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

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

Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (RoFSW) map is an assessment of where surface water flooding may occur 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. It is produced using national scale modelling and enhanced with compatible, locally produced modelling from lead local flood authorities (LLFAs). The RoFSW datasets include information about flooding extents, depths, speed and hazards.

This dataset shows information about flooding extents and depths. The depth of water during a flood is an important factor in how dangerous a flood might be.

RoFSW is a probabilistic product, meaning that it shows the overall risk, rather than the risk associated with a specific event or scenario. In externally published versions of this dataset, risk is displayed as one of three likelihood bandings:

High - greater than or equal to 3.3% (1 in 30) chance in any given year; Medium - less than 3.3% (1 in 30) but greater than or equal to 1% (1 in 100) chance in any given year; Low - less than 1% (1 in 100) but greater than or equal to 0.1% (1 in 1000) chance in any given year.

This dataset shows the likelihood of a flood occurring with water at a given depth (or higher). There are separate layers with thresholds for depths of 0m (i.e. flooding extent), 0.2m, 0.3m, 0.6m, 0.9m, and 1.2m.

NB. This is a complex dataset, with preview available only on certain zoom levels. The Web Mapping service has been set to 1:50 000 in the

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.

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.

PLEASE NOTE: This dataset has now been retired and is superseded by a new dataset called: Reduction in Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea due to Defences. The Areas Benefiting from Defences dataset was assessed as no longer sufficiently meeting the needs of our customers and partners and was last updated on 02/11/2022. The Flood Map for Planning (Rivers and Sea) includes several layers of information one of which is areas benefiting from defences. This dataset shows those areas that benefit from the presence of defences in a 1 in 100 (1%) chance of flooding each year from rivers; or 1 in 200 (0.5 %) chance of flooding each year from the sea. If the defences were not there, these areas would flood in a 1 in 100 (1%)/ 1 in 200 (0.5 %) or larger flooding incident. Note that we do not show all areas that benefit from all flood defences. Some defences are designed to protect against a smaller flood with a higher chance of occurring in any year, for example a flood defence which protects against a 1 in 30 chance of flooding in any year. Such a defence may be overtopped in a flood with a 1 in 100 (1%)/ 1 in 200 (0.5%) chance of occurring in any year, but the defence may still reduce the affected area or delay (rather than prevent) a flood, giving people more time to act and therefore reduce the consequences of flooding. We do not always map areas that benefit from defences that offer a lower standard of protection. Other defences are designed to withstand a larger flood with a smaller chance of occurring in any year. In this case, we show only the area that would have been affected in a flood with a 1 in 100 (1%)/ 1 in 200 (0.5%) chance of occurring in any year, even though further areas would benefit in the event of more severe flooding for example in a 1 in 1000 (0.1%) flood. The rivers and sea criteria 1 in 100 (1%)/ 1 in 200 (0.5%) chance of occurring in any year aligns with Flood Zone 3 as described in the Planning Practice Guidance. In mapping areas benefiting from defences, we assume that flood defences and other operating structures act perfectly and give the same level of protection as when our assessment of the area was made. Please download our related dataset Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea to understand the flood risk that remains in locations where the location of flood defences and their condition have been included in the modelling. Attribution Statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2018. All rights reserved.Some features of this map are based on digital spatial data from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, © NERC (CEH) © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 Ordnance Survey 100024198

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.

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

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”.

• Cluster Maps – are aggregations of 3km by 3km squares that each contain at least 4 (in Wales) or 5 (in England) touching "blue squares" (i.e. 1km grid squares where one of the thresholds above is exceeded)

This dataset forms part 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.

PLEASE NOTE: This record has been retired. It has been superseded by: https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/b5aaa28d-6eb9-460e-8d6f-43caa71fbe0eThis dataset is not suitable for identifying whether an individual property will flood. This bundle includes the Basic subset of layers from our Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (RoFSW) mapping, previously known as the updated Flood Map for Surface Water (uFMfSW). It is a group of datasets previously available as the uFMfSW Complex Package. The Basic subset includes the following layers: Risk of Flooding from Surface Water Extent: 0.1 percent annual chance Risk of Flooding from Surface Water Extent: 1 percent annual chance Risk of Flooding from Surface Water Extent: 3.3 percent annual chance Risk of Flooding from Surface Water Input Model DetailsRisk of Flooding from Surface Water Suitability

InformationWarnings: Risk of Flooding from Surface Water is not to be used at property level. If the Content is displayed in map form to others we recommend it should not be used with basemapping more detailed than 1:10,000 as the data is open to misinterpretation if used as a more detailed scale. Because of the way they have been produced and the fact that they are indicative, the maps are not appropriate to act as the sole evidence for any specific planning or regulatory decision or assessment of risk in relation to flooding at any scale without further supporting studies or evidence. Some features of this information are based on digital spatial data licensed from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology © NERC (CEH). Defra, Met Office and DARD Rivers Agency © Crown copyright. © Cranfield University. © James Hutton Institute. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2015. Land & Property Services © Crown copyright and database right.This partner version can be downloaded from environment.data.gov.uk.

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 (Extent) 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 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.

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.