Introduction

The Strategic Flood Map (Rivers) map service is a multi layered predictive flood mapping product providing a strategic overview of areas across Northern Ireland that could be affected by river flooding. The Strategic Flood Map (Rivers) includes the following layers of information for both present day and climate change epochs: • Floods with a medium probability

Purpose of the data

The dataset has been designed to raise awareness among the public, Government Departments, local authorities and other organisations of the likelihood of river flooding, thus supporting a more proactive and co-operative approach to flood risk management. By being aware of the land estimated to be at risk of flooding, authorities can develop strategies to better manage flood risk through their planning, flood prevention, and emergency planning functions.

Data Coverage

All of Northern Ireland, with some limited coverage in Republic of Ireland in border areas.

Data Format

OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) compliant Web Mapping Service in WGS 1984 projection, accessible via secure website (requires authentication by user specific username and password).

Data content

Strategic River Floodplain o Rivers (Modelled/Unmodelled) Strategic River Floodplain (Present Day) o Medium Probability Floods (1% AEP) Strategic River Floodplain (Climate Change 2030) o Medium Probability Floods (1% AEP)

AEP is Annual Exceedance Probability e.g. the 1% AEP flood extent shows areas of land with an annual probability of flooding of 1% (or 1 in 100 chance) in any year.

Companion Mapping Services

• Strategic Flood Map (Coastal) • Strategic Flood Map (Surface Water) • Historical Flood Map

Rivers Agency- An agency within the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

In 2020, with generous funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Ulster Wildlife, National Trust NI, RSPB NI and Woodland Trust NI came together to start building capacity to deliver Nature Recovery Networks in Northern Ireland. As part of the project, habitat networks maps were produced for all terrestrial and intertidal priority habitats, based on the Natural England (Edwards et al., 2020) methodology. The habitat networks comprise vector datasets that map areas of land into different network categories, based on how favourable the land is for restoration to, or creation of the priority habitat, and how effective actions in each area would be at enhancing connectivity of the priority habitat, based on proximity to existing habitat patches. A description of these network categories is provided in Table 1 in the methodology report, available at https://www.ulsterwildlife.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/EnvSys%20NI%20NRN%20mapping%20report.pdf. The habitat network maps do not represent a fully comprehensive depiction of land cover, nor do they provide specific land management options and do not therefore replace the need for an on-site ecological surveys/appraisals. The maps are intended to function as a decision-support tool alongside other pieces of information, both from on-site surveys and data from other sources.

The NI Land classification was developed using the Merlewood method of multivariate land classification. This involved selecting a sample of 700 1km grid squares, representing 5% of NI land area. For each of these squares, attributes on climate, elevation & topography, vegetation, hydrology, settlement, geology, and soils were recorded from maps. Using TWINSPAN, this data was used to produce a land classification hierarchy, yielding 23 land classes for N.Ireland. This was then used to classify all remaining 1km grid squares in N. Ireland. In total, 14,377 1km grid squares were assigned to one of the 23 land classes.For detailed information on the methodology and descriptions of each of the land classes see, Land Classification report edited.pdfA brief description of the Land Classification Groups identified in the dataset are listed below, for more detail see the report above. GroupLand Class GroupGeographic LocationClimateElevation, topography and hydrologySettlementGeologySoils11, 2, 3, 4Mainly South-East, Co. Armagh and Co. Down.Also present in Co. Fermanagh between Upper Lough Erne and Lough Macnean.Land class 1 is coastal, Strangford Lough and the Co. Down coast.Sleet/snow, low.January temperature, moderate – high.July temperature, moderate – high.Lowland.Elevation 0-500 ft (0-152 m).Flat, undulating and drumlin landscape.River and stream network.Source of river/stream.Developed road network (all types).Urban land.Intermediate number of buildings.Ordovician/Silurian shales and greywackes.Basic igneous.Mixed limestone, shale and sandstone.Sandstones and conglomerates. Acid brown earths.Gleys25Mainly South-West, Co. Fermanagh.Lakeland, in particular Lough Erne but also Lough Neagh.North Co. Derry coast, in particular Magilligan.River Foyle.Sleet/snow, low – moderate.January temperature, moderate – high.July temperature, low – moderate.Lowland.Elevation, 0-500 ft (0 – 152 m).Flat undulating landscape.Stream and river network.Inland water bodies.Developed road network (all types).Moderately low number of buildings.Mixed limestone, shale and sandstone.Limestones (other than Precambrian).Sandstones and conglomerates.Gleys.Brown/grey podzolics.36,7,8 Adjacent to west side of Antrim plateau and Belfast Hills.West of Mourne Mountains and Slieve Croob.Adjacent of Sperrins and North Derry Mountains.Lowland, Co. Tyrone and east Co. Fermanagh.Land class 6 is more characteristic of the South-West, land class 7 the South and land class 8 the North. Sleet/snow, moderate – high.January temperature, low – moderate.July temperature, low – moderate.Lowland.Elevation, 200-500 ft (62-152 m).Flat and undulating landscape and drumlin bottoms.River and stream network.Source of river/stream. Developed road network (all types).Intermediate number of buildings. Sandstones and conglomerates.Basic igneous (Antrim lavas).Mixed limestone, shale and sandstone.GleysAcid brown earths.Brown/grey brown podzolics.49, 10, 11, 12Lowlands between Lough Neagh and the north coast and surrounding Lough Neagh. Land classes 9 and 10 largely surround Lough Neagh.Land classes 11 and 12 are characteristic of land between Lough Neagh and the north coast.Sleet/snow, moderate.January temperature, low - moderate. July temperature, low - high.Lowland.Elevation 0-500 ft (0-152 m).Flat and undulating landscape.River and stream network.Developed road network (all types). Urban land.Intermediate number of buildings.Basic igneous (Antrim lavas).Acid brown earths.Gleys.Blanket peat (basin and low level).513, 14, 15, 16Widely dispersed but particularly common at lowland/upland margin.Land class 13 is characteristic west of the Mourne Mountains and Slieve Croob in Co.Down. It is also present adjacent to the Sperrin Mountains.Land class 14 is widely dispersed.Land class 15 has a predominantly south-west distribution.Land class 16 is associated with the coast, river valleys and glens in the North and North-East.Sleet/snow, low - moderate.January temperature, moderate - high. July temperature, low - moderate.Lowland.Elevation, 0-500 ft (0-152m). Sloping and drumlin landscape. River and stream network.Developed road network (all types). Urban land.Intermediate number of buildings.Basic igneous (Antrim lavas). Sandstones and conglomerates. Mixed limestone, shale and sandstone. Precambrian limestones.Basic igneous.Shales and mudstone (including coal measures). Ordovician/Silurian, shales and greywackes.Gleys.Acid brown earths. Brown/grey brown podzolics.617, 18, 19Mourne Mountains and Slieve Croob. South Armagh.Centi-al Co. Tyrone and east Co. Fermanagh. Sperrin Mountains.Antrim plateau.Land class 17 is particularly common in the South-East (Mourne Mountains, Slieve Croob and south Armagh).Land class 18 is dispersed throughout but is centred on the south-west of the Antrim Hills.Land class 19 is mainly located in Co. Tyrone and east Co. Fermanagh.Sleet/snow, low - high.January temperature, low - moderate. July temperature, moderate - high.Upland.Elevation, 500-800 ft (153-244 m). Sloping and hilly landscape.Stream network.Source of river/stream.Secondary, tertiary and minor road network. Moderate number of buildings.Basic igneous.Granite, gneiss.Basic igneous (Antrim lavas). Ordovician/Silurian, shales and greywackes. Sandstones and conglomerates.Acid brown earths.Gleys.Brown/grey brown podzolics. Peaty podzols.720, 21Antrim plateau, Belfast Hills.North De1'ry Hills, Sperrin Mountains.Mountain areas in Co. Fermanagh and Co. Tyrone.Land class 20 is more characteristic than land class 21 in the South-West (Co. Fermanagh, Co. Tyrone).Sleet/snow, moderate - high.January temperature, moderate - high. July temperature, low - moderate.Upland/mountains.Elevation 500-800 ft (153-244 m). Sloping and upland plateau landscape. Stream network.Source of river/stream.Secondary, tertiary and minor road network. Low number of buildings.Schists.Basic igneous (Antrim Lavas).Mixed limestone, shale and sandstone. Precambrian, undifferentiated.Sandstones and conglomerates. Chalk and related rock.Precambrian limestones.Blanket peat (basalt and high level). Peaty gleys.Gleys.Brown/grey brown podzolics.822, 23Mountain areas throughout.Land class 22 is more characteristic in the South-West (Co. Fermanagh, Co. Tyrone) than land class 23.Land class 23 is more common than land class 22 in the Mourne Mountains.Sleet/snow, low - high.January temperature, moderate - high. July temperature, low - moderate.Mountains.Elevation > 800 ft (> 244 m).Sloping and mountain plateau landscape. Stream network.Source of river/stream.Minor road network.Few buildings.Schists.Basic igneous (Antrim Lavas).Mixed limestone, shale and sandstone. Basic igneous.Granite gneiss.Blanket peat (basalt and high level). Peaty gleys.Peaty podzols.Gleys.

This is the web map service (WMS) for the 25m rasterised land parcels dataset of the UKCEH Land Cover Map of 2019 (LCM2019). It describes Great Britain and Northern Ireland land cover in 2019 using UKCEH Land Cover Classes, which are based on UK Biodiversity Action Plan broad habitats. The data was derived by rasterising the corresponding LCM2019 land parcels datasets into 25m pixels.This work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability.Publication date: 2020-12-10https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/4f88a4f0-3bbc-4735-b078-11919d1865e0Morton, R. D.; Marston, C. G.; O’Neil, A. W.; Rowland, C. S. (2020). Land Cover Map 2019 (25m rasterised land parcels, N. Ireland). NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/2f711e25-8043-4a12-ab66-a52d4e649532Morton, R. D.; Marston, C. G.; O’Neil, A. W.; Rowland, C. S. (2020). Land Cover Map 2019 (25m rasterised land parcels, GB). NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/f15289da-6424-4a5e-bd92-48c4d9c830cc

Karst is a type of landscape where the bedrock has dissolved and created features such as caves, enclosed depressions (sinkholes), disappearing streams, springs and turloughs (seasonal lakes). Limestone is the most common type of soluble rock. As rain falls it picks up carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air. When this rain reaches the ground and passes through the soil it picks up more CO2 and forms a weak acid solution. The acidified rain water trickles down through cracks and holes in the limestone and over time dissolves the rock. After traveling underground, sometimes for long distances, this water is then discharged at springs, many of which are cave entrances. There are many kinds of karst landforms, ranging in size from millimetres to kilometres. Dolines or sinkholes are small to medium sized enclosed depressions. Uvalas and poljes are large enclosed depressions. A swallow hole is the point where surface stream sinks underground. Turloughs are seasonal lakes. Springs occur where groundwater comes out at the surface, karst springs are usually much bigger than non-karst springs. Estevelles can act as springs or swallow holes. Dry valleys are similar to normal river valleys except they do not have a stream flowing at the bottom. A cave is a natural underground opening in rock large enough for a person to enter. Superficial Solution Features can be seen on rocks dissolved by rain and include pits, grooves, channels, clints (blocks) and grikes (joints). Please read the lineage for further details. This map shows the currently mapped karst landforms in Ireland. Geologists map and record information in the field. They also examine old maps and aerial photos. We collect new data to update our map and also use data made available from other sources such as academia and consultants. It is NOT a complete database and only shows areas that have been mapped by GSI, or submitted to the GSI. Many karst features are not included in this database. The user should not rely only on this database, and should undertake their own site study for karst features in the area of interest if needed. It is a vector dataset. Vector data portray the world using points, lines, and polygons (areas). The karst data is shown as points. Each point holds information on: Karst Feature Unique ID, Historic GSI Karst Feature ID, Karst Feature Type, Karst Feature Name, if it’s within another Karst Feature, Location Accuracy, Data Source, Comments, Details and County. Water tracing means ‘tagging’ water, usually by adding a colour or dye, to see where it goes. Dye is usually added to a sinking stream and all possible outlet points (such as springs and rivers) are tested for the dye. Water traces are recorded as a straight line between the location of tracer input (e.g. swallow hole) and detection (e.g. spring), but they don’t show the actual path water may take underground, which is likely to be much more winding. It is mainly used in karst areas to find out groundwater flow rates, the direction the water is travelling underground and to help define catchments (Zone of Contributions). The dataset should be used alongside the Karst Landforms 1:40,000 Ireland (ROI/NI) ITM. Geologists map and record information in the field. We collect new data to update our map and also use data made available from other sources such as Academia and Consultants. It is a vector dataset. Vector data portray the world using points, lines, and polygons (areas). The karst data is shown as lines. Each line holds information on: Tracer Line Unique ID, Input Site, Input Historic GSI Karst Feature ID, Output Site. Output Historic GSI Karst Feature ID, Tracer Test Date, Weather Conditions, Tracer Used, Quantity, Operator, Results, Minimum Groundwater Flow Rate, Hydraulic Gradient (slope of water table), Data Source, Catchment, Peak Concentration, Other Information, Flow Path, County, Length (m), Direction and Quality Checked. .hidden { display: none }

A series of maps at 1:10 000 scale showing base mapping for Northern Ireland. These raster maps can be used with other maps or information to enhance the mapping. Midscale Raster for Northern Ireland can be used as a general background to give context at local and regional level and as a base to overlay data. Includes water bodies, rivers, main roads, town names and townlands.Please Note for Open Data NI Users: Esri Rest API is not Broken, it will not open on its own in a Web Browser but can be copied and used in Desktop and Webmaps