Statutory Main Rivers Map is a spatial (polyline) dataset that defines statutory watercourses in England designated as Main Rivers by the Environment Agency.

Watercourses designated as ‘main river’ are generally the larger arterial watercourses. The Environment Agency has permissive powers, but not a duty, to carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on designated main rivers.

All other open water courses in England are determined by statute as an ‘ordinary watercourse’. On these watercourses the Lead Local flood Authority or, if within an Internal Drainage District, the Internal Drainage Board have similar permissive powers to maintain and improve.

This dataset comprises river centrelines, digitised from OS 1:50,000 mapping. It consists of four components: rivers; canals; surface pipes (man-made channels for transporting water such as aqueducts and leats); and miscellaneous channels (including estuary and lake centre-lines and some underground channels). This dataset is a representation of the river network in Great Britain as a set of line segments, i.e. it does not comprise a geometric network.

The Statutory Main River Map Variations dataset defines proposed changes to the Statutory Main River Map.

Statutory Main Rivers Map defines statutory watercourses in England designated as Main Rivers by Environment Agency.

Watercourses designated as ‘main river’ are generally the larger arterial watercourses. The Environment Agency has permissive powers, but not a duty, to carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on designated main rivers.

All other open water courses in England are determined by statute as an ‘ordinary watercourse’. On these watercourses the Lead Local flood Authority or, if within an Internal Drainage District, the Internal Drainage Board have similar permissive powers to maintain and improve.

The Environment Agency notifies the public and interested parties of our intentions to make a change to the statutory main river map and decides which watercourses are designated as Main Rivers following a legal process to determine and publish changes.

The change, or variation, to the Statutory Main River Map is either a deletion (also known as a demainment) or an addition (also known as an enmainment).

There are two reasons for a change to the Statutory Main River Map - Designation and Factual.

Designation changes are required when we make a decision to lengthen or shorten the section of a river designated as a 'main river'. These changes will determine which risk management authority may carry out maintenance, improvement or construction work on the watercourse. These changes result also in differing legislation applying to the riparian owner and others with an interest.

Factual changes may be required to update the map to represent the real position of the watercourse. They do not involve any changes of authority or management. Typical examples of factual changes are when: a watercourse has changed course naturally, a watercourse has been diverted or a survey of a culvert shows a different alignment.

A change to the Statutory Main River Map goes through the following stages (identified as Status within the data):

• Draft
• Consultation
• Pending Determination
• Determination
• Appeals
• Pending Appeals
• Pending Implementation
• Implemented (Month and Year)

Data shows the location of Priority Habitat Chalk rivers and Streams. Replaces the existing 1:50,000 scale data.Based on Environment Agency Detailed River Network (DRN) version 3. All fields from DRN have been retained. This subset of chalk rivers uses the old 1:50,000 Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) chalk river data, BGS geology, WWF report "The State of England’s Chalk Streams" and stakeholder knowledge to produce an updated chalk river network for England.Full metadata can be viewed on data.gov.uk (to follow).

OS Open Rivers is a generalised open water network showing the flow and the locations of rivers, streams, lakes and canals across the whole of Great Britain. The new product is part of the OS Open suite and is designed to be used with other OpenData product sets. It’s mapping that can help you question, visualise and share results quickly and clearly. With OS Open Rivers you can: Understand the water network at a ‘high level’ with generalised geometry and network connectivity.View a network of main rivers, identifying the main river course along its full length.Pin information on the connected network for personal or business use. Take an informed overview of a situation along the network to manage it strategically. Compare and monitor stretches of water. Share information, such as flood alerts and flood risk areas.The currency of this data is 04/2025 The coverage of the map service is GB. The map projection is British National Grid.

One of the two datasets that make up the Priority River Habitat Map. Consists of rivers and streams that exhibit a high degree of naturalness. The naturalness classification used to map priority river habitat is based on recent work to review the river SSSI series. It evaluates four main components of habitat integrity: hydrological, physical, physico-chemical (water quality) and biological. An additional classification of the naturalness of headwaters (defined as streams with a catchment area of <10km2 to coincide with WFD typology boundaries) uses land cover data as a surrogate for direct information on river habitat condition (information which is generally lacking on headwaters). Streams and rivers operating under natural processes, free from anthropogenic impact and with a characteristic and dynamic mosaic of small-scale habitats that supports characteristic species assemblages (including priority species), are the best and most sustainable expression of river ecosystems. Key elements are: a natural flow regime; natural nutrient and sediment delivery regimes; minimal physical modifications to the channel, banks and riparian zone; natural longitudinal and lateral hydrological and biological connectivity; an absence of non-native species; low intensity fishery activities. These conditions provide the best defence against climate change, maximising the ability of riverine ecosystems to adapt to changing conditions. They also provide the most valuable and effective transitional links with other priority habitats, including lakes, mires and coastal habitats. In English rivers and streams, high levels of naturalness are rare.Full metadata can be viewed on data.gov.uk.

The Main River Consultation Area defines the easement associated with the Statutory Main River Map enabling Local Planning Authorities to check when statutory consultation with the Environment Agency is required in line with Town and Country Planning Act 2015. Statutory Main Rivers Map defines statutory watercourses in England designated as Main Rivers by Environment Agency. This new GIS layer is showing the 20 metre easements either side of Main Rivers using the Statutory Main River Map Variations including the river itself. A precautionary approach has been taken around structures like culverts, for example when there was a different line shown on our Asset Information Management System compared to the Main River line. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved.

The objective of the priority habitat map in England is to:• help organisations protect the most natural remaining examples of rivers from further impacts on natural processes, and • highlight any aspects of habitat integrity (hydrological, chemical, physical, biological) that could most usefully be improved. The priority river habitat map that has been produced is an English interpretation of the UK definition of priority river habitat, focusing on naturalness as the principal criterion in recognition of the vital importance of natural processes in delivering sustainable riverine habitats and supporting characteristic biodiversity.Full metadata can be viewed on data.gov.uk.

Riparian Shade data from the Environment Agency. Shows relative shading of rivers and streams by vegetation and topography. Areas with least shade are ideal areas for tree planting to provide a benefit to freshwater ecology.Tile Map Service showing national coverage down to sub-catchment scale (ca. 1:18,000)For larger scales, add in the Riparian Shade Detail layer to your map and swap the visible range over at Neighbourhood scale.

These maps have been produced to meet SEPA’s duty to publish flood hazard maps as set out in the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. The maps show where there is a risk of flooding from the sea, from rivers and from surface water.The following probabilities are available for river flooding: - High - 10 year return period - Medium - 200 year return period - Low - 1000 year return period and 200 year return period plus climate change using the UKCP09 high emissions scenario for the 2080s.The river hazard maps show (where available): - Flood extent - Flood depth - Flood velocities where appropriate. The climate change scenario has been defined by United Kingdom Climate Projection 2009 (UKCP09) predictions for 2080 high emissions 95%ile predictions. Medium and low probability flood events were selected for consistency with return periods used in Scottish Planning Policy, whereas the high probability was chosen as it is reflective of observed events experienced over the last few decades.

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 layer and documentation covers Flood Zone 2. It is the Environment Agency's best estimate of the areas of land at risk of flooding, when he 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. This dataset is republished by the West of England Combined Authority for supplementing information within our Local Nature Recovery Strategy. If you are using it for statutory purposes, you should refer to the Environment Agency's canonical version, linked in the Attributions field below as this is likely to be more current.

The Main River Consultation Area defines the easement associated with the Statutory Main River Map enabling Local Planning Authorities to check when statutory consultation with the Environment Agency is required in line with Town and Country Planning Act 2015.

Statutory Main Rivers Map defines statutory watercourses in England designated as Main Rivers by Environment Agency.

This new GIS layer is showing the 20 metre easements either side of Main Rivers using the Statutory Main River Map Variations including the river itself. A precautionary approach has been taken around structures like culverts, for example when there was a different line shown on our Asset Information Management System compared to the Main River line.

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.

This dataset consists of an interactive map (and supporting guidance) containing background information that informs how we understand flood risk across the South East River Basin District. The map shows the River Basin District, component river basins and the coastline together with layers showing land use and topography.

This dataset together with equivalent datasets for each River Basin District, supports the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment for England report which has been written to meet the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations (2009) - to complete an assessment of flood risk and produce supporting maps of river catchments.

Historic Flood Map is a GIS layer showing the maximum extent of all individual Recorded Flood Outlines from river, the sea and groundwater springs and shows areas of land that have previously been subject to flooding in England. Records began in 1946 when predecessor bodies to the Environment Agency started collecting detailed information about flooding incidents, although we may hold limited details about flooding incidents prior to this date. This dataset differs from the Recorded Flood Outline dataset in that it contains only those flood outlines that are 'considered and accepted' if the following criteria are met:photographic/video evidence with the location referencedrecorded flood levels with the location referencedevidence that the outline represents the time of peak water level (for example date / time stamped photo)evidence that the source of flooding is from rivers, the sea or groundwater and not surface water/overland runoff. The absence of coverage by the Historic Flood Map for an area does not mean that the area has never flooded, only that we do not currently have records of flooding in this area. It is also possible that the pattern of flooding in this area has changed and that this area would now flood under different circumstances. The Historic Flood Map will take into account of 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 shown to the land and does not necessarily indicate that properties were flooded internally. The Historic Flood Map consists of spatial data only.

This dataset consists of an interactive map (and supporting guidance) containing background information that informs how we understand flood risk across the Humber River Basin District. The map shows the River Basin District, component river basins and the coastline together with layers showing land use and topography.

This dataset together with equivalent datasets for each River Basin District, supports the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment for England report which has been written to meet the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations (2009) - to complete an assessment of flood risk and produce supporting maps of river catchments.

This dataset consists of an interactive map (and supporting guidance) containing background information that informs how we understand flood risk across the Thames River Basin District. The map shows the River Basin District, component river basins and the coastline together with layers showing land use and topography.

This dataset together with equivalent datasets for each River Basin District, supports the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment for England report which has been written to meet the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations (2009) - to complete an assessment of flood risk and produce supporting maps of river catchments.

Soil total nitrogen concentration is a basic measurement of soil fertility. Along with soil organic carbon, it plays a key role in the processes of soil formation. Not all of the nitrogen locked up in organic matter in soils, such as peat, is available for plant growth. However, soil nitrogen is important for agricultural productivity. Nitrogen leached from soils can also adversely affect water quality.See the report here >>Download the data here >>This suite of ten maps, of different aspects of natural capital, contributes to our understanding of where our natural capital is. The maps have been produced using a range of datasets, including CEH sample data from the Countryside Survey (2007). CEH’s Ecomaps tool has been used to produce maps at an England level through statistical interpretation and extrapolation from the sample data.

This dataset consists of an interactive map (and supporting guidance) containing background information that informs how we understand flood risk across the North West River Basin District. The map shows the River Basin District, component river basins and the coastline together with layers showing land use and topography.

This dataset together with equivalent datasets for each River Basin District, supports the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment for England report which has been written to meet the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations (2009) - to complete an assessment of flood risk and produce supporting maps of river catchments.