View the map: terms and conditions
Important information about the Indicative River and
Coastal Flood Map (Scotland)
Please read all the information on this page before
proceeding. This information is important and relates to
the flood map. To then view the map, click on the ‘View Map’ button
at the bottom of the page.
To find out how to use the flood map click here.
SEPA has been commissioned by the (then) Scottish Executive to
provide a flood map, suitable for the public to view on our website
to help raise awareness of flood risk, and if appropriate, to
encourage people to take action with a view to reducing the risk to
themselves, their property and possessions.
The flood map provides a Scotland wide picture of the areas at
risk of flooding from rivers and the sea by providing a flood
outline for areas estimated to be at risk of flooding from rivers
or the sea if there were no flood defences. Flood defences do not
completely remove the chance of flooding however, and can be
overtopped or fail in extreme weather conditions.
The (then) Scottish Executive directed SEPA on which
probabilities of flooding to consider. This web version shows an
estimate of the areas of Scotland with a 0.5% (1:200) or greater
probability of being flooded in any given year.
The flood outlines shown on this website are based on outlines
produced using a flood modelling technique which was applied
consistently across the whole of Scotland. They have then been
updated, where appropriate and possible, with better data from
other methodologies.
Further information on the methodologies used to create the
flood map can be found in the supporting pages of this section of
the website. If additional information is required, please use the
‘contact us / feedback’ link on the left
hand side of these pages to request the specific information you
require.
Please note:
The flood map has primarily been developed to provide a
strategic national overview of flood risk in Scotland. It should
enable local authorities to take a more proactive approach to flood
risk management. By being aware of the land at risk of flooding and
commissioning more detailed flood risk assessments as appropriate,
authorities can develop their avoidance, alleviation and assistance
strategies to better manage flood risk through their planning,
flood prevention and emergency planning functions together with
SEPA’s flood warning role.
It will help local authorities and others to understand flood
risk when considering where new homes, businesses and other
developments should be built. It also supports Scottish
Planning Policy 
It does not provide enough detail to accurately estimate the
flood risk associated with individual properties or specific point
locations. Local factors such as flood defence schemes, structures
in or around river channels such as bridges, buildings and other
local influences, which might affect a flood, have not been
included. Furthermore, the flood map only shows flooding from
rivers or the sea and does not account for flooding from other
sources such as surface water runoff, surcharged culverts (where
rivers which have been channelled underground flood) or drainage
systems. Use of the flood map is at the user’s own risk, so users
must ensure that the map is suitable for the intended purpose. The
information on the supporting pages (such as ‘How to use the flood map’ and ‘About the map’) has been provided to help you do
this.
The flood map provides an overview of flood risk only and, given
the inherent uncertainty in flood estimation methods and the main
input dataset, further detailed local studies may still be required
to accurately assess the risk of flooding for a local area or to
provide an indication of flood risk for a specific location or
property. It is not suitable for determining flood risk for
insurance purposes or property enquiries.
All users of the map should take into account:
- It is based on a digital terrain model with a vertical accuracy
in the range 0.7m – 1.0m, on a grid spacing of 5m;
- It is not relevant to catchments below 3km2
- It does not attempt to take account of surface run-off,
surcharged culverts, blockages and structures such as bridges or
buildings which can significantly affect the flow of water;
- It does not take account of flood prevention schemes and
coastal defences.
- Data from Class A tide gauges were used, along with the
Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) 112 method, to estimate an
‘extreme still water level’ on which the estimation of areas at
risk from the sea was based.
It is SEPA’s intention to review the flood map as and when
further detailed local study data becomes available. SEPA intends
to review any data supplied and amend the map if this may improve
the quality and accuracy of the map. Updates to the map will be
made where there are sound technical reasons for doing so. If users
consider sections of the map to be inaccurate they are invited to
contact SEPA with appropriate details, using the ‘contact us / feedback’ link on the left hand
side of these pages.
SEPA has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that the flood
map has been reviewed for errors and inaccuracies with the aim of
producing a map of an appropriate quality and reliability. However,
no warranty is given in this regard and ultimate responsibility
lies with the user to validate any information given. There is no
guarantee that the data supplied is accurate, complete or up to
date. SEPA will not be responsible if the information contained in
the flood map is misinterpreted or misused despite the warnings
contained here.
Terms and conditions
All intellectual property rights in the flood map and within
this website generally are owned by SEPA or its licensors.
You may use the data for your own use provided that the use is
not for or related to any commercial, business, professional or
other income generating activity and provided that usage is not
detrimental to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, its
activities or the environment. For more detail on what we regard as
commercial use please contact us.
As long as you comply with these restrictions you may take up to
50 copies for use by yourself (for non-commercial and internal use)
by printing out the page you are viewing. Please contact us if you
need permission for any other use.
Click the following link if you have read and understood
all the information on this page and accept the terms and
conditions of use.
