FLOODING | Indicative River & Coastal Flood Map (Scotland)

Indicative River & Coastal Flood Map (Scotland) : Important Information

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 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 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 (SPP) 7 Planning and Flooding.

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.

© SEPA 2005 All Rights Reserved	*Flooding. You can't prevent it. You can prepare for it.*
	Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, neither Scottish Environment Protection Agency, nor its employees or agents can be held responsible for any inaccuracies or ommisions, whether caused by negligence or otherwise.