Help Information

Can I view the maps full screen?
No. The maps can only be viewed within the set frame.

Why has the background on the maps changed (2019)?
Due to changes to the contract associated with the supply of the background mapping to SEPA, we now have a different background on display. This change took place in December 2018. There are no significant changes to what is displayed, and the mapping presented has been selected to give prominence to the SEPA information so that it doesn’t become lost in the detail of the background information. The new information is supplied to us by Ordnance Survey.

Can I hide the menus when viewing the maps?
Yes, above the map menu there is a button labelled ‘Hide menu’. This hides the menu allowing you to view the map. To bring back the menu, click ‘Show menu’.

Why can’t I view my own property?
The maps will be used to support community level decisions and aren’t suitable for assessing flood risk on individual properties. The level of zoom has been set to reflect this.

My postcode or place name is not recognised. How can I view the area I want to?
Some new postcodes may not be recognised by the search function. Use a place name or national grid reference (NGR) to navigate to the area of the country you are interested in. If a specific place name is not recognised try a more general search term and select from the options on the drop down menu, for example Dalgety rather than Dalgety Bay. Alternatively, click and drag on the map directly to pan it to an area of interest.

I want to see information for England and the border between Scotland and England. How do I get this?
Although search results may return place names in England, SEPA has only produced flood maps for Scotland. To view information for England please visit the Environment Agency website .

Why can’t I zoom in past 1:19,000?
The maps are tools to support community level decisions and aren’t suitable for assessing flood risk on individual properties. The level of zoom has been set to reflect this. This zoom was considered the most appropriate to show flooding information with sufficient background information for navigation without identifying properties.

Why can’t I view depth and velocity together?
Both depth and velocity are displayed separately so that information is clear. If they were overlain the colours would merge and make it difficult to interpret the bands.

Why can’t I view two sources of flooding together?
You can select a single source to view, or select ‘all sources’ for river, surface water and coastal to be shown at the same time. The current viewer does not allow you to select only two to view together.

Can I view different types of maps together?
Not at the moment. Each map is shown separately on the viewer so that they are as clear and easy to interpret as possible.

Why can’t I view groundwater together with the other types of flooding?
The groundwater flood map doesn’t show the same time of information as the other sources of flooding nor does it show the same likelihoods of flooding. This means that it is not directly comparable with the other sources of flooding and would not be valuable to show with the other types of flooding.

Why can’t I see any information on the impacts of flooding outside of a Potentially Vulnerable Area?
We have focussed our assessment of the impacts of flooding on Potentially Vulnerable Areas, which are the areas that we will be focussing on for Flood Risk Management Planning.

Why is there fading only on the impacts of flooding map?
We have focussed our assessment of the impacts of flooding on Potentially Vulnerable Areas, which are the areas that we will be focussing on for Flood Risk Management Planning. The background map outside of PVAs has been faded so that when the PVA layer is turned off the difference between PVA and non PVA areas is still clear.

Why are there areas of grey when I look at certain areas for depth information?
Not all the models we have used generate depth and velocity data. Where depth data is unavailable it is shown as grey.

Why are there areas of grey when I look at certain areas of velocity information?
Velocity information is only shown within Potentially Vulnerable Areas (PVAs) where the data meets certain criteria (i.e. model resolution, underlying ground data quality). Areas where this data is not available are shown as grey and in some instances within the river flood maps there are areas where only speed data is shown with no direction values. You can see the PVAs by turning on the PVA layer.

Why are all the lochs shown as grey on depth and velocity maps?
We cannot display information for lochs in a consistent way due to how the data is developed in areas of deep water. All lochs have been greyed and may be subject to additional development.

I have problems differentiating colours on the map. Can I get a different version of the map or see it in a different format?
If you have problems seeing the information on the map and need additional support please let us know.(flooding@sepa.org.uk, 03000 99 66 99).

The entire coastline is shown as flooding, not just the areas of land. Why is this?
The automated process for estimating areas at risk of flooding from the sea highlights all locations where the ground level (or sea level) is lower than the flood water level. We have tried to minimise coverage into the sea as much as possible.

How can find out what some of the terms mean?
The ‘i’ symbol beside each selection gives you a small summary of the map that you are selecting. If you need any more information, and this is not available from the SEPA website, please let us know. (flooding@sepa.org.uk, 03000 99 66 99)

Can information on the maps be changed?
The maps are designed to show community level information and will be updated as our data and techniques develop. SEPA has worked with local authorities to reflect local knowledge and incorporate local data where this is available to do so. The maps will be reviewed on a regular basis. If you have any specific concerns about an area please email flooding@sepa.org.uk with the information. Any development to the maps requires appropriate data that is consistent with the national methodology.

I prefer a colour background map, can I change this?
Yes, on the map there is a button (bottom left of the screen) with the word colour and a small map excerpt. Clicking this will change the background map to colour. You can revert to greyscale by clicking again.

I don’t want a background map, can I remove this?
No, there must always be a background map on so that the information can be viewed and interpreted appropriately.

I want to export the data, can I do this?
The information is not available for exporting but you can print the map. Any use of the information is subject to the terms and conditions agreed to upon viewing the map.

How do I print?
Click on ‘print map’ and this will generate a view of the map that has the relevant licence information included. In their printed form the maps are still subject to the terms and conditions agreed to.

The maps look strange on my computer.
The maps should work in most browsers but you may experience difficulties on older versions of Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer 6 and older). If you are experiencing difficulty viewing the maps please contact SEPA for assistance (flooding@sepa.org.uk, 03000 99 66 99).

Can I use a smartphone or tablet to view the maps?
The maps are not configured for smartphones or tablets so some parts might not load correctly. We may produce a version suitable for smartphones and tablets in the future. If you are experiencing difficulty viewing the map please contact SEPA for assistance. (flooding@sepa.org.uk, 01698 839 028).

How do I know how up to date the maps are?
Select ‘map creation dates’ from the top of the page, this shows when the maps were last updated.

Why do some areas look like have more surface water flooding information than others?
The surface water flooding information is made up of different pieces of data. Where there is better land surface information we have more detailed information.

Why does the data sometimes not appear?
Some of the information is only available at a certain level. If you can’t see the information you have chosen, zoom in to the map and the data should appear.

Why are the flood maps slow to load?
The speed of loading the flood maps depends on the internet service provider and the computer you are using amongst other things. We have tested the usability of the maps to ensure they meet expected levels. Any maintenance or problems we are experiencing with the maps will be posted on the SEPA website.

How can I get more information or help?
For information on flooding please visit the flooding pages on the SEPA website or your local authority who can provide more local information. If you need any more information, and this is not available from the SEPA website, please let us know.(flooding@sepa.org.uk, 01698 839 028).