This record is for Approval for Access product AfA055. Flood Alert Areas are geographical areas where it is possible for flooding of low-lying land and roads to occur from rivers, sea and in some locations groundwater. A single Flood Alert Area may cover the floodplain within the Flood Warning Service Limit of multiple catchments of similar characteristics. A Flood Alert Area may contain one or more Flood Warning Areas. In some coastal locations a Flood Alert may be issued for spray or overtopping and be defined by a stretch of coastline.
A Flood Alert is issued to warn people of the possibility of flooding and encourage them to be alert, stay vigilant and make early / low impact preparations for flooding. Flood Alerts are issued earlier than Flood Warnings to provide advance notice of the possibility of flooding and may be issued when there is less confidence that flooding will occur in a Food Warning Area. Flood Warnings Areas (established to apply to discrete communities) are available in AfA054.
INFORMATION WARNING: The groundwater flood alert areas are either at a community/local scale, or where this is not possible are more generalised and based on other factors, such as geology and counties. In general, specialists used the national groundwater dataset to make a comparison with historical maps and bedrock geology to create the groundwater flood alert areas. Additional data sources, including groundwater susceptibility maps, borehole data, local modelling and LiDAR may also have been used depending on the location of the area.
This dataset was last updated on July 9th 2025. Attribution statement: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved. © Crown copyright and database rights 2025 Ordnance Survey 100024198
