Flood Management
What are Flood Zone Maps
In accordance with the requirements of ‘ The Planning System and Flood Risk Management - Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ (DEHLG, OPW November 2009)', flood zone maps have been prepared for the entire county. The flood zones are geographical areas within which the likelihood of flooding is in a particular range and they are a key tool in flood risk management within the planning process as well as in flood warning and emergency planning. There are three types of flood zones defined for the purposes of the Guidelines. Click here to view the Flood Zone Map.
Flood Zone |
Category | Description | Implications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A - Blue | High probability of flooding | This zone defines areas with the highest risk of flooding from rivers (i.e. more than 1% probability or more than 1 in 100) and the coast (i.e. more than 0.5% probability or more than 1 in 200) | Most types of development would be considered inappropriate in this zone. Development in this zone should be avoided and/or only considered in exceptional circumstances, such as in town centres, or in the case of essential infrastructure that cannot be located elsewhere, and where the Justification Test has been applied. Only water-compatible development, such as docks and marinas, dockside activities that require a waterside location, amenity open space, outdoor sports and recreation, would be considered appropriate in this zone. |
| Zone B - Pink | Moderate probability of flooding | This zone defines area with a moderate risk of flooding from rivers (i.e. 0.1% to 1% probability or between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000) and the coast (i.e. 0.1% to 0.5%) probability or between in 1 in 200 and 1 in 1000). | Highly vulnerable developments, such as hospitals, residential care homes, Garda, fire and ambulance stations, dwelling houses and primary strategic transport and utilities infrastructure, would generally be considered inappropriate in this zone, unless the requirements of the Justification Test can be met. Less vulnerable development such as retail, commercial and industrial uses, sites used for short-let for caravans and camping and secondary strategic transport and utilities infrastructure, and water-compatible development might be considered appropriate in this zone. In general however, less vulnerable development should only be considered in this zone if adequate lands or sites are not available in Zone C and subject to a flood risk assessment to the appropriate level of detail to demonstrate that flood risk to and from the development can or will be adequately managed. |
| Zone C - No Shading | Low probability of flooding | This zone defines areas with a low risk of flooding from rivers and the coast (i.e less than 0.1% probability or less than 1 in 1000). | Development in this zone is appropriate from a flood risk perspective (subject to assessment of flood hazard from sources other than rivers and the coast) but would need to meet the normal range of other proper planning and sustainable development considerations. |
- The Planning System and Flood Risk Management (PDF Document, 1,873 kbs)
- The Planning System and Flood Risk Management. Technical Appendices (PDF Document, 1,090 kbs)
- Flood Risk Management Map (PDF Document, 2,934 kbs)
