Introduction
The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the leading state agency in relation to flood-related matters in the Republic of Ireland. The information in relation to past flood events that is displayed on this Web site is collected by OPW from Local Authorities, other state bodies and members of the general public. The information is then put through a rigorous verification process in order to provide the maximum degree of confidence in its accuracy. However, due to the type and character of the information involved there are a number of issues and considerations that users should take account of in relation to the Content and the Use of the Web site.

(1) WEB SITE CONTENT

1.1 Scope
The material in this Web site relates to flooding caused by fluvial (i.e. river), tidal and coastal factors only. It does not deal with flood events due to other causes e.g. burst pipes, surcharged or blocked sewers etc.
The material relates to the area of the Republic of Ireland only.

1.2 Completeness
The Web site is not a comprehensive catalogue of all past (fluvial/tidal) flood events in the country.
Material is presented for inclusion by source bodies from their available records and at their discretion. Where there is duplication in the material presented e.g. a number of photographs showing the same flooded area, not all of the items may be selected for inclusion. The newspaper articles displayed relate only to a number of the most severe known flood events in the past 120 years. The absence of an indicator of a past flood event in any particular location does not mean that flooding has never occurred in that area.
Material indicating the predicted flood extent for a flood event of a given severity is displayed for a limited number of locations. The absence of a predicted flood extent indicator in an area does not mean that that area may not be liable to flooding in future.
The mapping content of the Web site is based on the most up to date data available from Ordnance Survey Ireland.

1.3 Reliability
1.3.1 Data collected ranges from photographs known to have been taken at the height of clearly identified flood events to documented recollections of events by Local Authority field staff. As a result of the verification process mentioned above each information item collected from source bodies, except that described at 1.3.2 below, is classified and graded as follows:

Code 1. Contains, for a given flood event at a given location, reliably sourced definitive information on peak flood levels and/or maximum flood extents.

Code 2. Contains, for a given flood event at a given location, reliably sourced definitive information on flood levels and/or flood extents. It does not however fully describe the extent of the event at the location.

Code 3. Contains, for a given location, information that, beyond reasonable doubt, a flood has occurred in the vicinity.

Code 4. Contains flood information that, insofar as it has been possible to establish, is probably true.

1.3.2 Two types of material are not verified or classified as described above. These are:—

• Press articles. These are presented as published in the newspapers in which they appear.
• Information to which other quality assurance/coding processes apply. This type of information is included in the site's Layer Control feature. In the case of OPW Hydrometric data the coding is as follows:

Code	Symbol	Description
WATER LEVEL DATA
1	*	Unchecked digitised water level data — Data is provisional only and must be used with caution
31		Inspected water level data — Data may contain some error, but has been approved for general use
32	C	As per Code 31, but where the digitised water level data has been corrected
99	*	Unchecked imported water level data — Data is provisional only and must be used with caution
145	<	Data is below prescribed data range and must only be used with caution
146	>	Data is above prescribed data range and must only be used with caution
150	I	Partial statistic — Data has been derived from records that are incomplete and do not necessarily represent the true value
101	!	Unreliable water level data — Data is suspected of being erroneous and must only be used with caution
>150	Various	Data is not available as it is missing, erroneous or of unacceptable quality
ESTIMATED FLOW DATA
31		Flow data estimated using a rating curve that it is considered to be of good quality and inspected water level data — Data may contain some error, but is considered to be of acceptable quality for general use
32	C	As per Code 31, but using water level data of Code 32
36	F	Flow data estimated using a rating curve that it is considered to be of fair quality and inspected or corrected water level data — Data may contain a fair degree of error and should therefore be treated with some caution
46	B	Flow data estimated using a rating curve that it is considered to be of poor quality and inspected or corrected water level data — Data may contain a significant degree of error and should therefore be used for indicative purposes only
56	X	Flow data estimated using an extrapolated rating curve (see Section 3.2) and inspected or corrected water level data — Reliability of data is unknown and it should therefore be treated with caution
99	*	Flow data that has been estimated using unchecked water level data — Data is provisional only and must be used with caution
101	!	Flow data that has been estimated using unreliable water level data — Data is suspected of being erroneous and must only be used with caution
145	<	Data is below prescribed data range and must only be used with caution
146	>	Data is above prescribed data range and must only be used with caution
150	I	Partial statistic — Data has been derived from records that are incomplete and do not necessarily represent the true value
>150	Various	Data is not available as it is missing, erroneous or of unacceptable quality

Further information in relation to the derivation and coding of OPW's Hydrometric information can be obtained via the links from this Web site to OPW's Hydro-Data Web site.

1.4 Current Relevance
Changes may have occurred that have impacted positively or negatively on the flood susceptibility at a particular location that may be indicated by material displayed on the Web site. Positive impact developments would include the carrying out of Catchment Drainage schemes or flood relief works, while negative impact may result from construction in nearby flood plains etc.

In order to reflect the impact of these developments the Flood Events under which information items are grouped are given a quality code to reflect their present day relevance. Unless there are major changes affecting the location since a particular flood event, its quality code will be the same as the highest quality code given to an information item describing that event. The presence of major changes will have the effect of reducing the quality code of the event e.g. from Code 1 to Code 2.

The Flood Event codes are based on the professional assessments of experienced engineers. However, by its nature this coding is somewhat generalised and subjective.

1.5 Precision
The Web site is intended only as a general guide — it is not designed to be accurate at the individual property level.

1.5.1 Locations of actual flood events for which material is displayed on this Web site are indicated on the Web site's maps by either:—

(a) represents the known extent of a flood event.

OR
(b) (or in the case of a recurring flood event or two or more reported flood events in the same area). This symbol indicates only the general location of a flood event.

1.5.2 Over coming years OPW intends to generate and display on this Web site mapping showing predicted extents of flooding for flood events of given severity in high risk areas.

The indicators described at 1.5.1 indicate that flooding has been recorded in the relevant area while the mapping referred to in 1.5.2 would indicate areas in which flooding would be expected to occur for a given event severity. However, individual properties located in, or adjacent to, these areas may not have flooded in the past or may not be at risk of future flooding due to local conditions e.g. elevated floor levels, individual flood protection measures or other such reasons.

Therefore, the presence of these indicators does not necessarily indicate a flood risk to any individual property.

2. WEB SITE USE

2.1 Accessibility
Because of the nature of the material some of it cannot be made accessible to visually impaired users e.g. map-based information. Users who experience difficulties in this regard can contact the OPW for assistance by telephoning 1890-213414 or 01-6476047 during normal office hours.

2.1 Copyright
Material featured on this site may be downloaded to file or printer except for material that may be the property of a third party. Where third party material is being issued to others, the source (including URL) and copyright status must be acknowledged. Authorization to reproduce third party material must be obtained from the copyright holders concerned. For example, the mapping on this Web site is based on Ordnance Survey Ireland data and used under Ordnance Survey Ireland licence. The Office of Public Works is concerned to respect the rights of copyright owners. If you believe that your copyright work has been published by the Office of Public Works without your permission, please contact the Office - contact details are shown on the Homepage of this Website. The Office of Public Works will be happy to handle any complaint that you may have.

2.2 Viruses
The Office of Public Works cannot guarantee that this Web site or any linked Web site are free from defects and you should undertake the appropriate checks.

3. Policy on User Details

3.1 Privacy

The Office of Public Works respects the rights of its users and does not, as a general rule, collect personal information of any kind. Where a user voluntarily provides personal information in connection with giving feedback on the Web site or in response to a questionnaire or survey the data will be used for research or analysis purposes only. For general web browsing no personal information is revealed to us, although certain statistical information is available to us via our Internet service provider. This information may include:

• The logical address of the server you are using
• The top-level domain name from which you access the Internet (for example .ie, .com, .org etc.)
• The type of browser you are using.
• The date and time you access our site
• The Internet address used to link to our site

Some of the above information is used to create summary statistics that allow us to assess the number of visitors to our site, identify what pages are accessed most frequently and generally, help us to make our site more user-friendly.

This website uses Google Analytics to help analyse how users use the site. This analytical tool uses 'cookies', which are text files placed on your computer, to collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour information in an anonymous form. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) is transmitted to Google. This information is then used to evaluate visitors use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity for the Office of Public Works.

The Office of Public Works does not use the statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any personally identifiable information of visitors to our site. We do not associate any data gathered from this site with any personally identifying information from any source as part of our use of the Google statistical analytics tool. Google does not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. Neither the OPW nor Google link, or seek to link, an IP address with the identity of a computer user.

3.2 Cookies

A cookie is a piece of information that an Internet Web site may send to your browser when you access information at that site. While this site may use cookies, we will not use them to store confidential data, or to attempt to identify you.

3.2 Personal Information

We may ask for your e-mail address in response to communication regarding this Web site or a request by you for further information. This will only be recorded if you choose to send us a message. It will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it and will not be added to a mailing list.

USER DECLARATION

Please read carefully the following statements and conditions of use of the data. Proceeding to data viewing and retrieval by clicking on the 'Accept' button denotes agreement to, and unconditional acceptance of, all of the statements and conditions.

I have read in full, understand and accept all of the above notes and warnings concerning the source, reliability and use of the data available on this Web site.

I agree that the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland have the absolute right to reprocess, revise, add to, or remove any data available on this Web site as they deem necessary, and that I will in no way hold the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland liable for any damage or cost incurred as a result of such acts.

I will use any data available on this Web site in an appropriate and responsible manner and in accordance with the above notes, warnings and conditions.

I understand that the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland do not guarantee the accuracy of any data available on this Web site, or any site to which these pages connect and it is my responsibility to independently verify and quality control any of the data used and ensure that it is fit for use.

I further understand that the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland shall have no liability to me for any loss or damage arising as a result of my use of or reliance on this Web site.

I will not pass on any data used from this Web site to any third party without ensuring that said party is fully aware of the notes, warnings and conditions of use.

I accept all responsibility for the use of any data available on this Web site that is downloaded, read or interpreted or used in any way by myself, or that is passed to a third party by myself, and will in no way hold the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland liable for any damage or loss howsoever arising out of the use or interpretation of this data.