By March 2011 the Environment Agency will have increased its coverage of digital terrain data. This will provide an accurate, cost-effective model of terrain suitable for assessing flood risk in areas having between a 1 per cent. and 0.1 per cent. annual probability of fluvial flooding, or between a 0.5 per cent. and 0.1 per cent. annual probability of tidal flooding in any year.
The Environment Agency has developed a three-year programme to obtain this level of coverage starting with the areas identified by Catchment Flood Management Plans, Shoreline Management Plans and National Flood Risk Assessment as at highest risk.