Overview of the FEH Web Service

The FEH Web Service delivers catchment descriptors and rainfall data to support the methods outlined in the Flood Estimation Handbook (FEH) and subsequent updates, for estimating floods and site runoff rates across the UK.

For a summary of the most recent changes see the What's New window.

The data

For any catchment above 0.5 km²:

  • Catchment descriptors for flood estimation
  • Rainfall rarity/depth data using the FEH22, FEH13 or legacy FEH99 rainfall depth-duration-frequency (DDF) model

For any point on the map:

  • Point descriptors for plot scale runoff rate estimation
  • Rainfall rarity/depth data using the FEH22 or FEH13 DDF model (the legacy FEH99 data is not available for points)

Main features

  • A modern web-based map interface with detailed Ordnance Survey/Open Street Map mapping at a variety of scales ranging from 1:250,000 to 1:10,000
  • View and export catchment/point descriptors and rainfall in different formats compatible with tools such as ReFH2 and WINFAP
  • View and export catchment boundaries as ESRI shape files
  • Search by place name and coordinates
  • Search for and view NRFA gauging stations
  • Pay-as-you-go credit system for individual users or organisational groups, allowing data to be shared within an organisational team.

Flood Estimation Handbook

The Flood Estimation Handbook (FEH) gives guidance on estimating rainfall and river flood frequency in the UK and outlines methods for assessing the rarity of notable rainfalls or floods.

The FEH is the industry standard for estimating local flood risk and developing resilient infrastructure. The five-volume set was originally published in 1999 by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and was reprinted in 2008.

A free downloadable version is available:

The FEH is an evolving programme of research. There have been important data and method updates since its first publication.

Additional descriptor datasets were developed in 2025 as part of the FEH statistical method update (see below) and are described in Vesuviano et al., 2025. New FEH Catchment Descriptors 2025: Updates to FARL, SAAR, URBEXT and BFIHOST.

The latest FEH statistical procedures for flood frequency estimation, available through the WINFAP software, are described in Vesuviano and Griffin, 2025, The FEH 2025 Statistical Method Update. Further information can be found in the WINFAP Technical Guidance.

The restated FSR rainfall runoff model method has been superseded by the Revitalised Flood Hydrograph ReFH 2 software package. The original method background to ReFH is published within the FEH Supplementary Report No. 1 and latest method updates within the ReFH 2 Technical Guidance. The original FEH rainfall frequency models were also updated in 2013 and 2022 - see DDF Science Overview.