Upper Lough Erne Network Contribution: High Surface Flow Areas

Network contribution area scores identify zones of high hydrological connectivity within Northern Ireland's Upper Lough Erne catchment. The scores were calculated using the SciMAP application within SAGA GIS, integrating inputs from CEH Land Cover 2007, Met Office average rainfall, and a 5-meter Digital Terrain Model. Areas classified as 'High Network Contribution' represent the top portion of the score distribution, defined as values exceeding one standard deviation above the mean.

Use Cases

• Identifying priority areas for surface water management based on integrated land cover, rainfall, and topography scores.
• Visualizing high-contribution zones for hydrological connectivity in web maps and dashboards.
• Supporting catchment-scale analysis of potential runoff and water flow pathways.
• Informing land-use planning decisions by highlighting areas with a high contribution to the surface water network.

Strengths

• Derived from established, authoritative input datasets including CEH Land Cover 2007 and Met Office rainfall data.
• Methodology is explicitly described, using SAGA GIS and a standard deviation threshold for classification.
• Cross-platform presence on multiple open data portals suggests recognized utility and official status.

Limitations

• Specific column names and data structure are not provided, limiting understanding of the exact attributes.
• The primary land cover input (CEH 2007) is dated, potentially reducing relevance for current conditions.
• No row count, file size, or spatial geometry type (e.g., polygon, raster) is specified in the available metadata.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service (UK), derived via SciMAP/SAGA GIS analysis.

Collection Method

GIS analysis combining CEH Land Cover 2007, Met Office average rainfall, and a 5m DTM to calculate network contribution scores.

Time Range

Based on input data from 2007; analysis date is unspecified.

Freshness

2026-04-15 14:20:21.344145

Geography

Upper Lough Erne catchment, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.