dataset · United Kingdom
Aquifer Designation Dataset for England and Wales
Joint BGS/Environment Agency dataset of aquifer designations for England and Wales at 1:50 000. The dataset identifies different types of aquifer - underground layers of water-bearing permeable rock or drift deposits from which groundwater can be extracted. These designations reflect the importance of aquifers in terms of groundwater as a resource (drinking water supply) but also their role in supporting surface water flows and wetland ecosystems. The maps are split into two different type of aq
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Licence: ["The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in an
Evidence quality: 37.6
Listed in data.gov.uk public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).
Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z
What's in it
- Data offered docs-verified
- aquifer designation: superficial (unconsolidated deposits such as sands and gravels) · aquifer designation: bedrock (permeable formations such as sandstone, chalk and limestone)
- Coverage docs-verified
- England and Wales
- Resolution docs-verified
- 1:50 000 (map scale)
- Update frequency docs-verified
- Not applicable (no scheduled update; dataset page shows updated 2 October 2026)
- Access docs-verified
- Public data.gov.uk listing; no auth listed; licence field not set. BGS/NERC copyright: no reproduction or transmission without prior permission of the copyright holder
Useful for
- Use cases llm-inferred
- Groundwater constraints screening for infiltration SuDS and drainage strategy feasibility · Flood risk assessment: identifying aquifers that support surface water flows and wetlands · Desk study for civils and geotechnical projects: bedrock vs superficial aquifer mapping · Water resource constraint mapping near drinking water supply sources
- Audience llm-inferred
- hydrogeologists · flood risk consultants · drainage engineers · geotechnical engineers · environmental consultants
Limitations
- Constraints docs-verified
- Mapped at 1:50 000 scale · No warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or its suitability for any use · Use by customers is at the customer's own risk · Copyright restrictions on reproduction and transmission
Evidence
- https://www.bgs.ac.uk/datasets/aquifer-designation-data/
- https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/616469ae-3ff2-41f4-901f-6686feb1d5b6/aquifer-designation-dataset-for-england-and-wales
Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.