Flood Risk Assessment in Donegal
Expert flood risk assessments for planning applications throughout County Donegal. From Inishowen and Buncrana to Ballybofey, Lifford and Bundoran, we assess river, flash and coastal flood risk for developments of every scale.
Get a Quote or call 087 417 3832 or WhatsAppIf we can’t answer, please leave a message or send a WhatsApp — we’ll get back to you.Do I need a Flood Risk Assessment for planning in Donegal?
Yes, if your site is in or near Flood Zone A or B, or Donegal County Council has requested flood risk information at Further Information stage. The County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 and its Strategic Flood Risk Assessment apply the 2009 Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines, and the SFRA states it is council policy to only permit development where flood or surface water management issues can be successfully addressed. In Donegal that usually means the River Finn, coastal flooding, and flash flooding from small upland streams.
Flood Risk Assessment for Donegal Planning Applications
If you're submitting a planning application to Donegal County Council and your site is in or near a flood zone, you'll need a Flood Risk Assessment that satisfies the requirements of the County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 and the Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines.
Donegal has a long Atlantic coastline and steep, fast-responding river catchments. Donegal County Council's SFRA identifies fluvial and coastal flood risk in Buncrana (Crana and Mill rivers), Moville, Bundoran (Bradoge and Drowes rivers), and along the River Finn at Ballybofey/Stranorlar and Lifford. The August 2017 Inishowen flash floods showed how quickly small upland streams can overwhelm culverts and bridges, so a site-specific FRA in Donegal often needs to look beyond the mapped rivers.
- River Finn corridor (Ballybofey/Stranorlar, Lifford, Castlefinn)
- Crana and Mill rivers and coastal flooding (Buncrana)
- Bradoge and Drowes rivers and the coast (Bundoran)
- Coastal sites at Moville, Dunfanaghy, Ramelton and Rathmullan
- Flash flooding from upland streams and undersized culverts (Inishowen)
What's Included
Every FRA we complete for Donegal sites includes:
Stage 1, 2 & 3 Assessments
Proper methodology using OPW flood mapping and modelling data. Where data is limited or outdated, we undertake bespoke hydraulic modelling (1D/2D HEC-RAS).
Coastal & Flash Flood Analysis
OPW coastal flood data for Atlantic and lough-side sites, and checks on small steep streams and culvert capacity where flash flooding is a risk.
FFL Comparison
Your proposed finished floor levels compared against design flood levels plus freeboard.
Development Plan Compliance
Explicit demonstration of compliance with County Donegal Development Plan flood risk policies.
Further Information Requests
Received an FI request from Donegal County Council asking for flood risk information? We regularly handle urgent FI responses for Donegal sites. Typical turnaround is 7–10 working days — often faster for straightforward sites.
Key Documents for Donegal Flood Risk Assessments
Every FRA we prepare for a Donegal site is assessed against the development plan and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) of the relevant planning authority, the national flood risk guidelines, and the latest OPW flood data:
Donegal County Council
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 – Proposed Variation No. 1 (council notice)
- Final Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 (March 2024)
National guidance and flood data
- The Planning System and Flood Risk Management – Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DoEHLG & OPW, November 2009)
- The Planning System and Flood Risk Management – Technical Appendices (November 2009)
- Circular PL 2/2014 – Flooding Guidelines (revised Section 5.28 on minor development)
- OPW Flood Maps – floodinfo.ie (CFRAM, NIFM and NCFHM flood mapping)
Links open the official source documents. Development plans are periodically varied, so we always check the current version and any variation SFRA when preparing your report.
Donegal Flood Risk Assessment FAQs
What happened in the 2017 Inishowen floods?
On 22–23 August 2017, intense rainfall caused flash flooding across Inishowen, with rescues at Clonmany and a bridge washed away at Buncrana. The event showed that small streams not shown on OPW river maps can flood rapidly, so we check local watercourses, culverts and overland flow paths for Donegal sites.
Are flood relief schemes planned in Donegal?
Yes. Donegal County Council's SFRA lists OPW schemes at scheme development and preliminary design stage for Ballybofey/Stranorlar, Buncrana and Luddan, Burnfoot, Castlefinn, Lifford and Ramelton, with Raphoe at a later stage. Until they are built, sites in these towns must be assessed against current flood levels.
Is Letterkenny covered by the county SFRA?
Letterkenny has its own Local Area Plan and SFRA, separate from the county plan's SFRA. An FRA for a Letterkenny site should reference the Letterkenny plan's flood zone mapping as well as the 2009 Guidelines.
Can I get planning permission in Flood Zone A in Donegal?
Possibly. Under the 2009 Guidelines, highly vulnerable development such as housing in Flood Zone A must pass the Development Management Justification Test, and Donegal County Council will expect a site-specific FRA to show the development, its occupants and its access are safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere. Minor development such as small extensions, small-scale infill and changes of use is treated differently under Circular PL 2/2014: the Justification Test does not apply, but a commensurate flood risk assessment is still required.
How long does a Flood Risk Assessment take in Donegal?
Typically 7–10 working days from instruction for a Stage 2 assessment, and often faster for straightforward sites. If Donegal County Council has issued a Further Information request with a deadline, tell us when you get in touch and we will prioritise it. Stage 3 assessments with hydraulic modelling take longer and are scoped per site.
Need an FRA for a Donegal Site?
Send us your site address and we'll provide a fixed-price quote, typically within 24 hours.
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