National Flood and Coastal Defence Database
The Environment Agency commissioned SciSys to produce a National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD). This centralised database provides the definitive repository for all data on flood and coastal defence assets in England and Wales, enabling effective analysis and improved decision making on defence investments to help the Government prioritise expenditure for high-risk areas.
This new system has a direct impact on the vast majority of Local Authorities (LAs) and Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) with responsibility for fluvial and coastal defences.
To support this centralised data warehouse, LAs and IDBs are required to supply asset and other flood related information to the EA using an XML file transfer mechanism that ensures data is complete, validated and consistent - minimising data quality issues. This approach conforms to the Government's e-Gif strategy and ensures that data transfers between these organisations are transparent and platform neutral.
LAs and IDBs can access their data held in NFCDD using a web browser user interface that displays the data using a geospatial viewer with tabulations and forms. To create data, a desktop toolset must be used.
NFCDD allows data extraction by using a browser interface for editing. SciSys has produced a desktop toolset using the geospatial capabilities of MapInfo Professional to create and modify flood asset and related data.
Asset inspectors can deploy the asset-related forms, which are written in Java, onto many of the available portable devices including PDAs (personal digital assistants) and laptops. This allows inspectors to collect survey data in the field and manage its delivery to desktop systems.
