Case Study: Dauntsey Parish Council achieves professional flood-risk analysis and improved watercourse maintenance with Ordnance Survey

Dauntsey Parish Council - Customer Case Study

Dauntsey Parish Council, a small north Wiltshire parish of about 532 residents, faced serious flooding in July 2007 that affected 44 homes and needed to engage professionally with statutory bodies (Environment Agency, Highways Agency, Wiltshire Council) to influence maintenance of local watercourses. To do this it adopted Ordnance Survey digital mapping under a Public Sector Mapping Agreement (PSMA) licence and combined that data with local knowledge using open‑source QGIS to produce authoritative GIS maps.

Using Ordnance Survey data (including OS MasterMap and raster products) the council mapped drains, culverts, capacities and ownership, produced flood‑extent maps and prioritised repair responsibilities, and shared this evidence with agencies. As a result the Highways Agency introduced annual inspections and improved maintenance contracts, the council now coordinates more closely with Wiltshire Council (saving time and effort), and the GIS has supported compensation claims, planning assessments and help for downstream parishes.