Ella Fotheringham
Web Map Services (WMS) and Web Feature Services (WFS) are data feeds that provide geographic data directly into your Geographic Information System (GIS) software without the need for you to download the data itself.
The link to a WMS or WFS service looks like an internet URL (web address), but it does not work in the same way.
To use a WMS or WFS feed, you will need to copy this URL into your GIS software.
If you try to open a WMS or WFS URL in an internet browser, it will not work, and an error message will appear "Query Parameters must include request"
Query Parameters must include Request
or
"The webpage cannot be found"
To view the WMS or WFS information in a browser, you need to complete the link with a query parameter statement, like this one:
?REQUEST=GetCapabilities&SERVICE=WMS - for WMS services
?REQUEST=GetCapabilities&SERVICE=WFS - for WFS services
I'm also having issues accessing the WFS.
I am using QGIS (version 3.12.3-București) to try and link to Environment Agency flood zone data using the various data links provided here:
https://data.gov.uk/dataset/cf494c44-05cd-4060-a029-35937970c9c6/flood-map-for-planning-rivers-and-sea-flood-zone-2
Using the base WFS/WMS URLs provided just returns an error, but following the advice at 'https://support.environment.data.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/360001340657-How-do-i-add-WFS-layers-in-ArcGIS-and-QGIS-' and adding parameters, I do manage to import some partial data using this URL:
https://environment.data.gov.uk/spatialdata/flood-map-for-planning-rivers-and-sea-flood-zone-2/wfs?SERVICE=WFS&VERSION=2.0.0&REQUEST=GetFeature&TYPENAME=Flood_Map_for_Planning_Rivers_and_Sea_Flood_Zone_2&BBOX=450660,332709,461502,347119,EPSG:27700&srsName=EPSG:27700
The layer data imported isn’t correct (it doesn’t match any watercourses and only covers a small area near Nottingham), but it at least shows that the API link works.
Any suggestions where to go from here would be appreciated!
Hi Jonathan,
I have checked with the technical team and the services are running correctly, they did advise the QGIS needs to be set up correctly to display the data. Please ensure you use British National Grid rather than WGS84 (which seems to be a QGIS default) and make sure you have all the necessary transformations available.
Also, with regards to only a small area being displayed - this is either to do with the bounding box parameters used or when trying to display the entire WFS layer at once - this takes a long time and may time out if the internet connection is not great.
There are also no reported problems using just the basic WFS/WMS link (without the parameters) to connect to the service - you may want to try with the WMS first - just because of the smaller size.
I hope this helps.
Ella Fotheringham
Environment Agency
Hi Ella,
Thanks for the response and your comments are noted. I have now managed to work through this with the assistance of people at the Stack Exchange website (https://gis.stackexchange.com/questions/364369/problem-accessing-english-environment-agency-api-with-qgis) and I can confirm that I can now access your data and get it to display correctly (and timely) using WFS for main river data and WMS for flood zones.