2.5 River Habitat Survey Manual: 2003 version
RIVER HABITAT SURVEY 2003 Version Page 1 of 4
A FIELD SURVEY DETAILS
B PREDOMINANT VALLEY FORM (within the horizon limit) (tick one box only)
Distinct flat valley bottom?
shallow vee
deep vee
gorge
C NUMBER OF RIFFLES, POOLS AND POINT BARS (enter total number in boxes)
Riffle(s)
Pool(s)
Unvegetated point bar(s)
Vegetated point bar(s)
Natural terraces? No Yes
(tick one box only)
Is water impounded by weir/dam? No Yes, <33% of site >33% of site
If
none,
tick
box
Is channel obviously realigned? No Yes, <33% of site >33% of site
Is channel obviously over-deepened? No Yes, <33% of site >33% of site
Weirs/sluices
Culverts
Bridges
Other - state
Fords
Major Intermediate Minor Major Intermediate Minor
U-shape valley
asymmetrical valley
concave/bowl
no obvious valley sides
D ARTIFICIAL FEATURES (indicate total number of occurrences of each category within the 500m site)
No Yes
Deflectors/
groynes/croys
Outfalls/
intakes
When options shown with ‘shadow boxes’, tick one box only
LEFT banks determined by facing downstream RIGHT
Site Number:
leave blank if new site
Site Reference:
Spot-check 1 Grid Ref:
Spot-check 6 Grid Ref:
River name:
Reach Reference:
Date / /20 Time:
Surveyor name:
Accredited Surveyor code:
End of site Grid Ref:
ArtificialIs the site part of a river or an artificial channel? River
No YesAre adverse conditions affecting survey?
Is bed of river visible?
If yes, state ........................................................................................
Is health and safety assessment form attached?
Number of photographs taken:
partiallybarely or not entirely+
NoYes
Photo references:
Site surveyed from: left bank right bank channel
2.6River Habitat Survey Manual: 2003 version
G CHANNEL VEGETATION TYPES (to be assessed over a 10m wide transect: use E ( > 33% area), (present) or NV (not visible)
Page 2 of 4
Spot-check 1 is at: upstream end of site (tick one box)downstream end
Material NV, BE, BO, CO, GS, EA, PE, CL, CC, SP, WP, GA, BR, RR, TD, FA, BI
Bank modification(s) NK, NO, RS, RI, PC(B), BM, EM
Marginal & bank feature(s) NV, NO, EC, SC, PB, VP, SB, VS, NB
Channel substrate NV, BE, BO, CO, GP, SA, SI, CL, PE, EA, AR
Flow-type NV, FF, CH, BW, UW, CF, RP, UP, SM, NP, DR
Channel modification(s) NK, NO, CV, RS, RI, DA, FO
Channel feature(s) NV, NO, EB, RO, VR, MB, VB, MI, TR
Material NV, BE, BO, CO, GS, EA, PE, CL, CC, SP, WP, GA, BR, RR, TD, FA, BI
Bank modification(s) NK, NO, RS, RI, PC(B), BM, EM
Marginal & bank feature(s) NV, NO, EC, SC, PB, VP, SB, VS, NB
LAND-USE WITHIN 5m OF LEFT BANKTOP
LAND-USE WITHIN 5m OF RIGHT BANKTOP
Submerged fine-leaved
Submerged linear-leaved
B/U/S/C/NV
B/U/S/C/NV
B/U/S/C/NV
B/U/S/C/NV
For braided rivers only: number of sub-channels
When boxes ‘borderedbordered’, only one entry allowed
RIVER HABITAT SURVEY: TEN SPOT-CHECKS Page 2 of 4
E PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES (to be assessed across channel within 1m wide transect)
1 GPS 2 3 4 5 6 GPS GPS7 8 9 10
LEFT BANK
CHANNEL
RIGHT BANK
F BANKTOP LAND-USE AND VEGETATION STRUCTURE (to be assessed over a 10m wide transect)
Land-use: choose one from BL, BP, CW, CP, SH, OR, WL, MH, AW, OW, RP, IG, TH, RD, SU, TL, IL, PG, NV
LEFT BANKTOP (structure within 1m)
LEFT BANK-FACE (structure)
RIGHT BANK-FACE (structure)
RIGHT BANKTOP (structure within 1m)
None ( ) or Not Visible (NV)
Liverworts/mosses/lichens
Emergent broad-leaved herbs
Emergent reeds/sedges/rushes/grasses/horsetails
Floating-leaved (rooted)
Free-floating
Amphibious
Submerged broad-leaved
Filamentous algae
Use end column for overall assessment over 500m, including types not occurring in spot-checks (use , E or NV)
Ring EC or SC if composed of sandy substrate
GP- ring either G or P if predominant
Ring EC or SC if composed of sandy substrate
Enterchannelsubstrate(s)notoccurringaspredominantin
spot-checksbutpresentin>1%ofwholesite.
SITE REF.
2.7 River Habitat Survey Manual: 2003 version
None Present E(>33%) None Present E (>33%)
None
Isolated/scattered
Regularly spaced, single
Occasional clumps
Semi-continuous
Continuous
Shading of channel
*Overhanging boughs
*Exposed bankside roots
*Underwater tree roots
Fallen trees
Large woody debris
None Present E (>33%)Left Right
TREES (tick one box per bank) ASSOCIATED FEATURES (tick one box per feature)
EXTENT OF TREES AND ASSOCIATED FEATURES *record even if <1%
EXTENT OF CHANNEL AND BANK FEATURES (tick one box for each feature) *record even if <1%
J
K
BANK PROFILESI
Tall herb/rank vegetation (TH)
Scrub & shrubs (SH)
Moorland/heath (MH)
Orchard (OR)
Coniferous plantation (CP)
Rock, scree or sand dunes (RD)
Broadleaf/mixed woodland (semi-natural) (BL)
L R
Rough/unimproved grassland/pasture (RP)
Improved/semi-improved grassland (IG)
Tilled land (TL)Wetland (e.g. bog, marsh, fen) (WL)
Natural open water (OW)
Suburban/urban development (SU)
Use (present) or E (> 33% banklength)
H LAND-USE WITHIN 50m OF BANKTOP Use (present) or E (> 33% banklength)
RIVER HABITAT SURVEY : 500m SWEEP-UPSITE REF. Page 3 of 4
L R
Coniferous woodland (semi-natural) (CW)
Broadleaf/mixed plantation (BP)
Parkland or gardens (PG)Artificial open water (AW)
Irrigated land (IL)
Natural/unmodified
Vertical/undercut
Vertical with toe
Steep (>45 )
Gentle
Composite
L R RLArtificial/modified
Resectioned (reprofiled)
Reinforced - whole
Reinforced - top only
Reinforced - toe only
Artificial two-stage
Poached bank
Embanked
Natural berm
Not visible (NV)
Exposed bedrock*Free fall flow
Exposed bouldersChute flow
Broken standing waves Vegetated bedrock/boulders
Unvegetated mid-channel bar(s)Unbroken standing waves
Vegetated mid-channel bar(s)Rippled flow
Mature island(s)*Upwelling
Unvegetated side bar(s)Smooth flow
No perceptible flow Vegetated side bar(s)
No flow (dry) Unvegetated point bar(s)
Marginal deadwater Vegetated point bar(s)
*Unvegetated silt deposit(s)Eroding cliff(s)
*Discrete unvegetated sand deposit(s)Stable cliff(s)
*Discrete unvegetated gravel deposit(s)
Set-back embankment
2.8River Habitat Survey Manual: 2003 version
*Debris dam(s)
Have you taken at least two photos that illustrate the general character of the site and additional photos of any weirs/ sluices
and major/intermediate structures across the channel?
Have you completed all ten spot-checks and made entries in all boxes in E & F on page 2?
Have you completed column 11 of section G (and E if appropriate) on page 2?
Have you recorded in section C the number of riffles, pools and point bars (even if 0) on page 1?
Have you given an accurate (alphanumeric) grid reference for spot-checks 1, 6 and end of site (page 1)?
Have you stated whether spot-check 1 is at the upstream or downstream end of the site (top of page 2)?
Have you cross-checked your spot-check and sweep-up responses with the channel modification indicators
given on page 2 of the spot-check key?
*Sink hole(s)
LEFT BANK CHANNEL RIGHT BANK
Banktop height (m) Bankfull width (m) Banktop height (m)
Is banktop height also bankfull Water width (m) Is banktop height also bankfull
height? (Y or N) height? (Y or N)
Embanked height (m) Water depth (m) Embanked height (m)
If trashline lower than banktop, indicate: height above water (m) = width from bank to bank (m) =
Bed material at site is: consolidated unconsolidated (loose) unknown
Location of measurements is: riffle other (state)
RIVER HABITAT SURVEY : DIMENSIONS AND INFLUENCES Page 4 of 4
Major impacts: landfill - tipping - litter - sewage - pollution - drought - abstraction - mill - dam - road - rail - industry - housing
mining - quarrying - overdeepening - afforestation - fisheries management - silting - waterlogging - hydroelectric power
Evidence of recent management: dredging - bank mowing - weed cutting - enhancement - river rehabilitation gravel
extraction - other (please specify)
Animals: otter - mink - water vole - kingfisher - dipper - grey wagtail - sand martin - heron - dragonflies/damselflies
Other significant observations: if necessary use separate sheet to describe overall characteristics and relevant
observations
*Giant hogweed
Q ALDERS (tick appropriate box(es))*Alders? None Present Extensive *Diseased Alders? None Present Extensive
O NOTABLE NUISANCE PLANT SPECIES Use or E (> 33% length) *record even if <1%
P OVERALL CHARACTERISTICS (Circle appropriate words, add others as necessary)
*Japanese knotweed
Is 33% or more of the channel choked with vegetation? No Yes
N CHOKED CHANNEL (tick one box)
M FEATURES OF SPECIAL INTEREST Use or E (> 33% length) *record even if <1%
None
Braided channels
Side channel(s)
*Natural waterfall(s) > 5m high
*Natural waterfall(s) < 5m high
Natural cascade(s)
banktop to 50m
*Himalayan balsam
Q ALDERS (tick one box in each of the two categories ) *record even if <1%
R FIELD SURVEY QUALITY CONTROL ( boxes to confirm checks)
banktop to 50m
L CHANNEL DIMENSIONS (to be measured at one location on a straight uniform section, preferably across a riffle)
*Other (state)..........................
None
bankface bankface
SITE REF.
Very large boulders (>1m)
*Leafy debris
Fringing reed-bank(s)
Quaking bank(s)
Backwater(s)
Floodplain boulder deposits
Water meadow(s)
Fen(s)
Bog(s)
Wet woodland(s)
Marsh(es)
Flush(es)
Natural
open water
Others (state)