An account of the derivation and testing of a standard field method, River Habitat Survey

The derivation of the field survey method underpinning River Habitat Survey (RHS) is presented. The paper covers the development of the method from output requirements through to delivery of the system. 2. Major requirements for the field survey were to provide a rapid, single-visit method to provide an accurate representation of the habitats of a standard survey length. Repeatability and simplicity were major requirements for data collection. This paper presents results which indicate that a high level of consistency can be achieved for RHS. 3. A primary consideration in developing the method was to ensure that those who applied it were confident that the data collected provided a reasonable representation of the survey reach. 4. Results from studies linked to extensive field testing are reported, including a basic description of the survey method. 5. Decisions taken during development of RHS included removing some attributes through lack of repeatability and concise definition. The background to problems of survey delivery are discussed.