Assessing the progress of river restoration in the UK : Has biophysical condition improved over two decades of intervention?

Biophysical condition is one indicator of the immediate success efforts to restore degraded rivers as well longer-term progress towards improving water quality. In context Water Framework Directive (WFD), biophysical river systems in UK also reflects how international environmental policy translates into improved management domestically. We assess whether has or declined over past two decades, regions identified by first WFD assessment have declined, and thus, effectively been implemented nationally. Methods include: statistical spatial analysis more than 25,000 habitat records collated River Habitat Survey 1990s 2000s; computing an Index Change for Local Authorities; comparison Indices with a sub-sample 1,727 assessments conducted 258 Authorities. Findings include that three four measures indicate quality although only decline measure (habitat quality) was statistically significant. Riparian improved, do not consider invasive compared native coverage. total, 27 were worst declining Comparative suggests most substantially previously “good” condition. Priorities future investment sites, protecting high increasing monitoring “data poor” regions. Our methodology offers approach utilising “messy” routinely data like RHS. However, guidelines are needed support use similar datasets restoration community.