Accounting for Nature: Assessing habitats in the UK countryside
7.   Rivers, Streams and Standing Waters

Standing Waters were assessed in terms of the number and area of inland water bodies. Rivers and Streams were assessed in terms of the biological condition of the water course, the structure of the river corridor and the status of streamside vegetation. The total area of the Standing Waters is about 190,000 ha and there are nearly 400,000 inland water bodies in Great Britain. The area of inland water bodies has not changed significantly during the 1990s, but the number of small water bodies has increased. There have been significant improvements in the biological condition of Rivers and Streams in England and Wales and in Scotland.

Contents of chapter 7 Introduction Habitat stock and change Habitat condition - Streamside vegetation The biological condition of streams Causes of change in biological condition River Habitat Survey Conclusions