Identification

Title

Priority River Habitat - Rivers

Alternative title(s)

Abstract

"One of the two datasets that make up the Priority River Habitat Map. Consists of rivers and streams that exhibit a high degree of naturalness. The naturalness classification used to map priority river habitat is based on recent work to review the river SSSI series. It evaluates four main components of habitat integrity: hydrological, physical, physico-chemical (water quality) and biological. An additional classification of the naturalness of headwaters (defined as streams with a catchment area of <10km2 to coincide with WFD typology boundaries) uses land cover data as a surrogate for direct information on river habitat condition (information which is generally lacking on headwaters). Streams and rivers operating under natural processes, free from anthropogenic impact and with a characteristic and dynamic mosaic of small-scale habitats that supports characteristic species assemblages (including priority species), are the best and most sustainable expression of river ecosystems. Key elements are: a natural flow regime; natural nutrient and sediment delivery regimes; minimal physical modifications to the channel, banks and riparian zone; natural longitudinal and lateral hydrological and biological connectivity; an absence of non-native species; low intensity fishery activities. These conditions provide the best defence against climate change, maximising the ability of riverine ecosystems to adapt to changing conditions. They also provide the most valuable and effective transitional links with other priority habitats, including lakes, mires and coastal habitats. In English rivers and streams, high levels of naturalness are rare. " Attribution statement: © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right [year].

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

http://naturalengland-defra.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/priority-river-habitat-rivers-england

protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link

name: ArcGIS Open Dataset record page

description: ArcGIS Open Dataset record page

https://environment.data.gov.uk/DefraDataDownload/?mapService=NE/PriorityRiverHabitatRiversEngland&Mode=spatial

protocol: DSP:ESRI

name: priority_river_habitat_rivers_england_DOWNLOAD

description: Priority River Habitat - Rivers (England) DOWNLOAD

https://environment.data.gov.uk/spatialdata/priority-river-habitat-rivers-england/wfs

protocol: WFS

name: priority_river_habitat_rivers_england_WFS

description: Priority River Habitat - Rivers (England) WFS

https://environment.data.gov.uk/spatialdata/priority-river-habitat-rivers-england/wms

protocol: WMS

name: priority_river_habitat_rivers_england_WMS

description: Priority River Habitat - Rivers (England) WMS

Unique resource identifier

code

f7932e02-0396-41dc-8106-f7dcd5e539d3

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

http://www.opengis.net/def/crs/EPSG/0/27700

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

environment

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

OpenData

Keyword set

keyword value

NEbatch4

Keyword set

keyword value

Habitats and biotopes

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2018-07-25

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-5.7

East bounding longitude

1.8

North bounding latitude

55.8

South bounding latitude

50

Extent

Extent group

authority code

code identifying the extent

http://data.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/doc/country/england

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

2099-12-31

Dataset reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2015-09-03

date type

publication

effective date

2017-07-10

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

Rivers were selected as priority habitat based on naturalness criteria (physical. hydrological, chemical, biological), capturing the most natural remaining examples as far as can be ascertained from available data. This means that many examples of river types included in the UK BAP definition (such as chalk rivers) are excluded from the priority habitat map as they have been significantly modified and degraded over the centuries• Given that this national analysis is relatively coarse (particularly in respect of headwater areas), there is considerable scope for local ground-truthing and refinement. A refinement exercise was undertaken after the national data was created to further refine the dataset using local knowledge and interpretation by Environment Agency and Natural England staff, as well as some non-governmental organisations such as Wildlife Trusts etc. It is envisaged that this refinement exercise will be ongoing.River sections originally derived from EA Digital River Network.

Conformity

Data format

name of format

Open format | Shapefile (SHP)

version of format

10.2.2

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Open Government Licence

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

There are no public access constraints to this data. Use of this data is subject to the licence identified.

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

organisation name

Natural England

email address

data.services@naturalengland.org.uk

web address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england

description: Natural England Website

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Natural England

email address

data.services@naturalengland.org.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2020-03-19

Metadata language