Identification

Identifier

NRW_DS161278

Alternative Title

• Freshwater River Macroinvertebrates
• KiEco Freshwater River Macro-invertebrates Sample Metric.lyr
• KiEco Freshwater River Macro-invertebrates Site Detail.lyr
• KiEco Freshwater River Macro-invertebrates Taxa.lyr

Metadata Language

English

Lineage

A strict methodology is applied when sampling for freshwater river macroinvertebrates. There is a core network of sites which are monitored on a three-yearly rolling programme. These sites are located where risk assessment has shown significant risk of failure of WFD ecological quality standards. In addition sites may be sampled for investigative work, or on an ad hoc basis. Sampling areas are located with a larger survey area and must be representative of the overall survey area. A three-minute kick-sample is the most commonly used sampling method, although where necessary alternative methods are used, for example in deeper water or for investigative work. Once samples are collected they are sent NRW ecology laboratories for identification using standard methodologies, employing a strict Analytical Quality Control (AQC) procedure.

Once the data is collated in the central database, it has then been extracted and QA'd before being published. It is important to note that this dataset will include some sampling events from recent months where sampling has been undertaken but laboratory analysis has not been completed, therefore the full complement of taxa for that sampling event will not yet be uploaded. These records will be completed in future data uploads from NRW to the NBN Atlas. This dataset also includes records for some non-macroinvertebrate species, such as birds and fish, that were either observed or collected during sampling. Any non-target organisms collected during sampling were immediately returned to the river.

Redactions

Some information has be redacted to make the data openly available. This includes:

- Third party data

- Data collected for ongoing investigations

- Cancelled or incomplete surveys

- Location of protected species where releasing details of their location could have a detrimental effect e.g. freshwater pearl mussels.

Update Frequency

This data is continually updated with the most surveys undertaken in the spring and autumn. Data from survey seasons is often not enter at the time of capture and can be several months before its is entered into the system. The external dataset is updated monthly to include new data, and may also contain corrections to previously published data due to quality assurance work.

Information Warnings

We do our best to avoid data quality problems, but as these datasets reflect the data we hold, they may contain errors

The data is provided as a set of related data tables due to the quantity and structure of the data. A basic understanding of ecology and relational data is assumed.

Data related to pollution incident investigations or protected species information is not released as locational information of these sites may be detrimental to ongoing investigations or species protection.

Not all sites have environmental base data listed.

Much of the data collected prior to 2002 was recorded using a logarithmic scale 3=A, 33 = B etc.

Prior to 2012, most taxa were only recorded to family level, we moved to mixed-taxon level at this time. For this reason, some early samples may show blanks for some of the indices which required a higher level of taxonomic detail eg. LIFE species.

Dataset Reference Date (Publication)

2026-10-20

Extent

Extent

Geographic Extent

Wales (WLS)

N

W

E

S

 

Distribution

Quality

Keywords

Spatial Reference System

Content

Constraints