MORPHOLOGY - upper level

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1) Land-use pattern beyond the river
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A Undisturbed, consisting of wild forest, woodland and/or natural wetlands	B Mainly meadows, pastures, thickets, uncultivated fields or a limited number of cultivated fields
C Mainly seasonal crops, arable land and/or permanent crops; limited number of buildings	D Mainly urbanized areas

1) Land-use pattern beyond the river
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A Undisturbed, consisting of wild forest, woodland and/or natural wetlands	B Mainly meadows, pastures, thickets, uncultivated fields or a limited number of cultivated fields
C Mainly seasonal crops, arable land and/or permanent crops; limited number of buildings	D Mainly urbanized areas

2) Vegetation in the riparian zone (within 10 m of the riverbank)
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A Many mature trees, especially typical for wetlands (alders, willows, poplars)	B Many shrubs or mixed young species along the channel with mature trees behind and/or reed thicket
C Trees or shrubs resulting from human influence	D Trees and shrubs absent, vegetation consisting mostly of grassy or bare soil

2) Vegetation in the riparian zone (within 10 m of the riverbank)
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A Many mature trees, especially typical for wetlands (alders, willows, poplars)	B Many shrubs or mixed young species along the channel with mature trees behind and/or reed thicket
C Trees or shrubs resulting from human influence	D Trees and shrubs absent, vegetation consisting mostly of grassy or bare soil

3) Width of the riparian vegetation strip (from river edge to field or to embankments)
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A Trees, shrubs, tall grasses or reed thickets in riparian zone more than 30 m wide	B Trees, shrubs, tall grasses or reed thickets in riparian zone varying from 5 to 30 m in width
C Trees, shrubs, tall grasses or reed thickets in riparian zone less than 5 m wide	D No woody/shrubby vegetation near the river; grassy or bare soil

3) Width of the riparian vegetation strip (from river edge to field or to embankments)
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A Trees, shrubs, tall grasses or reed thickets in riparian zone more than 30 m wide	B Trees, shrubs, tall grasses or reed thickets in riparian zone varying from 5 to 30 m in width
C Trees, shrubs, tall grasses or reed thickets in riparian zone less than 5 m wide	D No woody/shrubby vegetation near the river; grassy or bare soil

4) Completeness of woody/shrubby vegetation along the riparian zone
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A Intact without breaks in vegetation	B Breaks occurring at intervals of > 50 m
C Frequent breaks with some gullies and scars every 30-50 m, or uninterrupted and well- established tall grasses	D Deeply scarred with gullies all along its length, grassy soil or bare soil

4) Completeness of woody/shrubby vegetation along the riparian zone
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A Intact without breaks in vegetation	B Breaks occurring at intervals of > 50 m
C Frequent breaks with some gullies and scars every 30-50 m, or uninterrupted and well- established tall grasses	D Deeply scarred with gullies all along its length, grassy soil or bare soil

5) Water flow conditions
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A No evidence of big flow fluctuations during the year	B Evidence of seasonal flow fluctuations (i.e. Autumn/Spring)
C Evidence of frequent flow fluctuations	D Reduced or lacking water in wet riverbed (or channels with water proof bottom)

5) Water flow conditions
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A No evidence of big flow fluctuations during the year	B Evidence of seasonal flow fluctuations (i.e. Autumn/Spring)
C Evidence of frequent flow fluctuations	D Reduced or lacking water in wet riverbed (or channels with water proof bottom)

6) Riverbank stability
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A Riverbank stable, of rock and soil held firmly by grasses, shrubs and tree roots	B Banks stable, held by shrubs and grasses /reed thicket
C Banks loose, held by a sparse layer of grass	D Banks unstable, of loose soil or sand; smooth artificial riverbanks

6) Riverbank stability
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A Riverbank stable, of rock and soil held firmly by grasses, shrubs and tree roots	B Banks stable, held by shrubs and grasses /reed thicket
C Banks loose, held by a sparse layer of grass	D Banks unstable, of loose soil or sand; smooth artificial riverbanks

7) Debris dams (for food-chain maintenance)
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A River bed with rocks and old logs firmly set in place or large reed thicket strips or relevant aquatic vegetation	B Stones and logs present but back filled with sediment (or thin and sparse aquatic vegetation)
C Stones and gravel loose, easily moving with floods, modest presence of fluctuating algae (reed thicket or aquatic vegetation absent)	D River bed formed by sandy sediments without algae, or artificial river bed with smooth walls and uniform stream: debris dams absent

7) Debris dams (for food-chain maintenance)
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A River bed with rocks and old logs firmly set in place or large reed thicket strips or relevant aquatic vegetation	B Stones and logs present but back filled with sediment (or thin and sparse aquatic vegetation)
C Stones and gravel loose, easily moving with floods, modest presence of fluctuating algae (reed thicket or aquatic vegetation absent)	D River bed formed by sandy sediments without algae, or artificial river bed with smooth walls and uniform stream: debris dams absent

8) Bank erosion
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A Not evident	B Only in bends and/or at channel constrictions
C Frequent, with undercutting of banks and exposed roots; some weirs	D Very evident with excavations and collapsed banks and/or presence of artificial prevention devices; artificial rectified channels

8) Bank erosion
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A Not evident	B Only in bends and/or at channel constrictions
C Frequent, with undercutting of banks and exposed roots; some weirs	D Very evident with excavations and collapsed banks and/or presence of artificial prevention devices; artificial rectified channels

9) Transversal section
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A Natural riverbanks, or presence of far embankments	B Natural riverbanks with slight artificial elements
C Mainly artificial riverbanks with some natural elements	D Artificial section, embankments near the riverbed

9) Transversal section
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A Natural riverbanks, or presence of far embankments	B Natural riverbanks with slight artificial elements
C Mainly artificial riverbanks with some natural elements	D Artificial section, embankments near the riverbed

10) Riverbed bottom
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A Very diversified – no artificial elements	B Diverse substrates in the bottom, rare and small artificial elements, e.g. under a bridge
C Only a few substrates, in most cases one substrate dominates, artificial elements can be present	D Artificial fixation e.g. concrete or pavement is dominating

10) Riverbed bottom
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A Very diversified – no artificial elements	B Diverse substrates in the bottom, rare and small artificial elements, e.g. under a bridge
C Only a few substrates, in most cases one substrate dominates, artificial elements can be present	D Artificial fixation e.g. concrete or pavement is dominating

11) Riffles/pools/meanders
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A Distinct, frequent and regularly occurring	B Present, but irregularly spaced
C Long pools separating short riffles, few meanders	D No meanders, riffles and pools absent, or artificial rectified channel

11) Riffles/pools/meanders
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A Distinct, frequent and regularly occurring	B Present, but irregularly spaced
C Long pools separating short riffles, few meanders	D No meanders, riffles and pools absent, or artificial rectified channel

12) Aquatic vegetation
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A Absent, when present consists of moss and patches of algae	B Algae dominant in pools, larger plants along the edge
C Algal mats present, some larger plants, few mosses	D Algal mats cover bottom, larger plants dominate the channel

12) Aquatic vegetation
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A Absent, when present consists of moss and patches of algae	B Algae dominant in pools, larger plants along the edge
C Algal mats present, some larger plants, few mosses	D Algal mats cover bottom, larger plants dominate the channel

13) Detritus
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A Mainly consisting of leaves and wood without sediment	B Fibrous and pulpy plant fragments (leaves and wood scarce, fine organic debris without sediment)
C No leaves or woody debris; coarse and fine organic matter with sediment	D Fine black sediment under the stones, and foul odor (mainly anaerobic processes)

13) Detritus
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A Mainly consisting of leaves and wood without sediment	B Fibrous and pulpy plant fragments (leaves and wood scarce, fine organic debris without sediment)
C No leaves or woody debris; coarse and fine organic matter with sediment	D Fine black sediment under the stones, and foul odor (mainly anaerobic processes)

14) Fish (Stand at the bank edge and observe quietly for a few minutes)
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A Lots of fish, present in most pools, evidence of more than one species	B Fish difficult to locate, evidence of more than one species
C Fish scarce, one species	D No evidence of fish

14) Fish (Stand at the bank edge and observe quietly for a few minutes)
Click here to get more background information about what to observe.

A Lots of fish, present in most pools, evidence of more than one species	B Fish difficult to locate, evidence of more than one species
C Fish scarce, one species	D No evidence of fish