The Riverfly Partnership (RP), hosted by the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA), is a network of organizations and volunteers dedicated to protecting the water quality of UK rivers
. It works through citizen science, with volunteers—often anglers—monitoring river health using invertebrate data.
Aims of Riverfly Monitoring
The core goals of the Riverfly Partnership include:
Protecting Water Quality: Using sensitive invertebrate populations to detect pollution incidents and habitat degradation, acting as an early warning "alarm system".
Understanding Riverfly Populations: Gathering long-term, nation-wide data to further understanding of riverfly ecology.
Conservation: Conserving riverfly habitats and aiding in the assessment of river restoration projects.
Citizen Science Empowerment: Involving the public in scientific research, training volunteers to monitor their local environments.
Methods of Monitoring
The primary method is the Anglers' Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), designed to be simple, standardized, and effective.
Squarespace
Sampling Technique: Volunteers work in pairs to carry out a 3-minute kick-sample in the river, followed by a 1-minute manual search of the area.
Target Taxa: The method focuses on eight key, pollution-sensitive invertebrate groups (often referred to as "the RMI Eight").
Frequency: Surveys are typically carried out monthly from April to October.
Assessment & Action: Collected invertebrates are counted, and an RMI score is calculated. If the score falls below a predefined "trigger level" (set by local authorities), it indicates a potential pollution incident, prompting investigation.
Data Management: Results are uploaded to a national database (Cartographer) for analysis by statutory bodies like the Environment Agency.
Extended Methods
Extended Riverfly: An advanced, 33-group identification scheme (including the original 8) used to detect more subtle pollution, flow issues, and siltation.
Urban Riverfly: A variant that includes six additional groups (worms, snails, beetles, etc.) to better assess heavily modified or polluted urban rivers.
Other Components
Biosecurity: Participants are instructed to follow strict biosecurity protocols to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Safety: Risk assessments are mandatory, and monitoring is often scheduled to avoid disturbing spawning fish