WFD Cycle 2 River Macrophyte Classification for Water Framework Directive

A subset of the WFD Classification Status Cycle 2 dataset containing classification data for macrophytes in rivers. The Environment Agency produced this data, which compares observed macrophyte metrics against predicted pristine-condition scores to generate an Ecological Quality Ratio and a status classification. The record was last updated on 2026-07-17.

Use Cases

• Classifying river water bodies into High/Good/Moderate/Poor/Bad status based on macrophyte metrics.
• Calculating Ecological Quality Ratios by comparing observed and expected macrophyte scores.
• Assessing the ecological health of rivers using the LEAFPACS2 classification tool mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Data is derived from a formal classification tool (LEAFPACS2) for standardized assessment.
• Provides a direct regulatory output (High/Good/Moderate/Poor/Bad) for Water Framework Directive reporting.

Limitations

• This dataset has been retired and superseded by a newer record, indicating it is not the current version.
• Row count and column-level documentation are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Environment Agency

Collection Method

Metrics on river macrophyte composition, abundance, and richness run through the LEAFPACS2 classification tool.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-17 15:08:32.034941; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Rivers in the UK (inferred from uk_data platform and Environment Agency source).