Assessment of the impact of bridge infrastructure on the Ner River environment using the River Habitat Survey (RHS) method

The article examines the application of the River Habitat Survey method to characterize a section of the Ner River. The application of the RHS methodology for river assessments complies with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive, particularly in defining reference conditions, planning catchment management measures, implementing flood protection and restoration strategies. The hydromorphological condition of a river is determined by the presence and proportion of natural and anthropogenic elements, where a predominance of natural features indicates a higher ecological status of the watercourse. Conversely, a dominance of anthropogenic structures reflects significant human-induced alterations to the river environment. This study focuses on the analysis of the Ner River section, with a particular emphasis on evaluating the impact of an anthropogenic structure, the bridge in Puczniew, on the natural environment and demonstrated that the RHS method accurately describes the impact of the bridge on the river environment.