RAPID ASSESSMENT OF RIVERS USING MACROINVERTEBRATES - A PROCEDURE BASED ON HABITAT-SPECIFIC SAMPLING, FAMILY LEVEL IDENTIFICATION AND A BIOTIC INDEX

This paper describes a simple and inexpensive procedure for the rapid biological assessment of water quality in rivers and streams in easter n Australia. The procedure involves the standardized collection of sam ples of 100 macroinvertebrates from defined habitat types within a wat er body. Specimens are identified to family level only and a biotic in dex is calculated. Proposed future testing and evaluation are describe d, and the limitations of the rapid approach are discussed.