The HydroLibrary is Hydroscape's species and ecosystem database. Over 500 species cards, 18 water quality reference cards, 22 habitat projects, 5 deterrent methods, and 22 conservation authority profiles — all free, in 22 languages, no login required.
Species cards (the bulk of the library):
- Birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, plants, trees, fungi
- UK-focused, with broad European overlap
- Each card includes: common and scientific name, conservation status, identification notes, habitat, reference image, and relevant reporting guidance
Water quality reference cards (18):
- Guidance on interpreting clarity, colour, odour, flow
- Algal bloom identification
- Pollution indicator species
- Cross-referenced to the water quality reporting form
Habitat projects (22):
- Summaries of active conservation and habitat restoration projects relevant to UK freshwaters
- Who runs them, where they operate, how to get involved
Deterrent methods (5):
- Detailed guidance on each non-lethal deterrent type (laser, audible, visual, physical, human)
- Effectiveness considerations
- Cross-referenced to the HydroDeter log
Conservation authority profiles (22):
- Environment Agency, Natural England, Rivers Trusts, Wildlife Trusts, IFCAs, and more
- What each does, who to contact, what they're responsible for
Identifying a species well means understanding more than what it looks like. It means knowing its conservation status (does this record matter more than others?), its typical habitat (does the location match?), and any reporting obligations (is this a notifiable species?).
Similarly, when you see a water quality issue, the reference cards give you a starting point for interpretation — "algal bloom" is a very different conversation from "normal summer colour."
The library exists to make your records better-informed and better-targeted.
Three routes:
- Tap the HydroLibrary card on the Hub
- Go to
hydrolibrary.htmldirectly in your browser - From any form, tap the species name of a match you've made — it opens the relevant card in a new tab
The HydroLibrary is fully open. You don't need a MyHydroscape account. You don't need to download anything. You can use it as a general UK wildlife reference even if you never submit a sighting.
The whole library translates on the fly. Tap the language selector at the top of the Hub or HydroLibrary to switch. Useful if English isn't your first language, or you want to share a species card with someone who doesn't read English.