Water Vole Surveys

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© Greg Hitchcock

Water Vole

Water Vole Arvicola amphibius are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

Under this legislation, it is an offence to:

  • intentionally kill, injure, or take a water vole
  • intentionally damage, destroy, or obstruct access to any structure or place used for shelter or protection (e.g. burrows)
  • disturb water voles while they are occupying a place of shelter or protection

Water voles can be affected by development activities, particularly where works take place within or adjacent to:

  • Rivers, streams, ditches, ponds, and other watercourses
  • Bankside habitats, including vegetation

The optimal timing for surveys can be found in our ecology calendar.

If your Preliminary Ecological Appraisal identifies potential constraints relating to water voles, further surveys may be required.

Adonis Blue can support you with all necessary surveys and mitigation.

Water Vole Surveys

Here are the main types of water vole surveys used in development contexts:

Habitat Suitability Assessments

  • Purpose: To assess whether a waterbody and its bankside habitat are suitable for supporting water voles
  • Method: Surveyors record and map key habitat features, including: Bank structure and suitability for burrowing, Extent and type of marginal vegetation, Shading from trees, Water depth, width, and flow characteristics, Channel substrate and Evidence of pollution or disturbance
  • Timings: Can be undertaken at any time of year. However, this assessment alone cannot confirm absence, and follow-up surveys during the active season are required where suitable habitat is identified
  • Number of surveys: Typically one visit, sometimes undertaken as part of the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) but more often as a targeted survey

Presence/Absence Surveys

  • Purpose: To determine whether water voles are present or likely absent
  • Method: A systematic search of the watercourse and banks for characteristic field signs, including: Droppings and latrines, Burrows and entrances, Runs through vegetation, Footprints, Feeding remains and Nests. Survey effort typically includes searching both upstream and downstream, usually within 2m of the bank edge
  • Timings: Surveys are undertaken between mid-April and September, when water voles are active and field signs are most visible
  • Number of surveys: A minimum of two survey visits is recommended to demonstrate likely absence: One visit between mid-April and June One visit between July and September

Protected Species Licensing

Where development is likely to result in an offence (as outlined above), a water vole conservation licence may be required from the relevant statutory nature conservation body.

Licensing may permit activities such as displacement under a method statement, or in some cases capture and relocation, alongside appropriate mitigation measures.

Our experienced ecologists can guide you through the entire process from survey and assessment to licensing and implementation ensuring your project remains compliant and progresses smoothly.