This study examined the levee, landward land, and channel components of the Habitat and Riparian Environment Index (HRI) using data from 118 National Biological Monitoring Network sites in the Han River watershed and proposed refinements. We added a l...
This study examined the levee, landward land, and channel components of the Habitat and Riparian Environment Index (HRI) using data from 118 National Biological Monitoring Network sites in the Han River watershed and proposed refinements. We added a levee-slope metric to the existing revetment-material item (vertical 37%, gently sloped 5%). Lateral connectivity between riverside land and landward land was assessed using road setback distance (R); paved roads were typically within 50m, and Grades 1~2 accounted for 58%, indicating weak connectivity. For channels, we suggested a channel-width to river-width ratio(𝑤) classification to address undervaluation in large-river reaches. Overall, gentler levee slopes and sufficient road–river buffers should be considered, and future work should harmonize definitions and grading thresholds across HRI and connectivity assessment.