Indicators and criteria for river health evaluation in Zhejiang province

River functions consist of water supply, irrigation, power generation, shipping and entertainment. Human beings have attached great attentions to the development and utilization of the social functions of rivers while ignoring the ecological functions. Various human activities have changed the natural state of rivers, resulting in serious degradation of river ecosystem. In this study, a river health evaluation system has been established. Firstly, the river health evaluation system is composed of physical, chemical and biological integrity. Additionally, human activities are considered as a driving force of the ecological evolution of rivers in the evaluation system. Finally, the service function of rivers which can be provided to human society is also represented in the evaluation system. A comprehensive river health evaluation for Yonganxi river in Zhejiang province is executed, the evaluation result reflects the ideal health status of this river. The advantages of the indicators and criteria of the evaluation system are examined and confirmed. The evaluation system will be extended to the provincial river health evaluation in the future.