Abstract: Assessment of river health is a comprehensive assessment system which involves both the rational development and the ecosystem protection. Because the primary factors of influencing river health, and general goal and management of decision-maker all are related to spatial criterion. The key problem of the assessment is to clarify and apply spatial criterion. A brief introduction of spatial criterion including biological spot, project stretch, landscape stretch and entire river is given, also the relations among them are described. By the analysis and calculation for upstream Hanjiang River, it is indicated that the conversion of the criterion is rational, the degree of river health of upstream Hanjiang River is better on the whole.

Key words: river , health , assessment , spatial criterion , habitat