This dataset contains five videos of the water surface within the River Sheaf, UK. These videos were collected for the purposes of tracking the river surface flow using Particle Image Velocimetry, Optical Flow Tracking and Particle Tracking Velocimetry to determine the velocity of the river and the potential for erosion. They were collected at various frequencies and lens settings to determine the optimal settings for tracking the flow, and the optimal velocimetry method. The work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (Grant NE/V008404/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/478db67e-bd58-48d9-a540-9e8e7e3ae68a