IMOS National Reference Station (NRS) - Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Secchi Depth

Nine Australian coastal sites provide measurements of Secchi Depth and Total Suspended Solids, collected monthly as part of the Integrated Marine Observing Systems National Reference Station network. Sampling began between 2008 and 2010 and is ongoing for seven sites, with historical data available for three sites dating back to the 1940s. The dataset is managed by the Australian Ocean Data Network and has been superseded by a combined biogeochemical parameters collection.

Use Cases

• Modeling coastal water clarity trends based on Secchi Depth measurements.
• Analyzing sediment load variability based on Total Suspended Solids data.
• Studying long-term biogeochemical changes at specific Australian reference stations.
• Calibrating remote sensing algorithms for water quality parameters.

Strengths

• Sampling spans multiple years, with historical data for three sites extending back to the 1940s.
• Data collection follows a documented operations manual, suggesting standardized procedures.
• Coverage includes nine distinct coastal sites around Australia.

Limitations

• The dataset has been superseded by a newer combined collection, indicating it may not be the current version.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Integrated Marine Observing Systems (IMOS) National Mooring Network - National Reference Station field sampling.

Collection Method

Monthly (or three-monthly) sampling off small vessels, with analyses performed on collected water samples.

Time Range

Sampling began between September 2008 and November 2010 and is ongoing for seven sites.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-28 12:31:00.263563; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Nine sites around Australia: Maria Island (TAS), Kangaroo Island (SA), Esperance (WA), Rottnest Island (WA), Ningaloo (WA), Darwin (NT), Yongala (QLD), North Stradbroke Island (QLD), and Port Hacking (NSW).