IMOS NRS: Australian Coastal Water Clarity and Suspended Solids Time Series

Nine Australian coastal sites monitor Secchi depth and total suspended solids for water clarity. Sampling began between 2008 and 2010, is ongoing at seven sites, and ceased at two Western Australian sites in 2013. The dataset is part of the Integrated Marine Observing System National Reference Station network and has been superseded by a combined biogeochemical collection.

Use Cases

• Modeling long-term trends in coastal water clarity based on Secchi depth measurements.
• Analyzing seasonal variations in total suspended solids (organic and inorganic) across different Australian regions.
• Calibrating satellite-derived ocean color data with in-situ Secchi depth and TSS measurements.
• Studying the impact of regional events on marine biogeochemistry using the monthly time series data.

Strengths

• Time series data from nine distinct Australian coastal sites provides regional comparison.
• Sampling began between 2008 and 2010, offering over a decade of data for seven ongoing sites.
• Includes historical coastal monitoring data from CSIRO for three sites, extending coverage back to 1944.

Limitations

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• The dataset has been superseded by a newer combined collection, indicating it may not be the current version.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Monthly (or three-monthly) sampling off small vessels, with samples analyzed for Secchi Depth and Total Suspended Solids.

Time Range

Sampling began between 29/9/2008 and 8/11/2010, ongoing for 7 sites, ceased at two sites in 2013. Historical data for three sites extends back to 1944.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-27 19:08:42.334755; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Nine Australian coastal sites: Maria Island (TAS), Kangaroo Island (SA), Esperance (WA), Rottnest Island (WA), Ningaloo (WA), Darwin (NT), Yongala (QLD), North Stradbroke Island (QLD), Port Hacking 100 (NSW).