Australian Coastal Water Quality Measurements from Nine Reference Stations

Nine coastal monitoring stations across Australia provide monthly measurements of Secchi Depth and Total Suspended Solids. 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 The Australian Ocean Data Network manages this dataset, which has been superseded by a combined biogeochemical parameters collection.

Use Cases

• Analyze water clarity trends based on Secchi Depth measurements
• Model sediment load dynamics based on Total Suspended Solids data
• Compare biogeochemical conditions across different Australian coastal regions
• Study long-term changes in coastal water quality using historical data from three sites

Strengths

• Data collection spans nine distinct coastal sites across Australia
• Includes historical data for three sites covering periods from the 1940s to 2010
• Sampling is monthly and ongoing for seven stations, providing a continuous time series

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• The dataset has been superseded by a newer collection, indicating it may not be the most current version

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Monthly (or three-monthly) field sampling from small vessels at fixed coastal stations.

Time Range

Sampling began between 2008 and 2010, with historical data from 1944-2010 for three sites.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 15:07:36.229056; freshness should be verified

Geography

Nine coastal sites across Australia: 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).