IMOS National Reference Stations: Total Suspended Solids and Secchi Depth Measurements

IMOS National Reference Station data contains measurements of Secchi depth and total suspended solids from nine coastal sites around Australia. Sampling began between 2008 and 2010 and is ongoing at seven sites, with monthly collection from small vessels. The dataset is managed by the Australian Ocean Data Network and includes historical coastal monitoring data from CSIRO for three sites dating back to the 1940s.

Use Cases

• Modeling coastal water clarity trends based on Secchi depth measurements.
• Analyzing sediment load dynamics based on total suspended solids data.
• Assessing long-term environmental change at reference stations with multi-decadal historical data.
• Comparing biogeochemical parameters across distinct Australian coastal regions.

Strengths

• Data collection spans nine distinct coastal reference stations around Australia.
• Includes historical data from CSIRO for three sites, with records beginning in the 1940s.
• Sampling is conducted monthly, providing a regular time-series for ongoing sites.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Sampling ceased at two sites (Ningaloo and Esperance) in 2013, limiting their temporal coverage.
• The dataset has been superseded by a newer combined collection, as noted in the description.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Monthly sampling off small vessels, with analyses conducted per the IMOS Biogeochemical Operations Manual.

Time Range

Sampling began between 2008 and 2010 and is ongoing for seven sites; historical data for three sites dates from the 1940s to 2010.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 17:06:49.504935; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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