Hawkesbury River Sediment Contaminants and Nutrients from 140 Samples

140 sediment samples from the Hawkesbury River system were analyzed for texture, heavy metals, organochlorine pesticides, and nutrients. The dataset, hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network, provides a long-term integrated assessment of environmental impact in a large dynamic ecosystem. Sediment contaminant levels reflect varied land use, from low-intensity areas to zones impacted by urbanization, industry, and sewage discharge.

Use Cases

• Modeling the relationship between land use and sediment contaminant levels based on described urban, industrial, and recreational sources.
• Assessing the bioavailability and potential mobility of toxicants like heavy metals and pesticides in river sediments.
• Investigating the reservoir of sewage-derived nutrients in bed sediments and their link to algal blooms and eutrophication.
• Comparing contaminant dispersion and enrichment between the main river channel and impacted tributaries like Cowan Creek and Berowra catchment.

Strengths

• Analysis of 140 distinct sediment samples provides a substantial spatial snapshot.
• Measures a wide range of contaminants including 8 heavy metals, multiple organochlorine pesticides, and several nutrient fractions.
• Spatial coverage spans from Windsor (130 km inland) to Broken Bay, capturing fluvial and estuarine sections.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data freshness should be verified as the last update is listed as 2026-06-04.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data.gov.au

Collection Method

Laboratory analysis of physically acquired sediment samples.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 07:07:49.406737; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Hawkesbury River system, New South Wales, Australia, between Windsor and Broken Bay.