Preliminary survey of the Keep River, Northern Territory

A survey of the Keep River, Northern Terrritory was undertaken on the 17th and 18th October 2001. On the first day, 5 CTD casts were done between 0935 and 1150 hrs at the gauging station. CTD casts were also done at a further 3 stations along the river. Floc photographs were taken at CTD sites. A CTD, logging at 1 min intervals was deployed on the second day to collect data for the rising tide.A total of 20 water samples were collected from the CTD sites and analysed for NH4, PO4, NO2+NO3, NO2, and Si. This preliminary survey was undertaken in response to concerns over the possible effects of the Ord River Irrigation Area Stage 2 (M2 Supply Channel) on the Keep River. The project area included the lower reaches of the Keep River and Sandy Creek catchments and a transfer of water from the Ord River to the Keep River catchment was planned. At the time, the estuarine dynamics of the Keep River were largely unknown. No further work was done by AIMS in this river system.