Cairns Region (Wet Tropics) Ambient estuarine water quality monitoring data

These datasets comprise water quality measurements collected under the Wet Tropics Ambient Monitoring Program from estuarine and marine monitoring sites in the Cairns region between Cardwell and the Daintree River. Since 2015, monthly sampling at fixed sites has generated chemical, physical and biological water column profile measurements using laboratory analyses and in situ measurement instruments. The data support the Wet Tropics Waterways Report Card, enable assessment of long-term trends, and inform environmental management and reporting. Monitoring is undertaken by the Department of the Environment, Science and Tourism (DETSI) and predecessor organisations.\r\n\r\n__Monitoring frequency:__ Monthly\r\n\r\n__Monitoring platform:__ Drifting boat or bankside\r\n\r\n__Monitored water body:__ Tidal waters (estuaries and sheltered coastal), with limited freshwater monitoring\r\n\r\n__Monitored location:__ Mid stream or mid channel at routine sites and regular depths\r\n\r\n__Monitoring site latitude:__ Latitude as decimal degrees in GDA94 datum\r\n\r\n__Monitoring site longitude:__ Longitude as decimal degrees in GDA94 datum\r\n\r\n__Secchi depth (m):__ Water clarity measured by Secchi disc visibility depth\r\n\r\n__Chlorophyll-a (ug/L):__ Algal biomass samples collected at 0.2 m depth below the surface\r\n\r\n__Physicochemical parameters:__ In situ water column profiles are measured from 0.2 m below the surface at 2 m intervals, with a final measurement taken ≥0.5 m above the bottom\r\n\r\n* Dissolved Oxygen concentration (mg/L)\r\n* Dissolved Oxygen % saturation (%)\r\n* pH\r\n* Salinity (PSU)\r\n* Specific Conductance at 25 deg C (mS/cm)\r\n* Temperature (°C)\r\n* Turbidity (NTU)\r\n\r\n__Nutrient parameters:__ samples collected at 0.2 m depth below the surface; dissolved nutrients filtered in-field\r\n\r\n* Ammonia (dissolved) as N (mg/L)\r\n* Nitrogen oxides (NOx: nitrate + nitrite, dissolved) as N (mg/L)\r\n* Total Nitrogen as N (mg/L)\r\n* Filterable Reactive Phosphorus (dissolved) as P (mg/L)\r\n* Total Phosphorus as P (mg/L)