Outer Darwin Harbour Shallow Water Sediment Survey 2016: GA0356 - Post-survey report

Brief description

A benthic sediment sampling survey (GA0356) to the nearshore areas of outer Darwin Harbour was undertaken in the period from 03 July to 14 September 2016. Partners involved in the survey included Geoscience Australia (GA), the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources within the Northern Territory Government (NT DENR) (formerly the Department of Land and Resource Management (DLRM)). This survey forms part of a four year (2014-2018) science program aimed at improving knowledge about the marine environments in the regions around Darwin and Bynoe Harbours through the collection and collation of baseline data that will enable the creation of thematic habitat maps to underpin marine resource management decisions. This project is being led by the Northern Territory Government and is supported by the INPEX-led Ichthys LNG Project, in collaboration with - and co-investment from GA and AIMS. The program builds upon an NT Government project (2011-2011) which saw the collection of baseline data (multibeam echosounder data, sediment samples and video transects) from inner Darwin Harbour (Siwabessy et al. 2015).
Here we present an account of the field methods and data summaries (location maps and comprehensive metadata) for the collection of 200 seabed sediment samples designated for grain size and inorganic elemental analyses, and organic matter concentration, source and reactivity measures. Metadata is also provided for seagrass observations and hardground occurrences. The seagrass observation data will be incorporated into DENR's seagrass database.
The baseline environmental datasets acquired during this survey will be merged with like datasets from three other surveys conducted as part of the overall project to create a set of interpolated maps of abiotic parameters with full coverage for the region. Some of the maps will be integrated into final habitat mapping products. Baseline data from the survey will also be made publically available via the Geoscience Australia website (http://www.ga.gov.au/).

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Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Not supplied