Fortnightly monitoring of rivers flowing into Wilson Inlet is underway to assess catchment condition and to monitor trends in water quality.

Data collected will include:

• the physical parameters (temperature, conductivity, pH, turbidity and dissolved oxygen concentrations)
• and nutrients (total nitrogen, oxides of nitrogen, ammonia/ammonium, total phosphorus and phosphate concentrations).

This data will be used to develop the Wilson Inlet catchment model.

Monitoring is also underway in the Wilson Inlet for physical and nutrient parameters.  Scientists are continuously monitoring salinity and temperature of the inlet at three fixed sites.

The estuary data will be used to assess estuary health, trends in water quality and to calibrate an estuary hydrodynamic model.

Scientific instruments called ‘drifters’ will also be released periodically in the Inlet.  These instruments move with surface currents and will be used to validate the hydrodynamic model. The drifters will be released at different locations, then retrieved and re-deployed. The drifters are tracked by satellite and their locations are displayed on the adjacent map.

To speak to a DWER officer regarding the instruments please contact Alessandra Mantovanelli on (08) 6364 7835 or estuary@dwer.wa.gov.au