This record summarises a monitoring survey of seabed characteristics of Waimea Inlet and inner Tasman Bay within the vicinity of the Bell Island regional sewerage outfall. A receiving water survey is done at the same time.

Temporal coverage: from 1991 (ongoing)

Number of sites: 10 sites in 2011 - varies slightly amongst years

Sampling Frequency: 5 yearly

Main marine environment sampled: Estuarine

Depth zone: Intertidal and subtidal

Sediment type: soft

Community association: Mudflats

Sampling method: Infauna cores, Photo quadrats, sediment cores

Parameters collected: Epifauna/infauna communities, macrophyte cover, sediment chemistry, shellfish samples

Measured Variables: Species abundance/diversity, % macrophyte cover, heavy metals in shellfish tissue, sediment metals, sediment ash-free dry weight, sediment chl-a, sediment grain size, sediment nutrients (N & P)

Species/community data: Invertebrates and macrophytes (? 0.5 mm)

Other data collected: Receiving water survey carried out at same time as this study

Collection: ongoing

Quality assurance: Yes