But the NT Government's water assessment director, Des Yin Foo is confident the Katherine River will keep flowing for at least another year, even if we don't see another drop of rain.

"It might raise alarm bells, but it will maintain flow," he said.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the river is officially at 21cm and has been that way for a long time.

With the wet season still some time off , the river level isn't the only thing concerning the community.

Fears of diminishing bores have worried rural property owners in Katherine.

However, the case of bores which might have already run dry stem from how they were constructed many years ago.

Katherine bore levels were raised around the time the Katherine River flooded in 1998, Mr Yin Foo said.

"That totally inundated the whole groundwater system.

"Drillers charge by the meter and every meter drilled is going to potentially cost a couple of hundred extra dollars.

"Why drill an extra 10 metres at an extra cost when you have a success there and then at 30 metres."

Mr Yin Foo said property owners should have "drilled a little deeper" into the Tindall Limestone Aquifer, securing "a little insurance policy into the future if there was long levels of poor rainfall and groundwater levels falling like they are now".

Katherine is in a much better position in comparison to Darwin following a series of dismal wet seasons.

While the river has fallen to just 2.4 cubic metres per second (at the same time last year it flowed at 4.1), Mr Yin Foo said there is little chance of the Katherine River coming to a standstill.

"I am still comfortable that the Katherine River will maintain its flow until the end of the dry season and probably into the next dry season if we get no more rain," he said.

"It might fall to about 2 cumecs, but it is not going to stop flowing."

The flow of the Katherine River is an important metric in determining the state of the groundwater in the region.

Unlike Darwin, which relies on yearly rainfall, Katherine's system soaks up water like a sponge and then releases a certain amount as needed.

If there is water flowing in the river, it means there is still plenty of water below ground.

"Darwin aquifers fill and spill each wet season," Mr Yin Foo said.

"If [Darwin doesn't] get a recharge this wet season we are in absolutely dire straights because the ground water systems are empty and it is a bit unknown as to what type of wet season we end up with.

"The Bureau of Meteorology prediction is that any significant rain will not kick in until later in the wet season, which means it is going to be a long dry season."

Despite Mr Yin Foo's assurances for the Katherine region, his message is still one of conservation.

"It is a dry time in the NT and we are hoping that will end by the end of the dry season," he said.

"But we can't control the weather, we're in the hands of God, I suppose, as far as recharge goes, but the message we need to get out is don't be too flippant about it.

"Katherine is a predictable area, we manage it through a plan, but we still rely on people's co-operation and spirit of community to only use the water they absolutely need.

"We don't know what the wet season is ahead of us. It will always pay to be conservative."

While water licences are unlikely to be impacted this year, Mr Yin Foo said another poor wet season could see the government pushed over the edge and forced to limit supply.

"Cuts will always be part of the strategy if we have to reduce water usage across the board," he said.

"We believe we will be able to manage and maintain the Katherine River flows without any cuts to people's licences."

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