The groundwater has significantly dropped following months of drought-like conditions and a poor wet season which recorded far less than average rainfalls.

A Katherine resident of 40 years is particularly concerned about trees at the Katherine Showgrounds and along Victoria Highway, which she says appear to be dying.

But the extended dry period could see many more trees across Katherine stressed and withered.

"These are beautiful, tall and established trees which could be dying," the resident told council members at their monthly Ordinary Meeting of Council.

"Everything is looking bad... it is tragic."

The Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics manages all trees within Crown Land, and on the Stuart Highway, Chambers Drive and Victoria Highway road reserves.

Questions by the Katherine Times on whether the department would consider rescuing the trees by watering them has sparked further assessments to determine their condition.

The threatened trees could trigger additional care requirements not seen in Katherine before.

"Due to the poor wet season, it has been observed that some of the introduced species of trees have not tolerated the drier conditions," a spokesperson from the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics said.

"An arborist will be contracted to inspect the trees within this road reserve area to assess and provide advice to the department on the condition of the trees and additional care requirements."

The spokesperson said the trees were recently treated for white ants, a destructive pest which has already plagued trees at the Civic Centre and called for them to be cut down.

Over four stages of removal, 55 trees, hollow and dead, will be felled leaving a clearing at the entrance of Katherine.

The process has already begun.

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