Government water experts are now looking at the impact the poor wet season has had on groundwater levels across the region.

While most areas of the Territory have received better rainfall than last year (but still below the long-term average), Katherine has received 44 per cent of average rainfall to the end of March 2020, compared with 81 per cent last year as recorded at the Tindal RAAF Base.

Four of the past five wet seasons in Katherine have been below the long-term average.

This year is predicted to be the lowest wet season rainfall recorded since 1960.

Without the brief visit of ex-Tropical Cyclone Esther to Katherine and further south into the Barkly in February the wet season would have been a disaster.

Experts say they has been no recharge of the Tindall Aquifer and very little the season before either.

The wet season formally ends next week but the dragonflies have been busy for some time signalling the arrival of dry season conditions.

Making matters even worse is the continued record-breaking heat, with a string of 38 degree days forecast for the rest of the month.

"The broader Katherine region, including the catchment of the Katherine River has missed out on significant rainfall to date this wet season, which will in turn effect recharge of the groundwater system," according to the Environment and Natural Resources Department.

More reading: Wet season has been a fizzer.

"Any rain received from now is unlikely to have an impact on recharge of groundwater aquifers."

In the Douglas Daly region the wet season is shaping up to be similar to last year.

Based on rainfall records from the Douglas Daly Research Farm, the region has received 68 per cent of average rainfall to the end of March 2020, compared to 71 per cent last year.

Due to the poor wet season there has been limited run-off into the Katherine River with only one flow event of any significance.

The highest flow recorded since the 2018/19 wet season was a small high flow which reached 8.1 metres on the Katherine Railway Bridge on February 27.

Groundwater level information for the Oolloo Dolostone Aquifer and the Katherine Tindall Limestone Aquifer has been collected from the department's bore monitoring network during March 2020.

Following limited recharge in 2018/19, this year's data indicates no recharge has occurred in 2019/20.

Some monitoring bores are showing higher groundwater levels, others are the same or lower than readings taken in October 2019, the department says.

"These conditions indicate a poor outlook for groundwater availability in 2020.

Water resource models predict discharge from groundwater to the Katherine River will however, continue through the dry season, including the Katherine Hot Springs.

Licence holders with an announced allocation condition in their licences will receive advice by May 1 as to how announced allocations will be applied for the 2020 water accounting year.

The outlook for water availability for licensed water use indicates a high likelihood that some maximum entitlements will be reduced for groundwater extraction and surface water extraction licences within these plan areas in 2020.

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