Some residents have been asking the question whether they are safer, or perhaps in higher danger than usual, due to Katherine's shocking wet season run over the past five years.

But the town's resident croc expert John Burke from the Parks and Wildlife Service says while we could see some changes in movement and behaviour of crocodiles, the danger is as high as it's always been.

"They do of course prefer deeper water because it makes hunting and other activities easier for them, so we could see them concentrating in deeper pools and spots," he said.

"But up in some places in Arnhem Land they survive just fine in basically mud pools while waiting for the rain to come back.

"These creatures were here before us so I'd say they'll be just fine and find ways to still get around.

"The danger is as high as it ever was so people need to be aware still," Mr Burke said.

Katherine's wet season was the second driest since the town was founded, with just 48 per cent of the long-term average rainfall falling this year.

Residents will have noticed a visible drop in river levels around Katherine as the river starts the dry season where it usually ends in terms of water volume.

Parker ranger Mr Burke says it's the lowest he's seen it since arriving to Katherine in 1998, but there's still a chance of saltwater crocodiles lying undetected near town.

"We rely on the public to inform us when there's a saltie in that zone from Nitmiluk to Vampire Creek where we have to take them out," he said.

"They are easier to find once it cools down a bit because they'll begin leaving the water to sunbake on the edge of the river.

"But there's three metre freshwater crocodiles in there absolutely, between Knott's Crossing and Manbulloo has the highest freshwater crocodile population of anywhere in the Katherine river system.

"There are less opportunities for saltwater crocodiles to move around at the moment and maybe gain access to Nitmiluk itself but our advice remains the same - be crocsafe.

"There's no difference now to any other time in terms of how careful people need to be," Mr Burke said.

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