Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMI-LVG-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 15 to 150 µS/cm

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 150

Optimal Range: 15 to 150

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: OptimalRange

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 9 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 8 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The scientifically defensible benchmark for Water Electrical Conductivity in surface waters of Australia's Tropical and Subtropical Maritime Islands under best-practice, sustainable livestock grazing is the range of 15 – 150 µS/cm.

Metric Definition:

Water Electrical Conductivity (EC) is a fundamental measure of the concentration of total dissolved salts, or ions, in water.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the healthy range of water electrical conductivity in surface waters under sustainable livestock grazing in Australia's Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands, indicating typical conditions of slightly disturbed riverine ecosystems.

Justification:

This range represents the typical spectrum of healthy, slightly disturbed riverine ecosystems in tropical Australia and is consistent with empirical data from analogous well-managed catchments.

Sources (1)

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025 Government

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia

View Source

Supporting Sources (4)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Ecosystem Processes – Environmental Data Collection Methods - TERN Australia

Contextual Support Government

TERN Surveillance monitoring program: Soil vis-NIR spectral library with accompanying soil measurement data for 367 specimens - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 17, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Environmental Values, Water Quality Objectives and Targets for the Black Ross Water Quality Improvement Plan Appendices December - Creek to Coral, accessed May 11, 2025,

Environmental Values, Water Quality Objectives and Targets for the Black Ross Water Quality Improvement Plan Appendices December - Creek to Coral, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Water quality for livestock

View Source

Mulloon Rehydration Initiative

Contextual Support

Mulloon Rehydration Initiative

View Source

Salinity Management Handbook - Queensland Government publications

Contextual Support Journal

Salinity Management Handbook - Queensland Government publications

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower values are indicative of more pristine conditions. The upper detrimental threshold for ecosystem health is ~150 µS/cm; values exceeding this indicate a degraded state, long before agronomic limits for livestock are reached.