Water Nitrate

AUS-TMS-AQU-WNI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.009 mg/L
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 0.16
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: Point

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 4 benchmarks together — the Point form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

Point Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

This value, rounded to 0.009 mg/L as NO3−​, is proposed as the scientifically defensible benchmark. It represents the ambient water quality condition that a best-practice farm must not compromise.

Metric Definition:

Water Nitrate concentration in the receiving aquatic environment as an indicator of ecological health and protection of high-value aquatic ecosystems.

Benchmark Definition:

The benchmark represents the median ambient nitrate concentration in a high-quality reference marine ecosystem, serving as a proxy for the tropical monsoonal savanna aquatic environment.

Justification:

The benchmark is based on the median nitrate concentration from a well-monitored, high-quality marine ecosystem dataset used as a proxy for the tropical savanna receiving environment, following the ANZG framework.

Sources (3)

Preview of Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality
Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality GreyLiterature

Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of environment.nt.gov.au, accessed May 11, 2025,
environment.nt.gov.au, accessed May 11, 2025, Journal

Water Quality objectives for the region - Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

View Source
Preview of Review of Nutrient Release from Aquaculture ... - Griffith University, accessed August 1, 2025
Review of Nutrient Release from Aquaculture ... - Griffith University, accessed August 1, 2025 Journal

Review of Nutrient Release from Aquaculture Activities Final Report - Griffith University

View Source

Supporting Sources (15)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A review of water quality studies relevant to northern Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 21, 2025,
A review of water quality studies relevant to northern Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Salinity and water quality

View Source
Preview of About the Water Quality Guidelines, accessed July 24, 2025
About the Water Quality Guidelines, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Enhancing Nitrate Removal from Freshwater Pond by Regulating Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Barramundi - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 24, 2025
Barramundi - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Barramundi - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Barramundi - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Barramundi - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Polygenic discrimination of migratory phenotypes in an estuarine, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Brodie, J., Pearson, R., Lewis, S., Bainbridge, Z., Waterhouse, J. and Prange, J. (2009) Water Quality Research: Baseline Synthesis and Year 1 Summary - ResearchOnline@JCU - James Cook University, accessed July 20, 2025,
Brodie, J., Pearson, R., Lewis, S., Bainbridge, Z., Waterhouse, J. and Prange, J. (2009) Water Quality Research: Baseline Synthesis and Year 1 Summary - ResearchOnline@JCU - James Cook University, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Public Environmental Report Blackmore River (East ... - NT EPA, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Brodie, J., Pearson, R., Lewis, S., Bainbridge, Z., Waterhouse, J. and Prange, J. (2009) Water Quality Research: Baseline Synthesis and Year 1 Summary - ResearchOnline@JCU - James Cook University, accessed July 24, 2025
Brodie, J., Pearson, R., Lewis, S., Bainbridge, Z., Waterhouse, J. and Prange, J. (2009) Water Quality Research: Baseline Synthesis and Year 1 Summary - ResearchOnline@JCU - James Cook University, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Brodie, J., Pearson, R., Lewis, S., Bainbridge, Z., Waterhouse, J. and Prange, J. (2009) Water Quality Research: Baseline Synthesis and Year 1 Summary - ResearchOnline@JCU - James Cook University, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed August 5, 2025
Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed August 5, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Report Card 2022-23 - EPA Victoria

View Source
Preview of Industry | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 2, 2025,
Industry | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 2, 2025,
Contextual Support

R&D Priorities – Australia's estuaries, embayments and nearshore marine environments, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Nitrogen budget and effluent nitrogen components at an intensive shrimp farm | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 1, 2025
Nitrogen budget and effluent nitrogen components at an intensive shrimp farm | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Nitrogen a limiting factor in aquaculture production - Responsible Seafood Advocate, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Revision to the ANZG 2018 Water Quality Guidelines | iEnvi, accessed July 26, 2025,
Revision to the ANZG 2018 Water Quality Guidelines | iEnvi, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Revision to the ANZG 2018 Water Quality Guidelines | iEnvi, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of The impact of nitrate pollution in waterways on freshwater species, accessed August 8, 2025
The impact of nitrate pollution in waterways on freshwater species, accessed August 8, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ...

View Source
Preview of The sustainability behind farmed Australian barramundi, accessed July 24, 2025
The sustainability behind farmed Australian barramundi, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

JCU project to help safeguard prawn industry - JCU Australia, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Wastewater remediation options for prawn farms, accessed August 1, 2025
Wastewater remediation options for prawn farms, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Enhancing Nitrate Removal from Freshwater Pond by Regulating Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio - Frontiers, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Wastewater remediation options for prawn farms, accessed July 24, 2025
Wastewater remediation options for prawn farms, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support

Wastewater remediation options for prawn farms, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 1, 2025,
Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000)

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Aquaculture
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

An effluent-based benchmark is scientifically unsound as nitrate is a minor (<3%) and potentially misleading component of the total nitrogen discharged. The concepts of a lower critical threshold or an optimal range are not ecologically relevant. An upper detrimental threshold of 0.16 mg/L is identified as the 80th percentile of the reference data, indicating ecosystem deviation risk.