Water Turbidity

AUS-TDG-AGR-WTU General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

10 NTU
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

Median turbidity: ≤ 10 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU)

Metric Definition:

Water turbidity is a fundamental measure of water clarity, directly influenced by the concentration of suspended particulate matter.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the maximum recommended median water turbidity level for streams and water bodies in Australian Temperate Dry Woodlands and Native Grasslands under sustainable agricultural crop production.

Justification:

Consistent with, or slightly more protective than, the 'Good' ecological condition category for 'Valley' (<10 NTU) and 'Plain' (<15 NTU) catchments, as outlined in the CSIRO 'Indicators of Catchment Health'.

Sources (1)

Preview of Indicators of catchment health - CSIRO Publishing |, accessed May 10, 2025,
Indicators of catchment health - CSIRO Publishing |, accessed May 10, 2025, GreyLiterature

Research Papers & Publications - Long Term Ecology

View Source

Supporting Sources (31)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of -i- Trends in Estuarine Water Quality and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Invasion By ERIN LEE HESTIR B.A. (University of Californ, accessed May 10, 2025,
-i- Trends in Estuarine Water Quality and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Invasion By ERIN LEE HESTIR B.A. (University of Californ, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

7 Hestir, E.L. (2010). Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, Turbidity, and Hydrodynamics in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. University of California, Davis. (From: waterboards.ca.gov)

View Source
Preview of (PDF) Environmental Impacts of Sugarcane Farming, Kenya: Effects of Nitrogenous Fertilizer use on Soil and Water Chemistry within the Sugarcane Farms - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
(PDF) Environmental Impacts of Sugarcane Farming, Kenya: Effects of Nitrogenous Fertilizer use on Soil and Water Chemistry within the Sugarcane Farms - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support

Default guideline values - Water Quality Australia

View Source
Preview of (PDF) Eutrophication in Australian Rivers, Reservoirs and Estuaries  A Southern Hemisphere Perspective on the Science and its Implications - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
(PDF) Eutrophication in Australian Rivers, Reservoirs and Estuaries  A Southern Hemisphere Perspective on the Science and its Implications - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Case studies - Water Sensitive SA

View Source
Preview of (PDF) The Impact of Extreme Low Flows on the Water Quality of the Lower Murray River and Lakes (South Australia) - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
(PDF) The Impact of Extreme Low Flows on the Water Quality of the Lower Murray River and Lakes (South Australia) - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Shifting Goalposts: Setting Restoration Targets for Waterbirds in the Murray-Darling Basin Under Climate Change - Frontiers, accessed July 9, 2025

View Source
Preview of 1.5.2.1 Surface water - Bioregional Assessments |, accessed May 10, 2025,
1.5.2.1 Surface water - Bioregional Assessments |, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

14 Bioregional Assessments Programme. (Date N/A). Product 1.5: Current water accounts and water quality for the Namoi subregion. (From: bioregionalassessments.gov.au)

View Source
Preview of 23 EPA Victoria. Analysis of "Water" information page. (From: epa.vic.gov.au)
23 EPA Victoria. Analysis of "Water" information page. (From: epa.vic.gov.au)
Contextual Support

23 EPA Victoria. Analysis of "Water" information page. (From: epa.vic.gov.au)

View Source
Preview of 27 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (Date N/A). Soil and water conservation for sustainable mountain agriculture. (From: openknowledge.fao.org)
27 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (Date N/A). Soil and water conservation for sustainable mountain agriculture. (From: openknowledge.fao.org)
Contextual Support

27 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (Date N/A). Soil and water conservation for sustainable mountain agriculture. (From: openknowledge.fao.org)

Preview of 5 Submission to the State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee regarding the Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016. (From: documents.parliament.qld.gov.au)
5 Submission to the State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee regarding the Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016. (From: documents.parliament.qld.gov.au)
Contextual Support

5 Submission to the State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee regarding the Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016. (From: documents.parliament.qld.gov.au)

Preview of 8 (Relevant content on rainfall bands for Box-Ironbark communities). The Victorian Naturalist. (From: archive.org)
8 (Relevant content on rainfall bands for Box-Ironbark communities). The Victorian Naturalist. (From: archive.org)
Contextual Support

8 (Relevant content on rainfall bands for Box-Ironbark communities). The Victorian Naturalist. (From: archive.org)

Preview of 9 Chiew, F.H.S., et al. (Relevant content on streamflow variability in northern Australia). (From: science.gov)
9 Chiew, F.H.S., et al. (Relevant content on streamflow variability in northern Australia). (From: science.gov)
Contextual Support

9 Chiew, F.H.S., et al. (Relevant content on streamflow variability in northern Australia). (From: science.gov)

Preview of Australia state of the environment 2021: overview, accessed May 10, 2025,
Australia state of the environment 2021: overview, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

DCCEEW

View Source
Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000), accessed May 11, 2025,
Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000), accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Northern Territory Government (2020) Darwin Harbour Region Water Quality Objectives, Report Card Section 3.0.

View Source
Preview of Border Rivers and Moonie River Basins Healthy Waters Management Plan - MurrayDarling Basin Authority, accessed May 10, 2025,
Border Rivers and Moonie River Basins Healthy Waters Management Plan - MurrayDarling Basin Authority, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Healthy Waters Management Plan: Condamine River Basin

View Source
Preview of Characterising the ecological effects of changes in the 'low-flow hydrology' of the Barwon-Darling River, accessed May 10, 2025,
Characterising the ecological effects of changes in the 'low-flow hydrology' of the Barwon-Darling River, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

1.5.2.1 Surface water - Bioregional Assessments |

View Source
Preview of Complementary land use in the Richmond River catchment: Evaluating economic and environmental benefits - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Complementary land use in the Richmond River catchment: Evaluating economic and environmental benefits - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

effects of nitrogenous fertilizers on soil and water physicochemical parameters in sugarcane farms, kenya - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Default guideline values - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Default guideline values - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support Methodology Source Government

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

View Source
Preview of documents.parliament.qld.gov.au, accessed May 10, 2025,
documents.parliament.qld.gov.au, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

documents.parliament.qld.gov.au

View Source
Preview of effects of nitrogenous fertilizers on soil and water physicochemical parameters in sugarcane farms, kenya - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
effects of nitrogenous fertilizers on soil and water physicochemical parameters in sugarcane farms, kenya - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Sustainable agricultural practices for water quality protection - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Enhance farm dams  ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 10, 2025,
Enhance farm dams  ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Characterising the ecological effects of changes in the 'low-flow hydrology' of the Barwon-Darling River

View Source
Preview of Full text of "The victorian naturalist" - Internet Archive, accessed May 10, 2025,
Full text of "The victorian naturalist" - Internet Archive, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Full text of "The victorian naturalist" - Internet Archive

View Source
Preview of Healthy Waters Management Plan: Condamine River Basin, accessed May 10, 2025,
Healthy Waters Management Plan: Condamine River Basin, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Water | Environment Protection Authority Victoria

View Source
Preview of land northern australia: Topics by Science.gov, accessed May 10, 2025,
land northern australia: Topics by Science.gov, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

land northern australia: Topics by Science.gov

View Source
Preview of Management to enhance farm dam condition improves outcomes for amphibians | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Management to enhance farm dam condition improves outcomes for amphibians | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Optimizing soil moisture for plant production - FAO Knowledge Repository

View Source
Preview of New research highlights benefits of enhancing farm dams for frogs ..., accessed May 10, 2025,
New research highlights benefits of enhancing farm dams for frogs ..., accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

11 Sustainable Farms ANU. Analysis of "Frogs and farm dams" news article. (From: sustainablefarms.org.au)

View Source
Preview of Optimizing soil moisture for plant production - FAO Knowledge Repository, accessed May 10, 2025,
Optimizing soil moisture for plant production - FAO Knowledge Repository, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Optimizing soil moisture for plant production - FAO Knowledge Repository, accessed May 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Research Papers & Publications - Long Term Ecology, accessed May 10, 2025,
Research Papers & Publications - Long Term Ecology, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Research Papers & Publications - Long Term Ecology, accessed May 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess impacts from the Ranger Mine (DOCX 1.7 MB) - DCCEEW, accessed May 11, 2025,
Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess impacts from the Ranger Mine (DOCX 1.7 MB) - DCCEEW, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Methodology Source

Surface Water Impact Assessment - Inland Rail

View Source
Preview of Surface Water Impact Assessment - Inland Rail, accessed May 10, 2025,
Surface Water Impact Assessment - Inland Rail, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Border Rivers and Moonie River Basins Healthy Waters Management Plan - Murray–Darling Basin Authority

View Source
Preview of Sustainable agricultural practices for water quality protection - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Sustainable agricultural practices for water quality protection - ResearchGate, accessed May 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

4 Novara, A., et al. (2016). Sustainable agricultural practices for water quality protection. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 62(1), 71-80. (From: researchgate.net)

View Source
Preview of tuvalu-data.sprep.org, accessed May 11, 2025,
tuvalu-data.sprep.org, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Palaeovalley Groundwater Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Australia - Geoscience Australia, accessed July 31, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Water | Environment Protection Authority Victoria, accessed May 10, 2025,
Water | Environment Protection Authority Victoria, accessed May 10, 2025,
Regulatory Framework Government

Water | Environment Protection Authority Victoria, accessed May 10, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Agricultural Biodiversity Target
  • Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 1 Jun 2026

Notes

These values are primarily applicable during baseflow or low-flow conditions.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TDG-AGR-WTU family.

15 NTU Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
MaximumOnly Active v1
5 NTU Low
Agricultural Crop Production · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
MaximumOnly Active v1