Water Turbidity

AUS-TMS-FOR-WTU General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

5 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

Reference Value: <5 NTU

Metric Definition:

Water Turbidity

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the upper limit of water turbidity during the dry season under best-practice management, reflecting a natural, low-impact ecosystem state in Tropical Monsoonal Savannas.

Justification:

The value is based on a triangulation of evidence. It represents the upper limit of the natural dry-season baseflow condition in a minimally disturbed reference catchment (Daly River), which exhibits very high water clarity. This value is strongly supported by an identified ecological tipping point, where turbidity >5 NTU caused a substantial decline in sensitive invertebrate abundance.

Sources (1)

Preview of Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia
Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia
View Source

Supporting Sources (21)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Water Quality Degradation of Coastal Waterways in the Wet Tropics, Australia
(PDF) Water Quality Degradation of Coastal Waterways in the Wet Tropics, Australia
Contextual Support Journal

Water resource assessment for the Victoria catchment - CSIRO

View Source
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 An Examination of Stream Water Quality Data from Monitoring of Forest Harvesting in the Eastern Highlands of Victoria - MDPI, accessed August 1, 2025,
An Examination of Stream Water Quality Data from Monitoring of Forest Harvesting in the Eastern Highlands of Victoria - MDPI, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

An Examination of Stream Water Quality Data from Monitoring of Forest Harvesting in the Eastern Highlands of Victoria.

View Source
Preview of Assessing the seasonal dynamics of inundation, turbidity, and aquatic vegetation in the Australian wet–dry tropics - Griffith Research Online
Assessing the seasonal dynamics of inundation, turbidity, and aquatic vegetation in the Australian wet–dry tropics - Griffith Research Online
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Assessing the seasonal dynamics of inundation, turbidity, and aquatic vegetation in the Australian wet–dry tropics - Griffith Research Online, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Assessing Water Quality - Secondary Education Years 9 to 12 - Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch, accessed August 12, 2025,
Assessing Water Quality - Secondary Education Years 9 to 12 - Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch, accessed August 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Assessing water quality - ACT Waterwatch.

View Source
Preview of Australia's tropical savannas: vast, ancient and rich landscapes - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed May 11, 2025,
Australia's tropical savannas: vast, ancient and rich landscapes - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Williams RJ, Duff GA, Bowman DMJS, Cook GD. Australia's tropical savannas: vast, ancient and rich landscapes. In: David Keith, editor/s. Australian vegetation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 2017. 368-388.

View Source
Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZG 2018)
Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZG 2018)
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZG 2018)

View Source
Preview of Best Management Practices - National Association of State Foresters
Best Management Practices - National Association of State Foresters
Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Best Management Practices - National Association of State Foresters, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity
Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity
Contextual Support Government

Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Conceptualizing turbidity for aquatic ecosystems in the context of sustainable development goals - Environmental Science: Advances (RSC Publishing) DOI:10.1039/D2VA00327A
Conceptualizing turbidity for aquatic ecosystems in the context of sustainable development goals - Environmental Science: Advances (RSC Publishing) DOI:10.1039/D2VA00327A
Contextual Support Journal

Conceptualizing turbidity for aquatic ecosystems in the context of sustainable development goals - Environmental Science: Advances (RSC Publishing) DOI:10.1039/D2VA00327A, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Determining Tipping Points and Responses of Macroinvertebrate Traits to Abiotic Factors in Support of River Management - PMC - PubMed Central
Determining Tipping Points and Responses of Macroinvertebrate Traits to Abiotic Factors in Support of River Management - PMC - PubMed Central
Contextual Support Journal

Water scarcity exacerbates feral ungulate use of ephemeral savanna waterholes in northern Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of development of ecosystem health bottom-line thresholds for suspended and deposited sediment in New Zealand rivers and streams - Ministry for the Environment, accessed July 16, 2025,
development of ecosystem health bottom-line thresholds for suspended and deposited sediment in New Zealand rivers and streams - Ministry for the Environment, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Journal

Fine Sediment Intrusion and its Consequences for River Ecosystems: A Review | Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste | Vol 27, No 1 - ASCE Library, accessed July 16, 2025

View Source
Preview of Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed July 24, 2025
Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Marine and Freshwater Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING

View Source
Preview of Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution from Forestry | Outreach & Communication | US EPA
Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution from Forestry | Outreach & Communication | US EPA
Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Report series: Impacts of pressures on water quality FORESTRY - Catchments.ie, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Queensland Murray-Darling Freshwater Biogeographic Province 6 Water quality - WetlandInfo, accessed July 16, 2025,
Queensland Murray-Darling Freshwater Biogeographic Province 6 Water quality - WetlandInfo, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Review of the current state of knowledge for the monitoring of forestry impacts on waterway health in NSW coastal forests, accessed July 31, 2025,

View Source
Preview of State-Level Forest Best Management Practices - MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
State-Level Forest Best Management Practices - MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Government

Best Management Practices - National Association of State Foresters

View Source
Preview of The ecology of rivers in the Australian dry tropics. - ResearchGate
The ecology of rivers in the Australian dry tropics. - ResearchGate
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity

View Source
Preview of THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF PLANT INDUSTRIES ON INLAND WATER IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF PLANT INDUSTRIES ON INLAND WATER IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Contextual Support Irrelevant

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF PLANT INDUSTRIES ON INLAND WATER IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Threats to water quality - Government of Western Australia
Threats to water quality - Government of Western Australia
Contextual Support Journal

The State and Future of the Northern Territory's ... - NationBuilder

View Source
Preview of Turbidity in Surface Water — Rehabilitation Standard for the Ranger uranium mine - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025,
Turbidity in Surface Water — Rehabilitation Standard for the Ranger uranium mine - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Regulatory Framework

Turbidity in Surface Water — Rehabilitation Standard for the Ranger uranium mine - DCCEEW, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Water quality | Department of Primary Industries, Queensland
Water quality | Department of Primary Industries, Queensland
Contextual Support Journal

Riparian Land-Use Impacts on Stream Bank and Gully Erosion in Agricultural Watersheds: What We Have Learned - MDPI, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Rehabilitation Target
  • Season dry season
  • Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 26 May 2026

Notes

The reference value is derived as a proxy, as no direct data for best-practice production forestry in this biome was found.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-FOR-WTU family.

— NTU Moderate
Production Forestry · Not Stated · dry season
OptimalRange Active v1
5 NTU Moderate
Production Forestry · Not Stated
UpperThreshold Active v1
— NTU Moderate
Production Forestry · Not Stated
OptimalRange Active v1