Water Turbidity

AUS-AIF-URB-WTU General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 5 to 25 NTU
Optimal Range: 5 to 25
Direction: Lower 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 3 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 2 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

Optimal Range (5 - 25 NTU): This range represents a state of high management efficacy.

Metric Definition:

Water turbidity level in urban stormwater runoff after infiltration-based treatment

Benchmark Definition:

Optimal functional range of turbidity for well-managed urban stormwater systems.

Justification:

The range 5-25 NTU is proposed as the target for water leaving a well-designed WSUD system, balancing clarity and natural turbidity characteristics.

Sources (2)

Preview of Alice Springs water assessment report - Territory Stories
Alice Springs water assessment report - Territory Stories Government

Alice Springs water assessment report - Territory Stories

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, 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

Supporting Sources (22)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and temporal variability and the role of flow - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,
(PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and temporal variability and the role of flow - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,
Direct Evidence

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of (PDF) Water Sensitive Urban Design - Case Studies (Australia/Dubai) - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025,
(PDF) Water Sensitive Urban Design - Case Studies (Australia/Dubai) - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

WATER- SENSITIVE URBAN DESIGN AND PLANNING - Centre for Science and Environment

View Source
Preview of Alice Springs water assessment report - Territory Stories, accessed July 21, 2025,
Alice Springs water assessment report - Territory Stories, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Synthesis of ANZECC (2000) Guidelines and regional data from the Alice Springs Water Assessment Report (NT DPL, 2025)

View Source
Preview of Arid springs: the hidden evolutionary cradles of Outback Australia - CSIRO
Arid springs: the hidden evolutionary cradles of Outback Australia - CSIRO
Contextual Support Government

Arid springs: the hidden evolutionary cradles of Outback Australia - CSIRO

View Source
Preview of Assessing the Impact of Recycled Water Quality and Clogging on Infiltration Rates at A Pioneering Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) Site in Alice Springs, Northern Territory (NT), Australia - MDPI, accessed July 21, 2025,
Assessing the Impact of Recycled Water Quality and Clogging on Infiltration Rates at A Pioneering Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) Site in Alice Springs, Northern Territory (NT), Australia - MDPI, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Alice Springs water assessment report - Territory Stories, accessed August 1, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Community Acceptance of Water Sensitive Urban Design: Six Case ..., accessed July 21, 2025,
Community Acceptance of Water Sensitive Urban Design: Six Case ..., accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Community Acceptance of Water Sensitive Urban Design: Six Case ..., accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Ecological roles and threats to aquatic refugia in arid landscapes: dryland river waterholes, accessed July 20, 2025
Ecological roles and threats to aquatic refugia in arid landscapes: dryland river waterholes, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's forests - DAFF

View Source
Preview of Effects of common carp on water quality and submerged vegetation: results from a short-term mesocosm experiment in an artificial wetland - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 16, 2025,
Effects of common carp on water quality and submerged vegetation: results from a short-term mesocosm experiment in an artificial wetland - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Effects of common carp on water quality and submerged vegetation: results from a short-term mesocosm experiment in an artificial wetland - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of FLOODPLAIN WETLANDS AND WATERBIRDS OF THE CHANNEL COUNTRY - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 21, 2025,
FLOODPLAIN WETLANDS AND WATERBIRDS OF THE CHANNEL COUNTRY - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Ecological roles and threats to aquatic refugia in arid landscapes: dryland river waterholes

View Source
Preview of Floods Give Way to a Burst of Desert Life - NASA Earth Observatory, accessed July 21, 2025,
Floods Give Way to a Burst of Desert Life - NASA Earth Observatory, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Floods Give Way to a Burst of Desert Life - NASA Earth Observatory

View Source
Preview of Guidance document for assessing and managing water quality in temporary waters, accessed July 16, 2025,
Guidance document for assessing and managing water quality in temporary waters, accessed July 16, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

Guidance document for assessing and managing water quality in temporary waters, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Impacts of carp in wetlands - Water and catchments, accessed July 21, 2025,
Impacts of carp in wetlands - Water and catchments, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Macrophytes and macroalgae in the Swan-Canning estuary

View Source
Preview of Lake Eyre - Wikipedia, accessed July 21, 2025,
Lake Eyre - Wikipedia, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lake Eyre basin - Wikipedia

View Source
Preview of Lake Eyre Basin - Goyder Institute for Water Research, accessed July 21, 2025,
Lake Eyre Basin - Goyder Institute for Water Research, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lake Eyre Basin - Goyder Institute for Water Research, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Lake Eyre Basin: its rivers and catchments. Strategic Plan. - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025,
Lake Eyre Basin: its rivers and catchments. Strategic Plan. - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Lake Eyre Basin: its rivers and catchments. Strategic Plan. - DCCEEW

View Source
Preview of Macrophytes and macroalgae in the Swan-Canning estuary, accessed July 21, 2025,
Macrophytes and macroalgae in the Swan-Canning estuary, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Macrophytes and macroalgae in the Swan-Canning estuary, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park, accessed July 21, 2025,
Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Menindee fish deaths follow up: Darling-Baaka River water tests | EPA, accessed July 21, 2025,
Menindee fish deaths follow up: Darling-Baaka River water tests | EPA, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Lake Eyre Basin - Goyder Institute for Water Research

View Source
Preview of PDF File - WATER SENSITIVE URBAN DESIGN IN THE AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT, accessed July 21, 2025,
PDF File - WATER SENSITIVE URBAN DESIGN IN THE AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

WSUD Case Studies - New WAter Ways

View Source
Preview of Water Sensitive Urban Planning Case Studies, accessed July 21, 2025,
Water Sensitive Urban Planning Case Studies, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Water Sensitive Urban Planning Case Studies, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source
Preview of wetland management profile - arid and semi-arid lakes - WetlandInfo, accessed July 16, 2025,
wetland management profile - arid and semi-arid lakes - WetlandInfo, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

wetland management profile - arid and semi-arid lakes - WetlandInfo, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of WSUD Case Studies - New WAter Ways, accessed July 21, 2025,
WSUD Case Studies - New WAter Ways, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Community Acceptance of Water Sensitive Urban Design: Six Case ...

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
  • Land Use Urban & Developed Use
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 2 Jun 2026

Notes

Represents a state of high management efficacy and ecological suitability in arid urban water systems.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-URB-WTU family.

25 NTU Low
Urban & Developed Use · Conservation Target
Point Active v1
5 NTU Low
Urban & Developed Use · Not Stated · wet season
MaximumOnly Active v1
100 NTU Low
Urban & Developed Use · Not Stated
MinimumOnly Active v1