Water Nitrate

AUS-AMR-URB-WNI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.37 mg/L
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MinimumOnly

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 13 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 12 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

The 80th percentile of this reference distribution was found to be 1.65 mg/L as NO3−, which is equivalent to approximately 0.37 mg/L as NO3−−N. This value can be considered a scientifically-grounded estimate of the natural background or "floor" concentration in the absence of significant anthropogenic inputs.

Metric Definition:

Natural background concentration of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3−−N) in minimally impacted aquatic systems

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark estimates the natural background floor concentration of nitrate-nitrogen in aquatic systems of the Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands urban areas without significant human impact.

Justification:

Derived from a comprehensive CSIRO study on Australian groundwater at minimally impacted sites, representing a scientifically grounded natural background level.

Sources (1)

Preview of Water Quality Objectives - Barwon-Darling and Far Western, accessed August 1, 2025
Water Quality Objectives - Barwon-Darling and Far Western, accessed August 1, 2025 Government

Full article: Reference conditions and threshold values for nitrate-nitrogen in New Zealand groundwaters - Taylor & Francis Online

View Source

Supporting Sources (32)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Alice Springs Town Council Stormwater Discharge Guidelines Attachment B - AWS, accessed August 1, 2025
Alice Springs Town Council Stormwater Discharge Guidelines Attachment B - AWS, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support

Alice Springs Town Council Stormwater Discharge Guidelines Attachment B - AWS, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Alice Springs WDL159-05 PDF, 6089.21 KB - Power and Water Corporation, accessed August 1, 2025
Alice Springs WDL159-05 PDF, 6089.21 KB - Power and Water Corporation, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Alice Springs WDL159-05 PDF, 6089.21 KB - Power and Water Corporation, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river, accessed July 27, 2025,
An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river, accessed July 27, 2025,
Contextual Support

Establishing closure targets for discharge to temporary waters — a review - Australian Centre for Geomechanics

View Source
Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, accessed August 2, 2025,
Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, accessed August 2, 2025,
Direct Evidence

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia

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

Turbidity | Australia state of the environment 2021

View Source
Preview of Default guideline values - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Default guideline values - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Direct Evidence Government

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

View Source
Preview of DELUGE AND DROUGHT: AUSTRALIA'S WATER SECURITY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE, accessed August 1, 2025
DELUGE AND DROUGHT: AUSTRALIA'S WATER SECURITY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

DELUGE AND DROUGHT: AUSTRALIA'S WATER SECURITY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Deriving guideline values using reference-site data - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Deriving guideline values using reference-site data - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Methodology Source Government

Water Quality Guidelines Home - Water Quality Australia

View Source
Preview of Essential Water – Essential Energy Annual Report 2023-24, accessed August 1, 2025
Essential Water – Essential Energy Annual Report 2023-24, accessed August 1, 2025
Irrelevant Government

Essential Water – Essential Energy Annual Report 2023-24, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Full article: Reference conditions and threshold values for nitrate-nitrogen in New Zealand groundwaters - Taylor & Francis Online
Full article: Reference conditions and threshold values for nitrate-nitrogen in New Zealand groundwaters - Taylor & Francis Online
Contextual Support

Environmental Condition Index (Econd) - Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Groundwater in Australia, accessed July 25, 2025
Groundwater in Australia, accessed July 25, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

Thermal anomaly and water origin in Weebubbie Cave, Nullarbor Karst Plain, Australia, accessed July 25, 2025

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,
Contextual Support Journal

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

View Source
Preview of Learn About Streams | US EPA, accessed August 1, 2025
Learn About Streams | US EPA, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Learn About Streams | US EPA, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Memorandum - Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000, accessed August 8, 2025
Memorandum - Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000, accessed August 8, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Hickey, C. (2002). Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000. Memorandum MFE02237 prepared for Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand). NIWA Client Report: HAM2002-126.

View Source
Preview of Nitrate and nitrite | Australian Drinking Water Guidelines - NHMRC, accessed August 8, 2025
Nitrate and nitrite | Australian Drinking Water Guidelines - NHMRC, accessed August 8, 2025
Contextual Support Government

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

View Source
Preview of Nitrate guidelines values in ANZECC 2000 - Ministry for the Environment, accessed August 12, 2025
Nitrate guidelines values in ANZECC 2000 - Ministry for the Environment, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support Government

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

View Source
Preview of Nitrate in freshwater and marine water - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 2, 2025,
Nitrate in freshwater and marine water - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 2, 2025,
Contextual Support

Memorandum - Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000

View Source
Preview of Nitrate in freshwater, toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, accessed August 5, 2025
Nitrate in freshwater, toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, accessed August 5, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers

View Source
Preview of NSW Water Quality and River Flow Objectives, accessed August 1, 2025
NSW Water Quality and River Flow Objectives, accessed August 1, 2025
Regulatory Framework Government

NSW Water Quality and River Flow Objectives, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of PWC - Effluent Overflow - Section 14 Report 11 11 2021 - NTEPA, accessed August 1, 2025
PWC - Effluent Overflow - Section 14 Report 11 11 2021 - NTEPA, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

PWC - Effluent Overflow - Section 14 Report 11 11 2021 - NTEPA, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Quorn community continues fight for action on water quality - The Wire, accessed August 1, 2025
Quorn community continues fight for action on water quality - The Wire, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Quorn community continues fight for action on water quality - The Wire, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Removal of nitrates from groundwater in remote indigenous settings in arid Central Australia - OPUS at UTS, accessed July 25, 2025,
Removal of nitrates from groundwater in remote indigenous settings in arid Central Australia - OPUS at UTS, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

NITRATE IN GROUNDWATER | Water Research Commission, accessed July 25, 2025

View Source
Preview of Risk of Nitrate Residues in Food Products and Drinking Water | Asian Pacific Journal of Environment and Cancer, accessed August 1, 2025
Risk of Nitrate Residues in Food Products and Drinking Water | Asian Pacific Journal of Environment and Cancer, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection: Nitrate in freshwater - Water Quality Australia

View Source
Preview of Submission 42 - CSIRO - National Water Reform 2024 - Productivity Commission, accessed August 1, 2025
Submission 42 - CSIRO - National Water Reform 2024 - Productivity Commission, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support

Submission 42 - CSIRO - National Water Reform 2024 - Productivity Commission, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of The Flinders Ranges Council - Submission to ESCOSA - Essential Services Commission of South Australia, accessed August 1, 2025
The Flinders Ranges Council - Submission to ESCOSA - Essential Services Commission of South Australia, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

The Flinders Ranges Council - Essential Services Commission of South Australia, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of The water cycle | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 1, 2025
The water cycle | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Government

The water cycle | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ..., accessed August 8, 2025
Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ..., accessed August 8, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

Nitrate in freshwater, toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems

View Source
Preview of Uncovering Some Murky Facts about South Australian Drinking Water - Friends of the Earth Australia, accessed August 1, 2025
Uncovering Some Murky Facts about South Australian Drinking Water - Friends of the Earth Australia, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Uncovering Some Murky Facts about South Australian Drinking Water - Friends of the Earth Australia, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Urbanization and water management control stream water quality along a mountain to plains transition - USGS Publications Warehouse, accessed August 1, 2025
Urbanization and water management control stream water quality along a mountain to plains transition - USGS Publications Warehouse, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Urbanization and water management control stream water quality along a mountain to plains transition - USGS Publications Warehouse, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Water in Quorn | Flinders Ranges Council, accessed August 3, 2025,
Water in Quorn | Flinders Ranges Council, accessed August 3, 2025,
Contextual Support

Water in Quorn | Flinders Ranges Council, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 4, 2025,
Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 4, 2025,
Methodology Source Journal

Seasonal changes in water quality and macrophytes and the ...

View Source
Preview of Water Quality Reports - Essential Water, accessed August 1, 2025
Water Quality Reports - Essential Water, accessed August 1, 2025
Contextual Support

Water Quality Reports - Essential Water, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
  • Land Use Urban & Developed Use
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Rejected
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 3 Jun 2026

Notes

This value represents the lower boundary of nitrate concentration, below which there is no ecological harm; lower concentrations are better for ecosystem health as nitrate is a pollutant. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one. Pipeline correction 2026-06-03b: Rejected — erroneous BenchmarkForm (MinimumOnly+LowerGuard on HigherIsDesirable=0 indicator). Correct MaximumOnly+UpperGuard equivalent already exists as benchmark ID 1362.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-URB-WNI family.

29 mg/L Moderate
Urban & Developed Use · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Active v1