Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-ASP-AGR-SWI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

70 mm/hr

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 70

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: UpperThreshold

Scoring Curve

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

Evidence & Context

For very sandy soils with low organic matter, rates approaching or exceeding the upper end of the native ecosystem range (e.g., >70 mm/hr) may become inefficient and detrimental, leading to poor nutrient use efficiency and off-site environmental impacts.

Metric Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate in mm/hr above which nutrient leaching and environmental harm may occur.

Benchmark Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold for soil water infiltration rate indicating risk of nutrient leaching in sandy soils under arid shrublands agricultural crop production.

Justification:

Based on evidence that infiltration rates above 70 mm/hr in sandy soils facilitate significant nutrient flushing and environmental risk.

Sources (2)

Preview of Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis | PLOS One, accessed July 6, 2025,

Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis | PLOS One, accessed July 6, 2025, Journal

Critical review of the impacts of grazing intensity on soil organic carbon storage and other soil quality indicators in extensively managed grasslands - PubMed Central, accessed July 10, 2025,

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Preview of supporting sustainable development - risks and impacts of plant ...

supporting sustainable development - risks and impacts of plant ... Journal

Queensland Murray-Darling Freshwater Biogeographic Province ..., accessed July 21, 2025

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Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Root Structure and Functioning for Efficient Acquisition of Phosphorus: Matching Morphological and Physiological Traits

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Infiltration rate measurements in arid soils with surface crust - ResearchGate

Methodology Source Journal

Infiltration rate measurements in arid soils with surface crust - ResearchGate

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Preview of Infiltration rates and soil moisture in a groved mulga community near Alice Springs, arid central Australia: Evidence for complex internal rainwater redistribution in a runoff-runon landscape | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Infiltration rates and soil moisture in a groved mulga community near Alice Springs, arid central Australia: Evidence for complex internal rainwater redistribution in a runoff-runon landscape | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Direct Evidence Journal

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Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 21 Mar 2026

Notes

This threshold is functional and soil texture dependent, not a fixed universal value.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASP-AGR-SWI family.