Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-AIF-LVG-SWI General High confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 30 to 70 mm/hr
Optimal Range: 30 to 70
Direction: Higher 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.

Evidence & Context

Therefore, a reference range of 30-70 mm/hr is proposed for the functional, vegetated patches within these landscapes.

Metric Definition:

Soil Water Infiltration Rate

Benchmark Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate measured in functional 'runon' patches (mulga groves) on arid red earths, representing the highest achievable infiltration capacity under best-practice grazing.

Justification:

This value reflects the capacity of the landscape's most productive zones, not a paddock-wide average.

Sources (1)

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 Journal

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

View Source

Supporting Sources (20)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A framework relating soil surface condition to infiltration and sediment and nutrient mobilization in grazed rangelands of northeastern Queensland, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate
A framework relating soil surface condition to infiltration and sediment and nutrient mobilization in grazed rangelands of northeastern Queensland, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

A framework relating soil surface condition to infiltration and sediment and nutrient mobilization in grazed rangelands of northeastern Queensland, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of A Health Check for our Agricultural Soils - Enviro Data SA, accessed July 16, 2025,
A Health Check for our Agricultural Soils - Enviro Data SA, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Managing soils during and after drought in cropping systems - Fact sheet - Soil CRC

View Source
Preview of Beeftalk - FutureBeef, accessed July 18, 2025,
Beeftalk - FutureBeef, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Beeftalk - FutureBeef, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Can extension programs improve grazing management in rangelands: a case study in Australia's Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,
Can extension programs improve grazing management in rangelands: a case study in Australia's Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Can extension programs improve grazing management in rangelands: a case study in Australia's Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025
Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of Criterion I: Soil and water conservation on rangelands [Chapter 2] - Forest Service, accessed July 18, 2025,
Criterion I: Soil and water conservation on rangelands [Chapter 2] - Forest Service, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Criterion I: Soil and water conservation on rangelands [Chapter 2] - Forest Service, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,
Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support

Ludwig, J.A., Bastin, G.N., Chewings, V.H., Eager, R.W., and Liedloff, A.C. (2005). Clearing savannas for use as rangelands in Queensland: Altered landscapes and water-erosion processes. Rangeland Journal, 27(2), 135-149.

View Source
Preview of Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - project bedrock
Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - project bedrock
Contextual Support Journal

Effects of Grazing on Water Erosion, Compaction and Infiltration on Grasslands - MDPI

View Source
Preview of Grazing support programs | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 8, 2025
Grazing support programs | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 8, 2025
Direct Evidence Government

Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed July 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Impacts of Different Tillage Practices on Soil Water Infiltration for Sustainable Agriculture, accessed July 7, 2025
Impacts of Different Tillage Practices on Soil Water Infiltration for Sustainable Agriculture, accessed July 7, 2025
Direct Evidence

Understanding the surface hydrology of the Lake Eyre Basin: Part 10Rainfall | Request PDF, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 18, 2025,
Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support

Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Managing environmental flows in an agricultural landscape: the Lower Gwydir floodplain - DCCEEW, accessed July 18, 2025,
Managing environmental flows in an agricultural landscape: the Lower Gwydir floodplain - DCCEEW, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support

Vegetation mapping of the Barwon-Darling and Condamine ...

View Source
Preview of National Guidance on Acid Sulfate Soils - Water Quality Australia
National Guidance on Acid Sulfate Soils - Water Quality Australia
Contextual Support Journal

Managing soils - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

View Source
Preview of Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 6, 2025,
Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Infiltration.pdf - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed August 11, 2025

View Source
Preview of Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed August 5, 2025,
Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review

View Source
Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Spatial distribution of soil microbial activity and soil properties ..., accessed August 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil water measurement and management on Vertisols in Queensland, Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,
Soil water measurement and management on Vertisols in Queensland, Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Tillage and Residue Effects on Infiltration and Sediment Losses on Vertisols - USDA ARS, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The effect of soil and pasture attributes on ... - CSIRO Publishing
The effect of soil and pasture attributes on ... - CSIRO Publishing
Contextual Support Journal

Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health Technical Reference 1734-6 version 5 - Bureau of Land Management, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The effect of soil and pasture attributes on rangeland infiltration rates in northern Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,
The effect of soil and pasture attributes on rangeland infiltration rates in northern Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Deep drainage rates of Grey Vertosols depend on land use in semi-arid subtropical regions of Queensland, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The Impacts of Grazing 1 NEFA BACKGROUND PAPER - Cloudfront.net, accessed August 6, 2025
The Impacts of Grazing 1 NEFA BACKGROUND PAPER - Cloudfront.net, accessed August 6, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

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View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 21 Mar 2026

Notes

The benchmark range of 30-70 mm/hr represents the highest achievable infiltration capacity under best-practice grazing, measured in functional 'runon' patches (mulga groves) on arid red earths, corresponding to 'A' land condition.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-LVG-SWI family.

5 mm/hr Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
MaximumOnly Active v1
100 mm/hr Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target
MinimumOnly Retired v1