Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-TSR-CON-SWI General High confidence

Benchmark Value

1421 mm/hr

Range: 500 to — mm/hr

Optimal Range: 500 to —

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

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 7 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 6 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard OptimalRange Guard LowerThreshold Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Within the remnant riparian rainforest sites, which represent a real-world example of high environmental health and ecological function, the measured mean water infiltration rate was 1421±995 mm/hr.

Metric Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate, the process governing the entry of water into the soil surface.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the typical soil water infiltration rate in remnant riparian rainforest sites within protected natural areas of Australia's tropical and subtropical rainforests, indicating high environmental health and ecological function.

Justification:

The study context is a direct match for the query's requirements: a protected natural area within Australia's subtropical rainforest biome. The remnant forest sites serve as an ideal 'best-on-offer' reference, demonstrating the high level of hydrological function achievable and maintained under long-term conservation.

Sources (5)

Preview of (PDF) Impacts of soil damage by grazing livestock on crop productivity

(PDF) Impacts of soil damage by grazing livestock on crop productivity Journal

Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian Rainforest Restoration | PLOS One - Research journals

View Source

Preview of Bioregions and EVC benchmarks - Environment, accessed August 5, 2025,

Bioregions and EVC benchmarks - Environment, accessed August 5, 2025, Government

Eastern NSW Plant Community Type Percentage Cleared Calculation Technical Notes - Environment and Heritage

View Source

Preview of Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian Rainforest Restoration - PMC, accessed August 2, 2025

Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian Rainforest Restoration - PMC, accessed August 2, 2025 Journal

Early response of soil properties and function to riparian rainforest restoration - UQ eSpace

View Source

Early response of soil properties and function to riparian rainforest restoration - PubMed, accessed August 2, 2025 Journal

Early response of soil properties and function to riparian rainforest restoration - PubMed

View Source

Preview of Gageler, R., et al. (2014). Restoring soil carbon, nitrogen and functionality in an Australian tropical catchment: a chronosequence approach. PLOS ONE, 9(8), e104198.

Gageler, R., et al. (2014). Restoring soil carbon, nitrogen and functionality in an Australian tropical catchment: a chronosequence approach. PLOS ONE, 9(8), e104198. Journal

Early Response of Soil Properties and Function to Riparian Rainforest Restoration - PMC

View Source

Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Chapter 5 Soil crusting and sealing - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Chapter 5 Soil crusting and sealing - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

View Source

Runoff generation in tropical forests (Chapter 14) - Forests, Water and People in the Humid Tropics - Cambridge University Press

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil erosion as a resilience drain in disturbed tropical forests

View Source

Soil challenge - Method guides collection - v04 - partner ...

Contextual Support

Soils with low infiltration capacity - Minnesota Stormwater Manual

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

No evidence for an upper detrimental threshold for infiltration rate is supported by literature; higher rates are consistently associated with better ecosystem health (reduced runoff, less erosion). The large standard deviation reflects heterogeneous soil structure important for resilience.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-CON-SWI family.