Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AIF-AGR-WEC General High confidence

Benchmark Value

160 μS/cm
Direction: Lower 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 13 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 12 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

A reference value of 160 ³μS/cm is selected as the benchmark.

Metric Definition:

Water Electrical Conductivity (EC) measured during stable flowing conditions in minimally impacted arid river systems.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the typical water electrical conductivity level in arid inland floodplains and ephemeral river systems under agricultural crop production, indicating a healthy aquatic ecosystem supporting sensitive species and robust functions.

Justification:

The benchmark is derived from the median EC observed during stable 'flow' conditions in Cooper Creek, supported by similar values from Warrego River, and aligns with ecological optimal ranges derived from biological and regulatory evidence.

Sources (2)

Preview of (PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and ...
(PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and ... Journal

(PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and ..., accessed July 17, 2025

View Source
Preview of Salinity tolerance in irrigated crops - NSW Department of Primary ..., accessed July 17, 2025,
Salinity tolerance in irrigated crops - NSW Department of Primary ..., accessed July 17, 2025, Journal

GUIDE TO SOIL TEST INTERPRETATION

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

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

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 125 μS/cm. Upper Detrimental Threshold: 2200 μS/cm. Optimal ecological range is 150-300 μS/cm, supporting aquatic health. Agronomic thresholds are higher and not indicative of ecological health. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.