Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AIF-FOR-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

800 μS/cm

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

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 3 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 2 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The MDBA's Basin Salinity Management 2030 strategy explicitly defines water with a salinity level below 800 ³S/cm as having "low salinity".

Metric Definition:

Water Electrical Conductivity (EC) as a measure of salinity in water bodies.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the maximum water electrical conductivity level considered low salinity, indicating a healthy, low-stress condition for water bodies in production forestry within the Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems biome.

Justification:

The benchmark is based on a government management target representing a healthy state achievable through best-practice land management, supported by eco-hydrological principles.

Sources (2)

Preview of (PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in ..., accessed July 20, 2025,

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in ..., accessed July 20, 2025, GreyLiterature

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in ...

Preview of Australia's forests – overview - DAFF, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Australia's forests – overview - DAFF, accessed on May 25, 2025, Government

Resistance and resilience of the forest soil microbiome to logging-associated compaction

Supporting Sources (15)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025,

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate

Preview of A review of water quality studies relevant to northern Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 21, 2025,

A review of water quality studies relevant to northern Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Salinity and water quality

Preview of About the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 20, 2025,

About the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

About the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 20, 2025,

Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Volume 3 - Chapter 9 - Primary Industries, accessed July 20, 2025,

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Volume 3 - Chapter 9 - Primary Industries, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Volume 3 - Chapter 9 - Primary Industries

Preview of Australian Native Forests and Water IFA Forestry Policy Statement 5.1, accessed August 10, 2025,

Australian Native Forests and Water IFA Forestry Policy Statement 5.1, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Desktop review – Impact of bushfires on water quality

Preview of Conductivity, TDS, Salinity, Resistivity - apera instruments, accessed July 20, 2025,

Conductivity, TDS, Salinity, Resistivity - apera instruments, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Geological Control upon Groundwater Flow and Major Ion Chemistry with Influence on Basin Management in a Coastal Aquifer, South Australia - Scientific Research Publishing, accessed July 27, 2025

Preview of Ecological condition of central Australian arid-zone rivers - PubMed, accessed July 21, 2025

Ecological condition of central Australian arid-zone rivers - PubMed, accessed July 21, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Ecological condition of central Australian arid-zone rivers - PubMed

Preview of ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT - Forestry Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,

ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT - Forestry Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

www.forestry.org.au

Preview of Forests and Water - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, accessed July 20, 2025,

Forests and Water - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Forests and Water - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, accessed July 20, 2025,

Preview of Inland waters - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025

Inland waters - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Resilience of floodplain ecosystems in a semi-arid environment - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,

Jonathan MARSHALL | Queensland Government, Brisbane | Department of Environment and Science | Research profile - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Jonathan MARSHALL | Queensland Government, Brisbane | Department of Environment and Science | Research profile - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,

Preview of Measuring salinity - Department of Environment, Water and Natural - Landscape SA, accessed July 20, 2025,

Measuring salinity - Department of Environment, Water and Natural - Landscape SA, accessed July 20, 2025,

Methodology Source Government

Measuring salinity - Department of Environment, Water and Natural - Landscape SA, accessed July 20, 2025,

Preview of Rehabilitation of disturbed land in public drinking water source areas - Government of Western Australia, accessed July 20, 2025,

Rehabilitation of disturbed land in public drinking water source areas - Government of Western Australia, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Rehabilitation of disturbed land in public drinking water source areas - Government of Western Australia, accessed July 20, 2025,

Preview of Resilience of floodplain ecosystems in a semi-arid environment - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,

Resilience of floodplain ecosystems in a semi-arid environment - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Creating a sustainable Murray-Darling - The Nature Conservancy Australia, accessed July 20, 2025

Preview of Salinity and water quality, accessed July 20, 2025,

Salinity and water quality, accessed July 20, 2025,

Contextual Support

Salinity and water quality, accessed July 20, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 3 Jun 2026

Notes

No lower critical threshold applicable. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values above 800 μS/cm indicate increased salinity stress. This value is a management target from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority for maintaining low salinity conditions.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-FOR-WEC family.