Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AIF-IND-WEC General High confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 0 to 1000 µS/cm
Optimal Range: 0 to 1000
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: OptimalRange

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The natural baseline for flowing waters in the Lake Eyre Basin is typically well below 800 µS/cm, and often below 350 µS/cm. These are the conditions under which the entire native faunal assemblage has evolved and thrives. Maintaining water quality within this range ensures the protection of sensitive taxa such as mayflies and the vulnerable early life stages of fish and other invertebrates.

Metric Definition:

Optimal range of water electrical conductivity (EC) supporting full ecological health and sensitive species.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the optimal water electrical conductivity range that supports native biodiversity and ecosystem function in arid ephemeral river systems.

Justification:

Based on natural baseline data and ecological requirements of sensitive species in the Lake Eyre Basin.

Sources (2)

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, GreyLiterature

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

View Source
Preview of Water and sediment quality in the Diamantina-Georgina River catchment, Lake Eyre Basin
Water and sediment quality in the Diamantina-Georgina River catchment, Lake Eyre Basin Journal

Water quality in the Georgina-Diamantina River catchment

View Source

Supporting Sources (34)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Accessory Publication Relative salinity tolerance of macroinvertebrates from the Barwon River, Victoria, Australia
Accessory Publication Relative salinity tolerance of macroinvertebrates from the Barwon River, Victoria, Australia
Contextual Support Journal

Pine Creek, near Dutton 2010 Aquatic Ecosystem Condition Report - EPA SA

View Source
Preview of An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river
An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river
Contextual Support Government

Categories - Northern Australian Basin Assessment:: Water Resource Assessments - CSIRO Data Access Portal

View Source
Preview of An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river, accessed July 27, 2025,
An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river, accessed July 27, 2025,
Contextual Support

Establishing closure targets for discharge to temporary waters — a review - Australian Centre for Geomechanics

View Source
Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality
Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality
Contextual Support Journal

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR FRESH AND MARINE WATERS - DBCA Library

View Source
Preview of Case studies | Roy Hill (Mining) - Osmoflo
Case studies | Roy Hill (Mining) - Osmoflo
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Case studies | Roy Hill (Mining) - Osmoflo

View Source
Preview of Chlorine Reduction Scheme - Goodline
Chlorine Reduction Scheme - Goodline
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Toxicological characterization of produced water from the Permian Basin

View Source
Preview of Cooper Basin | Exploration, Drilling, Petroleum - Britannica
Cooper Basin | Exploration, Drilling, Petroleum - Britannica
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Cooper Basin | Exploration, Drilling, Petroleum - Britannica

View Source
Preview of Cumulative environmental impacts of development in the ... - EPA WA
Cumulative environmental impacts of development in the ... - EPA WA
Contextual Support

Cumulative environmental impacts of development in the ... - EPA WA

View Source
Preview of Drivers restricting biodiversity in Australian saline lakes: a review - CSIRO Publishing
Drivers restricting biodiversity in Australian saline lakes: a review - CSIRO Publishing
Contextual Support Journal

Drivers restricting biodiversity in Australian saline lakes: a review - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of Dryland salinity in Western Australia | Agriculture and Food, accessed July 25, 2025,
Dryland salinity in Western Australia | Agriculture and Food, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Dryland salinity in Western Australia | Agriculture and Food, accessed July 25, 2025

View Source
Preview of Environment - Santos
Environment - Santos
Contextual Support Journal

Environment - Santos

View Source
Preview of Environmental Impact Report - Cooper Basin ... - Beach Energy
Environmental Impact Report - Cooper Basin ... - Beach Energy
Contextual Support Journal

Environmental Impact Report - Cooper Basin ... - Beach Energy

View Source
Preview of Environmental Impact Report - Cooper Basin Petroleum Production Operations - Beach Energy
Environmental Impact Report - Cooper Basin Petroleum Production Operations - Beach Energy
Contextual Support Journal

Environmental Impact Report - Cooper Basin Petroleum Production Operations - Beach Energy

View Source
Preview of Establishing closure targets for discharge to temporary waters — a review - Australian Centre for Geomechanics, accessed July 27, 2025,
Establishing closure targets for discharge to temporary waters — a review - Australian Centre for Geomechanics, accessed July 27, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Salt and Water Flux in an Arid Zone Intermittent River: The Role of the Floodplain Environment - Minerva Access

View Source
Preview of Guidance document for assessing and managing water quality in temporary waters, accessed July 16, 2025,
Guidance document for assessing and managing water quality in temporary waters, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Guidance document for assessing and managing water quality in temporary waters, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Health of the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025
Health of the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025
Contextual Support Government

About the Lake Eyre Basin - DCCEEW

View Source
Preview of Lake Eyre - Wikipedia, accessed July 21, 2025,
Lake Eyre - Wikipedia, accessed July 21, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lake Eyre basin - Wikipedia

View Source
Preview of Lake Eyre | EBSCO Research Starters
Lake Eyre | EBSCO Research Starters
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lake Eyre | EBSCO Research Starters

View Source
Preview of Lake Eyre Basin Catchment Story – Overview - WetlandInfo, accessed July 18, 2025,
Lake Eyre Basin Catchment Story – Overview - WetlandInfo, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support

Lake Eyre Basin Catchment Story – Overview - WetlandInfo, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Macroinvertebrate community succession under variable flow regimes in subtropical Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research
Macroinvertebrate community succession under variable flow regimes in subtropical Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research
Contextual Support Journal

Macroinvertebrate community succession under variable flow regimes in subtropical Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research

View Source
Preview of Microstructural Effects of Environmental Salinity on Unbound Granular Road Pavements
Microstructural Effects of Environmental Salinity on Unbound Granular Road Pavements
Contextual Support Journal

Microstructural Effects of Environmental Salinity on Unbound Granular Road Pavements

View Source
Preview of Protection of Lake Eyre Basin rivers and floodplains - Queensland Environment Department
Protection of Lake Eyre Basin rivers and floodplains - Queensland Environment Department
Contextual Support Government

Protection of Lake Eyre Basin rivers and floodplains - Queensland Environment Department

View Source
Preview of Quantifying Health in Ephemeral Rivers - eWater, accessed July 20, 2025,
Quantifying Health in Ephemeral Rivers - eWater, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Quantifying Health in Ephemeral Rivers - eWater

View Source
Preview of Revision to the ANZG 2018 Water Quality Guidelines | iEnvi, accessed July 26, 2025,
Revision to the ANZG 2018 Water Quality Guidelines | iEnvi, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Revision to the ANZG 2018 Water Quality Guidelines | iEnvi, accessed July 24, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025,
Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Salinity | Murray–Darling Basin Authority

View Source
Preview of Salinity tolerance of Murray hardyhead
Salinity tolerance of Murray hardyhead
Contextual Support Journal

Salinity tolerance of riverine microinvertebrates from the southern Murray–Darling Basin

View Source
Preview of Salinity tolerances of two Australian freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa and Emydura macquarii (Testudinata: Chelidae) - PubMed Central
Salinity tolerances of two Australian freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa and Emydura macquarii (Testudinata: Chelidae) - PubMed Central
Contextual Support Journal

Salinity tolerances of two Australian freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa and Emydura macquarii (Testudinata: Chelidae) - PubMed Central

View Source
Preview of Techniques to use on roads affected by salinity | AustStab
Techniques to use on roads affected by salinity | AustStab
Contextual Support Journal

Techniques to use on roads affected by salinity | AustStab

View Source
Preview of Urban salinity – causes and impacts - NSW Department of Primary Industries
Urban salinity – causes and impacts - NSW Department of Primary Industries
Contextual Support Journal

Urban salinity – causes and impacts - NSW Department of Primary Industries

View Source
Preview of Water | Global - Rio Tinto
Water | Global - Rio Tinto
Contextual Support Journal

Water | Global - Rio Tinto

View Source
Preview of Water management in the Pilbara - time for a strategic approach? - Mine Australia | Issue 46
Water management in the Pilbara - time for a strategic approach? - Mine Australia | Issue 46
Irrelevant Journal

Mining and water management in the Pilbara: a new way forward

View Source
Preview of Water management in the Pilbara – time for a more strategic approach?
Water management in the Pilbara – time for a more strategic approach?
Contextual Support Journal

WATER STEWARDSHIP - Leading Practice Sustainable ..., accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Water Pours Into Australia's Lake Eyre - NASA Earth Observatory
Water Pours Into Australia's Lake Eyre - NASA Earth Observatory
Contextual Support Government

Water Pours Into Australia's Lake Eyre - NASA Earth Observatory

View Source
Preview of WATER STEWARDSHIP - Leading Practice Sustainable ..., accessed July 24, 2025
WATER STEWARDSHIP - Leading Practice Sustainable ..., accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and ..., accessed July 20, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
  • Land Use Industrial & Infrastructure Use
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 2
  • Effective From 3 Jun 2026

Notes

Maintaining EC below 1,000 µS/cm protects sensitive aquatic species and supports high ecological function. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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

1500 µS/cm Moderate
Industrial & Infrastructure Use · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Active v2
800 µS/cm High
Industrial & Infrastructure Use · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Superseded v2
800 µS/cm High
Industrial & Infrastructure Use · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Superseded v1
— µS/cm High
Industrial & Infrastructure Use · Not Stated
OptimalRange Superseded v1