Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-TSW-LVG-SWI General High confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 30 to 70 mm/hr

Thresholds: Lower: 15, Upper: —

Optimal Range: 30 to 70

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

For these sites, the infiltration rate was measured to be >30 mm/h. This value represents a scientifically defensible, conservative, and achievable benchmark for a well-managed grazing system on sandy soils in this environment.

Metric Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate is the rate at which water enters the soil profile, measured in mm/hr.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the minimum soil water infiltration rate for sandy soils in excellent condition under sustainable grazing in semi-arid woodlands of eastern Australia.

Justification:

Measured directly in eastern Australian semi-arid woodland under low-intensity grazing, described as "excellent condition". Represents a conservative, real-world benchmark.

Sources (1)

Runoff and micromorphological properties of a grazed haplargid, near Cobar, NSW, Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research

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Supporting Sources (23)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025

Contextual Support

(PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate

View Source

Preview of A Comparison of Three Methodologies for Determining Soil Infiltration Capacity in Thicketized Oak Woodlands and Adjacent Grasslands - MDPI

A Comparison of Three Methodologies for Determining Soil Infiltration Capacity in Thicketized Oak Woodlands and Adjacent Grasslands - MDPI

Contextual Support Journal

Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - Project Bedrock, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

A Global Meta-Analysis of Grazing Impacts on Soil Health Indicators - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

A Global Meta-Analysis of Grazing Impacts on Soil Health Indicators - ResearchGate, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Root Structure and Functioning for Efficient Acquisition of Phosphorus: Matching Morphological and Physiological Traits

View Source

Challenges and opportunities for grain farming on sandy soils of ..., accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Border-check irrigation design | Irrigation | Water | Farm management - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section

Contextual Support Government

Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis | PLOS One, accessed July 6, 2025,

Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis | PLOS One, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Critical review of the impacts of grazing intensity on soil organic carbon storage and other soil quality indicators in extensively managed grasslands - PubMed Central, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Continental-scale impacts of livestock grazing on ecosystem supporting and regulating services, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support

Livestock grazing impacts on infiltration rates in a temperate range of Pakistan - Journals, accessed July 10, 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 Effect of reduced grazing pressure on sediment and nutrient yields in savanna rangeland streams draining to the Great Barrier Reef - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

Effect of reduced grazing pressure on sediment and nutrient yields in savanna rangeland streams draining to the Great Barrier Reef - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

Contextual Support Journal

Hillslope gully erosion in savanna rangelands tributary to the Great ..., accessed July 19, 2025,

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 management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 12, 2025,

Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 12, 2025,

Contextual Support

The underestimated biodiversity of tropical grassy biomes - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Boom and bust for biodiversity in arid Australia

View Source

Preview of Journal of Arid Environments: Jessica Braden, Charlotte H. Mills, William K. Cornwell, Helen P. Waudby, Mike Letnic - Scribd, accessed July 10, 2025,

Journal of Arid Environments: Jessica Braden, Charlotte H. Mills, William K. Cornwell, Helen P. Waudby, Mike Letnic - Scribd, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production, accessed July 27, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Final Report – Volume 2 - Estimating Pasture Total Standing Biomass (TSDM) from Landsat Fractional Cover., accessed April 29, 2025,

View Source

Maximizing retention of native biodiversity in Australian agricultural ...

Contextual Support Journal

Does grazing exclusion in Australia's rangelands affect biomass and debris carbon stocks? - CSIRO Publishing, accessed April 29, 2025,

View Source

Microsite and grazing intensity drive infiltration in a semi-arid ...

Contextual Support Journal

Soil health responses to long-term grazing intensity gradients in two semiarid rangelands - USDA ARS, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Microsite and grazing intensity drive infiltration in a semi-arid woodland - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025

Contextual Support

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Regenerative Land Management - HEALTHY SOILS AUSTRALIA

View Source

risks and impacts of plant industries on soil condition - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

risks and impacts of plant industries on soil condition - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Soil Bulk Density and Water Infiltration as Affected by Grazing Systems - USDA ARS, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Runoff and micromorphological properties of a grazed haplargid, near Cobar, NSW, Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Soil Infiltration Properties Are Affected by Typical Plant Communities in a Semi-Arid Desert Grassland in China - MDPI

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Infiltration Properties Are Affected by Typical Plant Communities in a Semi-Arid Desert Grassland in China - MDPI, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Summary of infiltration rates in arid and semiarid regions of the world, with an annotated bibliography By MS Bedinger US

Contextual Support Journal

Sustainable land management practices for graziers - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Retired
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026
Effective To 24 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: Evidence from degraded sites suggests a critical threshold of <15 mm/hr for sandy/loamy soils and <10 mm/hr for clay soils. Below this, the landscape's ability to capture water is compromised, leading to accelerated runoff, erosion, and a negative feedback loop of degradation. Upper Boundary Consideration: While higher is generally better, an upper detrimental threshold may exist in this biome. Due to the ancient, nutrient-poor nature of Australian soils, excessively high infiltration rates (>70-100 mm/hr), particularly on sandy soils, could lead to detrimental leaching of scarce nutrients below the root zone, creating a dysfunctional "leaky" system. Therefore, an optimal range balances maximizing water capture with minimizing nutrient loss. ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:13 UTC: BenchmarkValue 30 → (check: MinAboveMax, rationale: The BenchmarkValue of 30 is replaced by the LowerThreshold field to correctly represent the lower threshold; BenchmarkValue can be cleared or set to null to avoid confusion.) ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:13 UTC: LowerThreshold → 15 (check: MinAboveMax, rationale: The 15 mm/hr threshold represents a lower degradation floor (below which conditions are degraded) as per the Notes and EvidenceStatement. Assigning this value to LowerThreshold on the MinimumOnly benchmark aligns with ecological meaning and resolves the contradiction.) Retired via Evidence Integrity Review on 2026-03-24 09:41 UTC — all DirectEvidence sources confirmed dead or inaccessible.

Related Benchmarks

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