Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)
Benchmark Value
Scoring Curve
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
Evidence & Context
A clear upper detrimental threshold is identified at approximately 5,000 µS/cm.
Water Electrical Conductivity (EC) level above which significant negative impacts on the stygofauna community are documented.
This benchmark marks the upper limit of water electrical conductivity (EC) in groundwater beyond which significant ecological harm to salinity-sensitive subterranean fauna occurs in Australia's Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands biome under industrial land use.
Based on multiple sources including a CSIRO review and biological surveys showing significant decline in stygofauna diversity above this EC level.
Sources (2)
CSIRO review of stygofauna ecology
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Supporting Sources (3)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
Tropicana Gold Project, Annual Compliance Assessment Report, Ministerial Statement No. 839 (24 September 2021 – 23 September 2022)
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Pilbara stygofauna: deep groundwater of an arid landscape contains globally significant radiation of biodiversity - Western Australian Museum
View SourceWESTERN AUSTRALIAN WATER QUALITY ... - DBCA Library, accessed July 25, 2025,
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