Water Turbidity

AUS-AKW-IND-WTU General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 5 to 50 NTU

Optimal Range: 5 to 50

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: OptimalRange

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 9 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 8 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

An optimal range of 5 - 50 NTU for persistent, non-flow conditions appears most ecologically defensible.

Metric Definition:

Optimal functional range of water turbidity in pooled, non-flowing surface waters balancing UV protection and light availability

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the optimal turbidity range in pooled, non-flowing surface waters balancing UV protection and light availability in the biome under industrial land use.

Justification:

This range balances UV protection with light availability for photosynthesis in persistent pools.

Sources (1)

Preview of Australia's inland waters - Water Quality Australia

Australia's inland waters - Water Quality Australia Government

Australia's inland waters - Water Quality Australia, accessed July 26, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (1)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

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

Direct Evidence Journal

Salinity and water quality

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
Land Use Industrial & Infrastructure Use
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 4 Jun 2026

Notes

This range applies to the persistent, non-flowing state of ephemeral water bodies in the biome. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AKW-IND-WTU family.