Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-AMR-AGR-SWI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

20 mm/hr

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

No direct benchmark value is available for sandy soils from the key proxy study. However, healthy sandy soils should exceed the infiltration rates of degraded loams.

Metric Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate measured as steady-state infiltration in mm/hr.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents a conservative lower bound for infiltration rates in sandy soils under regenerative cropping in the Australian Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome.

Justification:

Due to lack of direct data, the value is inferred as a minimum infiltration rate that healthy sandy soils should exceed, with moderate confidence.

Sources (2)

Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis Journal

Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis

View Source

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

Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section

View Source

Supporting Sources (2)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Report on the Condition of Agricultural Land in South Australia - Department for Environment and Water

Direct Evidence Journal

Rainfall infiltration and runoff from an Alfisol in semi-arid tropical India. I. No-till systems1

View Source

Water ponding for pastoral production in central Australia

Direct Evidence Journal

Infiltration.pdf - Natural Resources Conservation Service

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 4 Jun 2026

Notes

There is a high risk of detrimental effects from excessive infiltration in sandy soils, so the benchmark is presented with caution. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-AGR-SWI family.