Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-AMR-CON-SWI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 30 to 70 mm/hr
Optimal Range: 30 to 70
Direction: Higher 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.

Evidence & Context

The recommended benchmarks, differentiated by soil texture to reflect varying inherent potential, are: 30 - 70 mm/hr for general Loamy to Sandy-Loam soils within mature, stable vegetation groves.

Metric Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate measured as steady-state infiltration capacity within vegetated 'sink' patches in arid mountain conservation areas.

Benchmark Definition:

Steady-state infiltration rate representing high-functioning vegetated groves in arid upland woodlands.

Justification:

Based on multiple peer-reviewed studies measuring infiltration rates in mature mulga groves representing best available natural condition.

Sources (1)

Preview of Infiltration rates and soil moisture in a groved mulga community near Alice Springs, arid central Australia: Evidence for complex internal rainwater redistribution in a runoff-runon landscape | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Infiltration rates and soil moisture in a groved mulga community near Alice Springs, arid central Australia: Evidence for complex internal rainwater redistribution in a runoff-runon landscape | Request PDF - ResearchGate GreyLiterature

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

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Supporting Sources (21)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Biological soil crusts | Bush Heritage Australia
Biological soil crusts | Bush Heritage Australia
Direct Evidence Journal

Biological soil crusts | Bush Heritage Australia

View Source
Preview of Biological soil crusts | Bush Heritage Australia, accessed July 27, 2025
Biological soil crusts | Bush Heritage Australia, accessed July 27, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Microbiotic Soil Crusts: A Review of their Roles in Soil and Ecological Processes in the Rangelands of Australia

View Source
Preview of Biological soil crusts impress vegetation patches and fertile islands over an arid pediment, Iran Author Published Journal Title - Griffith Research Online
Biological soil crusts impress vegetation patches and fertile islands over an arid pediment, Iran Author Published Journal Title - Griffith Research Online
Contextual Support Journal

Biological soil crusts impress vegetation patches and fertile islands over an arid pediment, Iran Author Published Journal Title - Griffith Research Online

View Source
Preview of Do shrubs reduce the adverse effects of grazing on soil properties? - ResearchGate
Do shrubs reduce the adverse effects of grazing on soil properties? - ResearchGate
Contextual Support

General Soil Water Infiltration Rate Classification

View Source
Preview of EFFECT OF VEGETATION COVER TYPES ON SOIL INFILTRATION UNDER SIMULATING RAINFALL - NSERL
EFFECT OF VEGETATION COVER TYPES ON SOIL INFILTRATION UNDER SIMULATING RAINFALL - NSERL
Contextual Support Journal

EFFECT OF VEGETATION COVER TYPES ON SOIL INFILTRATION UNDER SIMULATING RAINFALL - NSERL

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

Landscape rehydration and regenerative agriculture improves soil health, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 6, 2025,
Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration ... - USDA

View Source
Preview of Monitor Soil Degradation or Triage for Soil Security? An Australian Challenge - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025,
Monitor Soil Degradation or Triage for Soil Security? An Australian Challenge - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Healthy soils and water infiltration in the paddock - Local Land Services - NSW Government

View Source
Preview of Physical Condition of Surface Soil - Location SA, accessed July 7, 2025
Physical Condition of Surface Soil - Location SA, accessed July 7, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Physical Condition of Surface Soil - Location SA

View Source
Preview of Preliminary Assessment of Infiltration Rates and Effects on Water Quality of Selected Infiltration Media for Use in Highway Runoff Retention Basins in Washington State - WSDot
Preliminary Assessment of Infiltration Rates and Effects on Water Quality of Selected Infiltration Media for Use in Highway Runoff Retention Basins in Washington State - WSDot
Contextual Support Journal

CO₂ sink to source: Arid Australia's climate and rainfall driven tipping points

View Source
Preview of Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Contextual Support Journal

Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service

View Source
Preview of Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 6, 2025,
Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Understanding Soil Infiltration - Ideal Geotech

View Source
Preview of Role of biological soil crusts in desert hydrology and geomorphology: Implications for military training operations - Forest Service
Role of biological soil crusts in desert hydrology and geomorphology: Implications for military training operations - Forest Service
Contextual Support Journal

Role of biological soil crusts in desert hydrology and geomorphology: Implications for military training operations - Forest Service

View Source
Preview of Soil Infiltration Properties Are Affected by Typical Plant Communities in a Semi-Arid Desert Grassland in China - MDPI
Soil Infiltration Properties Are Affected by Typical Plant Communities in a Semi-Arid Desert Grassland in China - MDPI
Contextual Support Journal

How does building healthy soils impact sustainable use of water resources in irrigated agriculture? | Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene | University of California Press

View Source
Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 6, 2025,
Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Assessing the influence of shrubs and their interspaces on enhancing infiltration in an arid Australian shrubland. - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal

View Source
Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 7, 2025
Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 7, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

The effect of soil and pasture attributes on ... - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of The effect of soil and pasture attributes on ... - CSIRO Publishing
The effect of soil and pasture attributes on ... - CSIRO Publishing
Contextual Support Journal

CSIRO (2016)

View Source
Preview of Understanding Soil Infiltration - Ideal Geotech, accessed July 6, 2025,
Understanding Soil Infiltration - Ideal Geotech, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

National Soil Strategy

View Source
Preview of Understanding Water Movement Throughout Different Soil Profiles Across the Upper North
Understanding Water Movement Throughout Different Soil Profiles Across the Upper North
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Restoration of degraded grazing country in the semi-arid areas of NSW

View Source
Preview of Water Infiltration Rates into Unponded and Ponded Soils in Central Australia - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Water Infiltration Rates into Unponded and Ponded Soils in Central Australia - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Contextual Support Journal

Water Infiltration Rates into Unponded and Ponded Soils in Central Australia - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

View Source
Preview of Water ponding for pastoral production in central Australia
Water ponding for pastoral production in central Australia
Contextual Support Journal

Infiltration.pdf - Natural Resources Conservation Service

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Vegetation Woodland
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 4 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. This benchmark range represents the measured infiltration capacity within high-functioning, mature vegetated 'groves' (resource sinks) in Australian arid woodlands, exemplifying the best available natural condition.

Related Benchmarks

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

33.3 mm/hr Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Rehabilitation Target
Point Active v1
20.2 mm/hr Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Rehabilitation Target
Point Active v1