Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TSR-CON-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 70 to 110 µS/cm

Optimal Range: 70 to 110

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. 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 MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard LowerThreshold Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The objectives are: 70 µS/cm (20th percentile), 85 µS/cm (50th percentile), and 110 µS/cm (80th percentile).

Metric Definition:

Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) for electrical conductivity in high ecological value upland freshwaters.

Benchmark Definition:

Regulatory water quality objectives for electrical conductivity in high ecological value upland freshwaters, based on reference site percentiles.

Justification:

Derived from data collected at carefully selected, minimally disturbed reference sites representing desired ecological conditions.

Sources (2)

Preview of Barron River Basin Environmental Values and Water Quality ..., accessed July 21, 2025,

Barron River Basin Environmental Values and Water Quality ..., accessed July 21, 2025, Journal

Effects of total dissolved solids on growth and mortality predict ...

View Source

Environmental Protection (Water and Wetland Biodiversity) Policy 2019 | Environment, accessed July 27, 2025, Government

Environmental Protection (Water and Wetland Biodiversity) Policy 2019 | Environment

View Source

Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in ...

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in ...

View Source

Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet ...

Contextual Support Journal

Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet ...

View Source

Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet Tropics, Australia | Freshwater Science: Vol 34, No 2, accessed July 22, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZECC/ARMCANZ)

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 2
Effective From 24 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Accepted by operator on 2026-03-24 19:27 UTC — superseded v2 (#1831)

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-CON-WEC family.