Soil Moisture

AUS-AIF-AGR-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 42 to 45 %

Optimal Range: 42 to 45

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 reference values represent Field Capacity (FC) for different dominant soil textures, which is the most scientifically defensible proxy for the 'best available condition' in this context.

Metric Definition:

Volumetric Water Content (VWC) representing Field Capacity (FC), the maximum amount of plant-available water a well-structured soil can hold against gravity without being in a detrimental state of saturation.

Benchmark Definition:

Field Capacity (FC) is the maximum amount of plant-available water a well-structured soil can hold against gravity without being in a detrimental state of saturation.

Justification:

FC is the most scientifically defensible proxy for the 'best available condition' in this context, representing the maximum potential resilience and outcome of best-practice management.

Sources (1)

How Soil Holds Water - SDSU Extension Government

How Soil Holds Water - SDSU Extension

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 24 Mar 2026

Notes

The values are texture-dependent: Clay/Clay Loam: 42-45%; Loam/Silt Loam: 28-36%; Sandy Loam: 18-20%. A single benchmark is scientifically unsound due to texture-driven variations in soil water dynamics. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. [Migration] Original wider evidence range: 18 – 45 (retained OptimalRange: 42 – 45)

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-AGR-SMO family.