Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-TSW-AGR-SWI General High confidence

Benchmark Value

50 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

For the purpose of a quantitative index, a benchmark of >50 mm/hr is appropriate for sandy soils.

Metric Definition:

Steady-state soil water infiltration rate representing the rate at which water enters the soil profile under stable conditions.

Benchmark Definition:

Benchmark infiltration rate for sandy soils under best-practice regenerative cropping systems.

Justification:

Reflects the inherent high infiltration potential of sandy soils when free from water repellence constraints.

Sources (2)

Preview of "Exploring the Critical Role of Water in Regenerative Agriculture; Building Promises and Avoiding Pitfalls"

"Exploring the Critical Role of Water in Regenerative Agriculture; Building Promises and Avoiding Pitfalls" GreyLiterature

Exploring the Critical Role of Water in Regenerative ... - Frontiers

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Preview of "Water infiltration into ponded and unponded soils in central Australia"

"Water infiltration into ponded and unponded soils in central Australia" Journal

FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56: Crop evapotranspiration - Guidelines for computing crop water requirements

View Source

Supporting Sources (38)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) The hydrology of Vertosols used for cotton production: I. Hydraulic, structural and fundamental soil properties - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025

(PDF) The hydrology of Vertosols used for cotton production: I. Hydraulic, structural and fundamental soil properties - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment

View Source

Combatting non-wetting soils - GRDC, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Combatting non-wetting soils - GRDC

View Source

Preview of Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis | PLOS One, accessed July 6, 2025,

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

Contextual Support Journal

Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: A meta-analysis | PLOS One - Research journals

View Source

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

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

Contextual Support Journal

Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section

View Source

Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems Summary 2023 - Department of Primary Industries and Regions

Contextual Support Journal

Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems Summary 2023 - Department of Primary Industries and Regions

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functions-of-soil-organic-matter-and-the-effect-on-soil-properties.pdf.pdf, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The biodiversity cost of carbon sequestration in tropical savanna - PMC - PubMed Central

View Source

Growing Carbon Farming Demonstartion Pilots: Mallee Sustainable Farming - PIRSA, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Growing Carbon Farming Demonstartion Pilots: Mallee Sustainable Farming - PIRSA, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Preview of High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 7, 2025

High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia - CSIRO Publishing

View Source

Impacts of Agricultural Management Practices on Soil Health - NCBI, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support

Impacts of Agricultural Management Practices on Soil Health - NCBI, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source

Impacts of Different Tillage Practices on Soil Water Infiltration for Sustainable Agriculture, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support

VERTISOLS (VR), accessed July 18, 2025

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Indicators of Soil Health - AUSVEG, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Indicators of Soil Health - AUSVEG, accessed August 4, 2025

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Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Soil Health Assessment of Two Regenerative Farming Practices on Sandy Soils

View Source

Is soil compaction reducing wheat yields in the Victorian Mallee? | Birchip Cropping Group, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

The Effect of Sodic Water Type on the Chemical Properties of Calcareous Soil in Semi-Arid Irrigated Land - MDPI, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 16, 2025,

View Source

Measuring and modeling the water balance of low rainfall cropping systems - CCAFS, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Measuring and modeling the water balance of low rainfall cropping systems - CCAFS, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Meningie East – Field Healthy Soils Update Thursday 4th of March including lunch, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Promoting soil health in dryland agriculture by increasing cropping intensity - Agronomy Australia Proceedings

View Source

Preview of Monitoring the behaviour of Australian Vertosols in response to the shrink–swell characteristic and cotton picker traffic - University of Southern Queensland Repository, accessed July 7, 2025

Monitoring the behaviour of Australian Vertosols in response to the shrink–swell characteristic and cotton picker traffic - University of Southern Queensland Repository, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Monitoring the behaviour of Australian Vertosols in response to the shrink–swell characteristic and cotton picker traffic - University of Southern Queensland Repository, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

On the Surface, What kind of Soil Are You Farming?, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

On the Surface, What kind of Soil Are You Farming?, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Physical Condition of Surface Soil - Location SA, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Physical Condition of Surface Soil - Location SA

View Source

Procedure for Soil Respiration (CO2 Evolution from Rewetting a Dried Soil) - Soil Fertility, accessed July 9, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Tool 6.7 Soil health benchmarks and guidelines for managing ...

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Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Understanding Soil Infiltration - Ideal Geotech

View Source

Regen Ag #9- Nurture the Water Cycle - Dirty Clean Food, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support

Regen Ag #9- Nurture the Water Cycle - Dirty Clean Food, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative agriculture is key to dry season preparation - Soils For Life, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Seeding next to previous year's crop row (near-row sowing) can increase grain yields on water repellent soils - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 6, 2025,

Seeding next to previous year's crop row (near-row sowing) can increase grain yields on water repellent soils - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Find out the Different Types of Soil in Australia - Kelly Tillage AUS

View Source

Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Coexistence of shrubs and grass in a semi-arid landscape: a case study of mulga (Acacia aneura, Mimosaceae) shrublands embedded in fire-prone spinifex (Triodia pungens, Poaceae) hummock grasslands - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Australian Journal of Botany

View Source

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 management for sustainable agriculture : background papers from a workshop organized by the Research Review Committee of th, accessed July 7, 2025

Soil management for sustainable agriculture : background papers from a workshop organized by the Research Review Committee of th, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries

View Source

Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

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

View Source

Strategic tillage of a long-term, no-till soil has little impact on soil characteristics or crop growth over five years

Contextual Support Journal

What is Regenerative Agriculture? - Soils For Life, accessed August 13, 2025

View Source

The important role of soil texture on water - Crops and Soils, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Infiltration.pdf - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

The important role of soil texture on water - Crops and Soils, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Government

The important role of soil texture on water - Crops and Soils, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Preview of The management of soil physical properties limiting crop production in Australian sodic soils - a review - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025

The management of soil physical properties limiting crop production in Australian sodic soils - a review - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

The management of soil physical properties limiting crop production in Australian sodic soils - a review - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Traffic and residue cover effects on infiltration | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Vertosols | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Understanding Soil Infiltration - Ideal Geotech, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Predicting Shifts in Australian Shrublands with Changing Climates and Land Uses - Forest Service

View Source

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. (n.d.). Soil Quality Indicators: Infiltration.

Contextual Support Journal

Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS)

View Source

Victorian Grain Cropping Soils - Sodosols | VRO | Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Tool 6.7 Soil health benchmarks and guidelines for managing problem soils, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Water ponding for pastoral production in central Australia

Contextual Support Journal

Infiltration.pdf - Natural Resources Conservation Service

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 5 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Represents a functional benchmark indicating consistent high infiltration rate free from hydrological dysfunction.

Related Benchmarks

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