Soil Water Infiltration Rate
Benchmark Value
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 12 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 11 guard(s) constrain the result.
Evidence & Context
Considering these points, a SWIR consistently below 15-25 mm/hr is proposed as a lower critical threshold for maintaining essential ecological functions and long-term productivity in Australian Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands under production forestry.
Soil Water Infiltration Rate (SWIR) is defined as the rate at which water enters the soil profile, typically expressed in millimeters per hour (mm/hr).
This benchmark defines the lower critical threshold of soil water infiltration rate below which essential ecological functions and long-term productivity are at risk in Australian Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands under production forestry.
A SWIR consistently below 15-25 mm/hr is highly probable to cause significant surface runoff, elevated erosion risk, insufficient water penetration, and poor soil aeration, threatening long-term productivity and ecological health.
Sources (2)
The effect of three fire regimes on stream water quality, water yield ...
View Sourcewww.waikatoregion.govt.nz, accessed May 15, 2025,
View SourceSupporting Sources (1)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
Ecosystem wicks: Woodland trees enhance water infiltration in a fragmented agricultural landscape in eastern Australia, accessed May 15, 2025,
View Source