Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-ASP-AGR-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. The scoring engine uses 11 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 10 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

The benchmark is a derived range representing a high-functioning state. It is based on infiltration rates measured in healthy, native mulga grove ecosystems (30–70 mm/hr), which aligns with rates achievable under best-practice regenerative agriculture (e.g., 45 mm/hr).

Metric Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate, the capacity of soil to absorb water, measured in mm/hr.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the soil water infiltration rate range in healthy native mulga groves and best-practice regenerative agriculture in arid shrublands, indicating a high-functioning soil state that balances water capture and nutrient retention.

Justification:

Derived from infiltration rates measured in healthy native mulga groves and improvements from best-practice regenerative agriculture.

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

View Source

Supporting Sources (6)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

How should we manage our soils to increase soil carbon?, accessed May 10, 2026

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

Infiltration rate measurements in arid soils with surface crust - ResearchGate

Methodology Source Journal

Infiltration rate measurements in arid soils with surface crust - ResearchGate

View Source

Rainfall infiltration and runoff from an Alfisol in semi-arid tropical India. I. No-till systems1

Contextual Support Journal

Rainfall infiltration and runoff from an Alfisol in semi-arid tropical India. I. No-till systems1

View Source

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Regenerative Agriculture Program restoring soil pH case study: Macdonald, Whites Flat/Koppio

View Source

supporting sustainable development - risks and impacts of plant ...

Contextual Support Journal

Northern Rivers Soil Health Card - NSW Department of Primary ...

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 10 mm/hr indicating severe degradation such as surface crusting. Upper Detrimental Threshold: Not a fixed value; high infiltration rates in sandy soils can cause nutrient leaching below the root zone, leading to economic and environmental risks. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.