Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-AIF-LVG-SWI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

5 mm/hr

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

a steady-state infiltration rate of less than 5 mm/hr can be considered a functionally critical threshold, representing a state of hydrological failure.

Metric Definition:

Critical infiltration rate below which hydrological dysfunction occurs.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the critical infiltration rate below which soil hydrological function fails, indicating active degradation.

Justification:

Based on soil physics principles for sealed and crusted soils.

Sources (1)

Preview of Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed August 5, 2025,

Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed August 5, 2025, Journal

Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 18, 2025

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Supporting Sources (19)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A framework relating soil surface condition to infiltration and sediment and nutrient mobilization in grazed rangelands of northeastern Queensland, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

A framework relating soil surface condition to infiltration and sediment and nutrient mobilization in grazed rangelands of northeastern Queensland, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

A framework relating soil surface condition to infiltration and sediment and nutrient mobilization in grazed rangelands of northeastern Queensland, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

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A Health Check for our Agricultural Soils - Enviro Data SA, accessed July 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

A Health Check for our Agricultural Soils - Enviro Data SA

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Beeftalk - FutureBeef, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Beeftalk - FutureBeef, accessed July 18, 2025,

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Preview of Can extension programs improve grazing management in rangelands: a case study in Australia's Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Can extension programs improve grazing management in rangelands: a case study in Australia's Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Can extension programs improve grazing management in rangelands: a case study in Australia's Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Publishing

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Preview of Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025

Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

The Rangeland Journal - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 10, 2025

View Source

Criterion I: Soil and water conservation on rangelands [Chapter 2] - Forest Service, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Criterion I: Soil and water conservation on rangelands [Chapter 2] - Forest Service, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Ludwig, J.A., Bastin, G.N., Chewings, V.H., Eager, R.W., and Liedloff, A.C. (2005). Clearing savannas for use as rangelands in Queensland: Altered landscapes and water-erosion processes. Rangeland Journal, 27(2), 135-149.

View Source

Preview of Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - project bedrock

Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - project bedrock

Contextual Support Journal

Landscape rehydration and regenerative agriculture improves soil health, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Grazing support programs | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 8, 2025

Direct Evidence Government

Infiltration rates and soil moisture in a groved mulga community near ..., accessed July 18, 2025

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

Direct Evidence

VERTISOLS (VR), accessed July 18, 2025

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Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Inherent Factors Affecting Soil Infiltration Infiltration Management - USDA, accessed July 18, 2025,

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Managing environmental flows in an agricultural landscape: the Lower Gwydir floodplain - DCCEEW, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Vegetation mapping of the Barwon-Darling and Condamine ...

View Source

National Guidance on Acid Sulfate Soils - Water Quality Australia

Contextual Support Journal

Managing soils - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 17, 2025

View Source

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

Contextual Support Journal

Understanding Soil Infiltration - Ideal Geotech

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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 water measurement and management on Vertisols in Queensland, Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Tillage and Residue Effects on Infiltration and Sediment Losses on Vertisols - USDA ARS, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source

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

Contextual Support Journal

CSIRO (2016)

View Source

The effect of soil and pasture attributes on rangeland infiltration rates in northern Australia, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Deep drainage rates of Grey Vertosols depend on land use in semi-arid subtropical regions of Queensland, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source

The Impacts of Grazing 1 NEFA BACKGROUND PAPER - Cloudfront.net, accessed August 6, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Rehabilitation Target
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

Represents hydrological failure and active degradation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-LVG-SWI family.