Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-AMR-LVG-SWI General High confidence

Benchmark Value

12 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

Degraded "unponded" sites had infiltration rates of approximately 10–12 mm/hr, and bare intergroves exhibit rates of less than 10 mm/hr, indicating a dysfunctional state.

Metric Definition:

Steady-state infiltration rate below which landscape function is compromised

Benchmark Definition:

Functional lower threshold of infiltration rate indicating landscape dysfunction in degraded sites.

Justification:

Based on observed infiltration rates at degraded sites and natural bare intergroves indicating poor hydrological function.

Sources (2)

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

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Preview of Summary of infiltration rates in arid and semiarid regions of the world, with an annotated bibliography By MS Bedinger US
Summary of infiltration rates in arid and semiarid regions of the world, with an annotated bibliography By MS Bedinger US Journal

Water Infiltration Rates into Unponded and Ponded Soils in Central Australia - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

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Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 6, 2025,
Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Understanding Soil Infiltration - Ideal Geotech

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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,
Contextual Support Journal

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

View Source
Preview of Restoration of degraded grazing country in the semi-arid areas of ..., accessed July 10, 2025,
Restoration of degraded grazing country in the semi-arid areas of ..., accessed July 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Maintain and improve groundcover - Local Land Services

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

This threshold is functionally defined by the inability to capture common rainfall events and is strongly correlated with ground cover below 40%. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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

— mm/hr High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Rehabilitation Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— mm/hr High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Rehabilitation Target
OptimalRange Active v1
— mm/hr High
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Rehabilitation Target
OptimalRange Active v1