Water Nitrate

AUS-TMS-CON-WNI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.1 mg/L

Direction: Lower 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. The scoring engine uses 7 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 6 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

a reference benchmark value for water nitrate in Conservation / Protected Natural Areas within Australian Tropical Monsoonal Savannas, representing the "best available condition," is proposed as < 0.1 mg/L as Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3−N).

Metric Definition:

water nitrate concentration, typically expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/L)

Benchmark Definition:

Reference benchmark representing the 'best available condition' of nature achievable within Conservation / Protected Natural Areas.

Justification:

Derived from general statements regarding typical nitrate concentrations in relatively undisturbed freshwater systems across Australia and New Zealand.

Sources (1)

Preview of Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ..., accessed August 8, 2025

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ..., accessed August 8, 2025 Journal

Nitrate in freshwater, toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems

View Source

Supporting Sources (52)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed May 14, 2025,

(PDF) Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Environmental Water Requirements of Vallisneria nana in the Daly River, Northern Territory1 | Request PDF - ResearchGate

View Source

Deriving guideline values using reference-site data - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025

Direct Evidence Government

Water Quality Guidelines Home - Water Quality Australia

View Source

Preview of Diatom–water quality thresholds in South Australian streams indicate a need for more stringent water quality guidelines | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Diatom–water quality thresholds in South Australian streams indicate a need for more stringent water quality guidelines | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Validating species sensitivity distributions using salinity tolerance of riverine macroinvertebrates in the southern Murray–Darling Basin (Victoria, Australia) - Canadian Science Publishing

View Source

Litchfield Savanna BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data ..., accessed May 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Rance, S.J. et al. (2020). Multiple soil element and pH interactions constrain plant performance on tropical soils with a long history of fire. Soil Research, 58(4), 335-345.

View Source

Preview of Simultaneous exposure to nitrate and low pH reduces the blood oxygen-carrying capacity and functional performance of a freshwater fish | Conservation Physiology | Oxford Academic, accessed May 20, 2025,

Simultaneous exposure to nitrate and low pH reduces the blood oxygen-carrying capacity and functional performance of a freshwater fish | Conservation Physiology | Oxford Academic, accessed May 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Simultaneous exposure to nitrate and low pH reduces the blood oxygen-carrying capacity and functional performance of a freshwater fish | Conservation Physiology | Oxford Academic

View Source

Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess ... - DCCEEW, accessed May 20, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source

Water quality monitoring in the Mary River catchment - Territory Stories

View Source

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ...

Direct Evidence

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ...

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ...

Direct Evidence

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ...

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ...

Direct Evidence

Water Quality Objectives - Murray River catchment (NSW)

View Source

tuvalu-data.sprep.org, accessed May 11, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Palaeovalley Groundwater Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Australia - Geoscience Australia, accessed July 31, 2025,

View Source

tuvalu-data.sprep.org, accessed May 20, 2025,

Contextual Support