Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-TSW-LVG-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 2 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 1 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

For Sandy Soils, an optimal range is likely between 30 mm/h and 70 mm/h.

Metric Definition:

Optimal functional range of soil water infiltration rate for sandy soils balancing water capture and nutrient retention, measured in mm per hour.

Benchmark Definition:

Optimal infiltration rate range for sandy soils to maximize water capture while minimizing nutrient leaching.

Justification:

Synthesized from lower and upper boundary considerations balancing hydrological function and nutrient retention.

Sources (2)

Preview of A Comparison of Three Methodologies for Determining Soil Infiltration Capacity in Thicketized Oak Woodlands and Adjacent Grasslands - MDPI

A Comparison of Three Methodologies for Determining Soil Infiltration Capacity in Thicketized Oak Woodlands and Adjacent Grasslands - MDPI Journal

A Comparison of Three Methodologies for Determining Soil Infiltration Capacity in Thicketized Oak Woodlands and Adjacent Grasslands - MDPI

Preview of Runoff and micromorphological properties of a grazed haplargid, near Cobar, NSW, Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research

Runoff and micromorphological properties of a grazed haplargid, near Cobar, NSW, Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research

Runoff and micromorphological properties of a grazed haplargid, near Cobar, NSW, Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research

Supporting Sources (22)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025

(PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025

Contextual Support

Putting the P in Ptilotus: a phosphorus-accumulating herb native to Australia - PMC

Preview of A Global Meta-Analysis of Grazing Impacts on Soil Health Indicators - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

A Global Meta-Analysis of Grazing Impacts on Soil Health Indicators - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Sward lifting in compacted grassland: effects on soil structure, grass rooting and productivity. - CABI Digital Library

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

Preview of Challenges and opportunities for grain farming on sandy soils of ..., accessed July 10, 2025,

Challenges and opportunities for grain farming on sandy soils of ..., accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Border-check irrigation design | Irrigation | Water | Farm management - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 10, 2025,

Preview of Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section

Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section

Contextual Support Government

Chapter 7 Nutrient Leaching - SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section

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

Preview of Continental-scale impacts of livestock grazing on ecosystem supporting and regulating services, accessed July 10, 2025,

Continental-scale impacts of livestock grazing on ecosystem supporting and regulating services, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support

Livestock grazing impacts on infiltration rates in a temperate range of Pakistan - Journals, accessed July 10, 2025,

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.

Preview of Effect of reduced grazing pressure on sediment and nutrient yields in savanna rangeland streams draining to the Great Barrier Reef - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

Effect of reduced grazing pressure on sediment and nutrient yields in savanna rangeland streams draining to the Great Barrier Reef - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) A review of the salt sensitivity of the Australian freshwater biota

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

Preview of Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 12, 2025,

Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 12, 2025,

Contextual Support

The Rangeland Journal - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 13, 2025

Preview of Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

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 - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Journal of Arid Environments: Jessica Braden, Charlotte H. Mills, William K. Cornwell, Helen P. Waudby, Mike Letnic - Scribd, accessed July 10, 2025,

Journal of Arid Environments: Jessica Braden, Charlotte H. Mills, William K. Cornwell, Helen P. Waudby, Mike Letnic - Scribd, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health, accessed July 10, 2025,

Preview of Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production, accessed July 27, 2025,

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production, accessed July 27, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

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 July 23, 2025

Preview of Maximizing retention of native biodiversity in Australian agricultural ...

Maximizing retention of native biodiversity in Australian agricultural ...

Contextual Support Journal

Does grazing exclusion in Australia's rangelands affect biomass and debris carbon stocks? - CSIRO Publishing, accessed April 29, 2025,

Preview of Microsite and grazing intensity drive infiltration in a semi-arid ...

Microsite and grazing intensity drive infiltration in a semi-arid ...

Contextual Support Journal

Microsite and grazing intensity drive infiltration in a semi-arid ...

Preview of Microsite and grazing intensity drive infiltration in a semi-arid woodland - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025

Microsite and grazing intensity drive infiltration in a semi-arid woodland - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025

Contextual Support

Grazing dampens the positive effects of shrub ... - Arid Ecology Lab, accessed July 11, 2025,

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

Preview of risks and impacts of plant industries on soil condition - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, accessed July 10, 2025,

risks and impacts of plant industries on soil condition - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

risks and impacts of plant industries on soil condition - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, accessed July 10, 2025,

Preview of Soil Bulk Density and Water Infiltration as Affected by Grazing Systems - USDA ARS, accessed July 10, 2025,

Soil Bulk Density and Water Infiltration as Affected by Grazing Systems - USDA ARS, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Runoff and micromorphological properties of a grazed haplargid, near Cobar, NSW, Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 10, 2025,

Preview of Soil Infiltration Properties Are Affected by Typical Plant Communities in a Semi-Arid Desert Grassland in China - MDPI

Soil Infiltration Properties Are Affected by Typical Plant Communities in a Semi-Arid Desert Grassland in China - MDPI

Contextual Support Journal

How does building healthy soils impact sustainable use of water resources in irrigated agriculture? | Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene | University of California Press

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

Contextual Support Journal

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

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type HealthyOperationalRange

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 8 Jun 2026

Notes

Represents a functional range that balances maximizing water capture with minimizing nutrient loss in nutrient-poor sandy soils. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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