Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AMR-LVG-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1140 µS/cm

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: Point

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

The value of 1,140 µS/cm (rounded from 1,141 µS/cm) is therefore proposed as the benchmark.

Metric Definition:

Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the minimum observed water electrical conductivity in permanent, spring-fed pools in the Flinders Ranges, sufficient to sustain a high-value, functioning ecosystem including a critically endangered vertebrate in the Australian Arid Mountain Ranges.

Justification:

The benchmark is based on the minimum observed EC value from permanent, spring-fed pools in the Flinders Ranges that support a critically endangered fish (Mogurnda clivicola), representing the best available real-world data for a functioning, high-value ecosystem in an Australian Arid Mountain Range.

Sources (1)

Preview of Variation of water quality parameters with location in the two known habitats of Mogurnda clivicola (Flinders Ranges Mogurnda) and the implications for the ongoing viability of those habitats

Variation of water quality parameters with location in the two known habitats of Mogurnda clivicola (Flinders Ranges Mogurnda) and the implications for the ongoing viability of those habitats Journal

Variation of water quality parameters with location in the two known habitats of Mogurnda clivicola (Flinders Ranges Mogurnda) and the implications for the ongoing viability of those habitats

View Source

Supporting Sources (5)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in ...

Direct Evidence Journal

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in ...

View Source

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025

Contextual Support Government

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia

View Source

NATIONAL PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES FOR RANGELAND MANAGEMENT, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Water Quality for Livestock and Poultry - Water quality for agriculture

View Source

Water Quality and the Grazing Animal - UNL Digital Commons, accessed July 25, 2025

Contextual Support

Water Quality and the Grazing Animal - UNL Digital Commons

View Source

Water quality for livestock, accessed July 29, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers, accessed July 10, 2025,

View Source

Context

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

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 9 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Standard ANZECC guidelines (30-350 µS/cm) are inapplicable as they are derived from temperate, not arid, ecosystems. The selected value reflects the naturally higher salinity of groundwater-fed arid zone water bodies. Confidence is Moderate due to reliance on a single high-quality regional study and lack of broad-scale monitoring data. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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