Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMS-CON-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

200 µS/cm
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.

Evidence & Context

Freshwater sites sampled during this period were generally below 200 00μS/cm, with more than half of these sites recording EC values of less than 100 00μS/cm.

Metric Definition:

Electrical Conductivity (EC)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents an upper bound of electrical conductivity observed in largely undisturbed freshwater sites during the dry season in tropical monsoonal savannas.

Justification:

Upper bound of observed values in largely undisturbed catchments during dry season.

Sources (1)

Preview of "Water quality monitoring in Cape York Streams June to August 2021" (QLD DES 2021)
"Water quality monitoring in Cape York Streams June to August 2021" (QLD DES 2021) Journal

environment.desi.qld.gov.au

View Source

Supporting Sources (19)

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,
Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

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

View Source
Preview of 5.9 Conductivity | Monitoring & Assessment | US EPA, accessed August 11, 2025,
5.9 Conductivity | Monitoring & Assessment | US EPA, accessed August 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

archive.epa.gov

View Source
Preview of Appendix 11 Potential Effects of Solute Loading to Magela Creek - NTEPA
Appendix 11 Potential Effects of Solute Loading to Magela Creek - NTEPA
Direct Evidence Journal

Appendix 11 Potential Effects of Solute Loading to Magela Creek - NTEPA

View Source
Preview of Assessing discharges from a uranium mine — case study - Water Quality Australia
Assessing discharges from a uranium mine — case study - Water Quality Australia
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Assessing discharges from a uranium mine — case study - Water Quality Australia

View Source
Preview of Conductivity: A Fundamental Water Quality Parameter - OTT HydroMet Blog
Conductivity: A Fundamental Water Quality Parameter - OTT HydroMet Blog
Contextual Support

Conductivity: A Fundamental Water Quality Parameter - OTT HydroMet Blog

View Source
Preview of Deriving guideline values using reference-site data - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Deriving guideline values using reference-site data - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Water Quality Guidelines Home - Water Quality Australia

View Source
Preview of Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed July 24, 2025
Discharge-driven seasonal pattern of ionic solutes, suspended sediment and water clarity for a tropical savanna river in northern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Marine and Freshwater Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING

View Source
Preview of Drivers of water quality in Afromontane-savanna rivers - Frontiers
Drivers of water quality in Afromontane-savanna rivers - Frontiers
Irrelevant

Drivers of water quality in Afromontane-savanna rivers - Frontiers

View Source
Preview of Mitchell Basin (Part) | Environment | Department of the Environment ...
Mitchell Basin (Part) | Environment | Department of the Environment ...
Regulatory Framework Government

Mitchell Basin (Part) | Environment | Department of the Environment ...

View Source
Preview of Monitoring water quality in urbanised catchments | TERN Australia
Monitoring water quality in urbanised catchments | TERN Australia
Contextual Support Government

Monitoring water quality in urbanised catchments | TERN Australia

View Source
Preview of National Guidelines for Water Quality - Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, accessed August 1, 2025,
National Guidelines for Water Quality - Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, accessed August 1, 2025,
Methodology Source

Using the ANZECC Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives in NSW

View Source
Preview of National Guidelines for Water Quality | Department of Natural ...
National Guidelines for Water Quality | Department of Natural ...
Methodology Source Journal

leusch.info

View Source
Preview of Nature Index: Earth and Environmental Sciences at the Top - Universität Bremen
Nature Index: Earth and Environmental Sciences at the Top - Universität Bremen
Irrelevant GreyLiterature

Nature Index: Earth and Environmental Sciences at the Top - Universität Bremen

View Source
Preview of papers.acg.uwa.edu.au, accessed May 14, 2025,
papers.acg.uwa.edu.au, accessed May 14, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

papers.acg.uwa.edu.au

View Source
Preview of Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess ... - DCCEEW, accessed May 20, 2025,
Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess ... - DCCEEW, accessed May 20, 2025,
Direct Evidence

Water quality monitoring in the Mary River catchment - Territory Stories

View Source
Preview of Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess impacts from the Ranger Mine - DCCEEW
Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess impacts from the Ranger Mine - DCCEEW
Direct Evidence

ir653.docx - DCCEEW

View Source
Preview of Using the ANZECC Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives in NSW, accessed August 11, 2025,
Using the ANZECC Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives in NSW, accessed August 11, 2025,
Methodology Source Journal

Reference-site data - Water Quality Australia

View Source
Preview of Water quality indicator: Electrical conductivity - Queen Mary University of London, accessed August 11, 2025,
Water quality indicator: Electrical conductivity - Queen Mary University of London, accessed August 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

www.qmul.ac.uk

View Source
Preview of www.csiro.au, accessed May 20, 2025,
www.csiro.au, accessed May 20, 2025,
Contextual Support

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Tuvalu Environment Data Portal

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Season Dry Season
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 9 Jun 2026

Notes

More than 50% of sites were < 100 00μS/cm.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-CON-WEC family.

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MaximumOnly Active v1
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30 µS/cm Moderate
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53 µS/cm Moderate
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Point Active v1
21 µS/cm Moderate
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MaximumOnly Active v1
100 µS/cm Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Active v1