Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-ASC-AGR-SWI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

20 mm/hr

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

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 4 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Represents a high-functioning soil under mature regenerative management, balancing good infiltration with water retention.

Metric Definition:

Steady-state soil water infiltration rate, the rate at which water infiltrates soil after initial wetting, measured in mm/hr.

Benchmark Definition:

Optimal reference value for steady-state soil water infiltration rate under best-practice regenerative management in Alpine and Subalpine Complex agricultural soils.

Justification:

Positioned within the upper range of ARR Group B and approaching Group A final rates. Supported by improvements seen in analogous systems.

Sources (1)

Alfalfa planting significantly improved alpine soil water infiltrability in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Alfalfa planting significantly improved alpine soil water infiltrability in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

View Source

Supporting Sources (4)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Australian Heritage Database - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Australian Heritage Database - DCCEEW

View Source

Preview of Impacts of Road Disturbance on Soil Properties and on Exotic Plant Occurrence in Subalpine Areas of the Australian Alps - ResearchGate, accessed on May 31, 2025

Impacts of Road Disturbance on Soil Properties and on Exotic Plant Occurrence in Subalpine Areas of the Australian Alps - ResearchGate, accessed on May 31, 2025

Direct Evidence Journal

Impacts of Road Disturbance on Soil Properties and on Exotic Plant Occurrence in Subalpine Areas of the Australian Alps - ResearchGate

View Source

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

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - Project Bedrock

View Source

theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Phosphorus Nutrition of Proteaceae in Severely Phosphorus-Impoverished Soils: Are There Lessons To Be Learned for Future Crops? - PubMed Central

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Agricultural Biodiversity Target
Evidence Type HealthyOperationalRange

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 10 Jun 2026

Notes

Indicates a soil in excellent health, capable of efficiently absorbing and transmitting water. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASC-AGR-SWI family.