Water Turbidity

AUS-TMI-URB-WTU General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 1.7 to 4.3 NTU

Optimal Range: 1.7 to 4.3

Direction: Lower 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.

Evidence & Context

Other less-developed estuaries like the Daintree and Moresby also graded as "Very Good," with turbidity values ranging from 1.7 NTU to 4.3 NTU.

Metric Definition:

Turbidity is a physical property of water that quantifies its clarity or, conversely, its cloudiness. It is not a direct measure of the particles themselves, but rather an optical measure of how light is scattered by suspended materials in the water column.

Benchmark Definition:

Annual median turbidity range observed in estuaries graded as having "Very Good" ecological condition.

Justification:

Represents the highest achievable state of ecological health documented in the program for catchments under varying degrees of development.

Sources (1)

Preview of FAQ Report Card | Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership, accessed August 2, 2025,

FAQ Report Card | Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership, accessed August 2, 2025, GreyLiterature

wet tropics report card 2024 - waterway environment results, accessed August 2, 2025

Supporting Sources (36)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of 7.4 Patterns of Primary Production – Introduction to Oceanography, accessed August 2, 2025,

7.4 Patterns of Primary Production – Introduction to Oceanography, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Full article: Relationships between algal primary productivity and environmental variables in tropical floodplain wetlands - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025

Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Regions)

Preview of Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed August 5, 2025

Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed August 5, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Turbidity | Australia state of the environment 2021

Preview of Chlorophyll a and turbidity patterns over coral reefs systems of La ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Chlorophyll a and turbidity patterns over coral reefs systems of La ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Direct Evidence Methodology Source Journal

Water quality | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Declining water quality - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 1, 2025

Declining water quality - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 1, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Monitoring wetland water quality related to livestock grazing in amphibian habitats - PMC, accessed July 25, 2025,

Preview of Diving deeper into nutrient pathways to help protect Lord Howe Island's marine haven, accessed August 4, 2025,

Diving deeper into nutrient pathways to help protect Lord Howe Island's marine haven, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Managing urban and non-agricultural run-off to the Reef ..., accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Evaluating the water quality of stormwater runoffs in urban area - ResearchGate, accessed August 2, 2025,

Evaluating the water quality of stormwater runoffs in urban area - ResearchGate, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Full article: Relationships between algal primary productivity and environmental variables in tropical floodplain wetlands - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 2, 2025,

Full article: Relationships between algal primary productivity and environmental variables in tropical floodplain wetlands - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Phytoplankton primary production in the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems - BG, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Improving water quality - DCCEEW, accessed August 2, 2025,

Improving water quality - DCCEEW, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Responses of coral reefs and reef organisms to sedimentation, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Incredible Great Barrier Reef Islands For Your Holiday - Visitor's Guide - Queensland, accessed July 30, 2025,

Incredible Great Barrier Reef Islands For Your Holiday - Visitor's Guide - Queensland, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Incredible Great Barrier Reef Islands For Your Holiday - Visitor's Guide - Queensland, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Large-scale effects of turbidity on coral bleaching in the Hawaiian islands - Frontiers, accessed August 2, 2025,

Large-scale effects of turbidity on coral bleaching in the Hawaiian islands - Frontiers, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Large-scale effects of turbidity on coral bleaching in the Hawaiian islands - Frontiers, accessed August 2, 2025,

Preview of Largest study of water quality effects on Great Barrier Reef | AIMS, accessed August 2, 2025,

Largest study of water quality effects on Great Barrier Reef | AIMS, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Largest study of water quality effects on Great Barrier Reef | AIMS, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Long-term spatial variations in turbidity and temperature provide new insights into coral-algal states on extreme/marginal reefs - ResearchOnline@JCU, accessed August 2, 2025,

Long-term spatial variations in turbidity and temperature provide new insights into coral-algal states on extreme/marginal reefs - ResearchOnline@JCU, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Impacts of water resource development on tropical flow-dependent fisheries - CDU Research Webportal

Preview of Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Geology | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia

Preview of Lord Howe Island Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lord Howe Island Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 1, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island Marine Park News Water Quality Research Collaboration, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Marine Park News Water Quality Research Collaboration, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Diving deeper into nutrient pathways to help protect Lord Howe Island's marine haven, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island On-Site Wastewater Management Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island On-Site Wastewater Management Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Lord Howe Island Marine Park News Water Quality Research Collaboration, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Managing urban and non-agricultural run-off to the Reef ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Managing urban and non-agricultural run-off to the Reef ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Managing urban and non-agricultural run-off to the Reef ..., accessed August 2, 2025,

Preview of Phytoplankton primary production in the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems - BG, accessed August 2, 2025,

Phytoplankton primary production in the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems - BG, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Turbid reefs moderate coral bleaching under climate‐related temperature stress - PMC, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Protecting our Great Barrier Reef - Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), Queensland, accessed August 3, 2025,

Protecting our Great Barrier Reef - Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), Queensland, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Queensland Reef Water Quality Program | Environment, land and water, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Queensland Reef Water Quality Program | Environment, land and water, accessed August 3, 2025,

Queensland Reef Water Quality Program | Environment, land and water, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Queensland Reef Water Quality Program | Environment, land and water, accessed August 2, 2025,

Preview of Report Card Explainer - Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan, accessed August 2, 2025,

Report Card Explainer - Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Report Card Explainer - Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan, accessed August 2, 2025,

Preview of Responses of coral reefs and reef organisms to sedimentation, accessed August 2, 2025,

Responses of coral reefs and reef organisms to sedimentation, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Sediments and turbidity – Caribbean Coral Reef Institute (CCRI), accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Sediments and turbidity – Caribbean Coral Reef Institute (CCRI), accessed August 2, 2025,

Sediments and turbidity – Caribbean Coral Reef Institute (CCRI), accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Sediments and turbidity – Caribbean Coral Reef Institute (CCRI), accessed August 2, 2025,

Preview of The most beautiful Australian islands - Tourism Australia, accessed August 2, 2025,

The most beautiful Australian islands - Tourism Australia, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

The most beautiful Australian islands - Tourism Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review - MDPI, accessed August 2, 2025,

Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review - MDPI, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Nearshore Turbid-Zone Corals Exhibit High Bleaching Tolerance on the Great Barrier Reef Following the 2016 Ocean Warming Event - Frontiers, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Turbid reefs moderate coral bleaching under climate‐related temperature stress - PMC, accessed August 2, 2025,

Turbid reefs moderate coral bleaching under climate‐related temperature stress - PMC, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Large-scale effects of turbidity on coral bleaching in the Hawaiian islands - Frontiers, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Turbidity and light attenuation in coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef - ResearchOnline@JCU, accessed August 2, 2025,

Turbidity and light attenuation in coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef - ResearchOnline@JCU, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Turbidity and light attenuation in coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef - ResearchOnline@JCU

Preview of Urban stormwater quality - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 2, 2025,

Urban stormwater quality - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Government

Urban stormwater quality - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Water quality | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 2, 2025,

Water quality | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

7.4 Patterns of Primary Production – Introduction to Oceanography, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Water Quality and Monitoring - Indian River Lagoon, accessed August 2, 2025,

Water Quality and Monitoring - Indian River Lagoon, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Water Quality and Monitoring - Indian River Lagoon, accessed August 2, 2025,

Preview of Water quality as a regional driver of coral biodiversity and macroalgae on the Great Barrier Reef - PubMed, accessed August 2, 2025,

Water quality as a regional driver of coral biodiversity and macroalgae on the Great Barrier Reef - PubMed, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Declining water quality | Reef Authority, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Water quality guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef - eAtlas, accessed August 2, 2025,

Water quality guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef - eAtlas, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support

Water Quality Guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park., accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Water Quality Improvement - Townsville City Council, accessed August 2, 2025,

Water Quality Improvement - Townsville City Council, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Water Quality Improvement - Townsville City Council, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Water quality of surface water environments - NSW Government Water, accessed August 1, 2025,

Water quality of surface water environments - NSW Government Water, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

National Guidelines for Water Quality | Department of Natural ...

Preview of wet tropics report card 2024 - waterway environment results, accessed August 2, 2025,

wet tropics report card 2024 - waterway environment results, accessed August 2, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Report Card Explainer - Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan, accessed August 2, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Land Use Urban & Developed Use
Assessment Pristine Reference
Vegetation Riparian
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 30 May 2026

Notes

Reflects the best available condition under best-practice land management.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMI-URB-WTU family.