Water Nitrate

AUS-TDG-AGR-WNI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 0.1 to 0.2 mg/L

Optimal Range: 0.1 to 0.2

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 3 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 2 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Based on the synthesis of the aforementioned lines of evidence, a proposed reference range for water nitrate, reflecting the "best available condition" and "high environmental health" in streams draining regenerative agricultural crop production areas within Australian Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands, is <0.1 mg/L to 0.2 mg/L NO3−.

Metric Definition:

Water nitrate concentration in streams draining regenerative agricultural crop production areas within Australian Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands.

Benchmark Definition:

Reference benchmark for water nitrate concentration representing best available condition and high environmental health in the specified biome and land use.

Justification:

Derived from synthesis of ANZECC (2000) regional DTVs for NOx in slightly disturbed temperate lowland rivers, nitrate levels in pristine/minimally impacted catchments, and regenerative agriculture principles aiming to minimize nutrient leakage.

Sources (1)

Turbidity in Surface Water 14 Rehabilitation Standard for the Ranger uranium mine - DCCEEW, accessed August 1, 2025,

Turbidity in Surface Water 14 Rehabilitation Standard for the Ranger uranium mine - DCCEEW, accessed August 1, 2025,

View Source

Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Memorandum - Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000, accessed August 8, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Hickey, C. (2002). Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000. Memorandum MFE02237 prepared for Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand). NIWA Client Report: HAM2002-126.

View Source

tuvalu-data.sprep.org, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Palaeovalley Groundwater Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Australia - Geoscience Australia, accessed July 31, 2025,

View Source

webcat.niwa.co.nz, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

webcat.niwa.co.nz, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 15 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: –0.01 0.02 mg/L NO3 ; Optimal Range: 0.02 0.2 mg/L NO3 ; Upper Detrimental Threshold: sustained concentrations exceeding 0.2 0.5 mg/L NO3 indicate eutrophication risk; chronic toxicity threshold ~10.63 mg/L NO3 (ANZG 2018 DGV). RangeFixup applied 2026-03-21 22:21 UTC: LowerBound: 0.1 → 0.02; OptimalRangeLow: 0.02 → 0.1 [Migration] Original wider evidence range: 0.02 – 0.2 (retained OptimalRange: 0.1 – 0.2)

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TDG-AGR-WNI family.