Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMS-AGR-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

50 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

An aspirational target of <50 0003μS/cm (expressed as an annual median) is proposed for surface waters in agricultural landscapes situated on ancient, nutrient-poor geologies

Metric Definition:

Electrical Conductivity (EC) quantifies the ability of water to conduct an electrical current. This ability is directly proportional to the concentration of total dissolved ionized substances in the water

Benchmark Definition:

Aspirational target for surface waters in agricultural landscapes on ancient, nutrient-poor geologies.

Justification:

Derived from consistently low EC measurements observed in minimally impacted reference catchments such as the Ngarradj, Magela Creek, and areas of the Daly River catchment upstream of significant carbonate aquifer influence.

Sources (1)

Preview of SSR179 - Baseline suspended-sediment, solute, EC ... - DCCEEW, accessed May 11, 2025,

SSR179 - Baseline suspended-sediment, solute, EC ... - DCCEEW, accessed May 11, 2025, Journal

Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess impacts from the Ranger Mine (DOCX 1.7 MB) - DCCEEW, accessed May 11, 2025

Supporting Sources (18)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Towards understanding the impacts of land management on ..., accessed May 11, 2025,

(PDF) Towards understanding the impacts of land management on ..., accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

(PDF) Towards understanding the impacts of land management on productivity in the Daly River - ResearchGate, accessed July 24, 2025,

Preview of A longitudinal survey of the water quality of the Katherine and Daly Rivers, May/June 2016, accessed May 11, 2025,

A longitudinal survey of the water quality of the Katherine and Daly Rivers, May/June 2016, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

A longitudinal survey of the water quality of the Katherine and Daly Rivers, May/June 2016, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Consultas Ciudadanas, accessed May 11, 2025,

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Consultas Ciudadanas, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Journal

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Consultas Ciudadanas, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000), accessed May 11, 2025,

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000), accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Journal

Northern Territory Government (2020) Darwin Harbour Region Water Quality Objectives, Report Card Section 3.0.

Preview of Deriving guideline values using field-effects data - Water Quality Australia, accessed May 11, 2025,

Deriving guideline values using field-effects data - Water Quality Australia, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Deriving guideline values using field-effects data - Water Quality Australia, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Diatom–water quality thresholds in South Australian streams indicate a need for more stringent water quality guidelines | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Diatom–water quality thresholds in South Australian streams indicate a need for more stringent water quality guidelines | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Validating species sensitivity distributions using salinity tolerance of riverine macroinvertebrates in the southern Murray–Darling Basin (Victoria, Australia) - Canadian Science Publishing

Preview of DRYLAND SALINITY IN AUSTRALIA—Summary - Inside Cotton, accessed May 11, 2025,

DRYLAND SALINITY IN AUSTRALIA—Summary - Inside Cotton, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

DRYLAND SALINITY IN AUSTRALIA—Summary - Inside Cotton, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of environment.nt.gov.au, accessed May 11, 2025,

environment.nt.gov.au, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Journal

Water Quality objectives for the region - Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Preview of Food, Climate & Regenerative Farming FAQ - The Nature Conservancy, accessed May 11, 2025,

Food, Climate & Regenerative Farming FAQ - The Nature Conservancy, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Scaling Regenerative Agriculture in Tropical Regions - Rainforest Alliance, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Gross primary productivity and water use efficiency are increasing in a high rainfall tropical savanna - PubMed Central, accessed May 11, 2025,

Gross primary productivity and water use efficiency are increasing in a high rainfall tropical savanna - PubMed Central, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Gross primary productivity and water use efficiency are increasing in a high rainfall tropical savanna - PubMed Central, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative agriculture is key to dry season preparation - Soils For Life, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Retrieving understorey dynamics in the Australian tropical savannah from time series decomposition and linear unmixing of MODIS data | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Retrieving understorey dynamics in the Australian tropical savannah from time series decomposition and linear unmixing of MODIS data | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Retrieving understorey dynamics in the Australian tropical savannah from time series decomposition and linear unmixing of MODIS data | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025,

Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Salinity | Murray–Darling Basin Authority

Preview of Stream Baseflows in the Daly Basin - CiteSeerX, accessed May 11, 2025,

Stream Baseflows in the Daly Basin - CiteSeerX, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence

Stream Baseflows in the Daly Basin - CiteSeerX, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess impacts from the Ranger Mine (DOCX 1.7 MB) - DCCEEW, accessed May 11, 2025,

Surface water chemistry monitoring protocol to assess impacts from the Ranger Mine (DOCX 1.7 MB) - DCCEEW, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source

Surface Water Impact Assessment - Inland Rail

Preview of Understanding the Impact of Intensive Horticulture Land-Use Practices on Surface Water Quality in Central Kenya - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Understanding the Impact of Intensive Horticulture Land-Use Practices on Surface Water Quality in Central Kenya - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Cross Reference

Understanding the Impact of Intensive Horticulture Land-Use Practices on Surface Water Quality in Central Kenya - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of Water quality | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 11, 2025,

Water quality | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Drivers of water quality in Afromontane-savanna rivers - Frontiers

Preview of Water resource assessment for the Roper catchment. A ... - CSIRO, accessed May 11, 2025,

Water resource assessment for the Roper catchment. A ... - CSIRO, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Water resource assessment for the Roper catchment. A ... - CSIRO, accessed May 11, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

Expressed as an annual median. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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