Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMS-LVG-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 20 to 180 μS/cm

Optimal Range: 20 to 180

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: OptimalRange

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Optimal Range: Broadly <20 0003μS/cm to 180 0003μS/cm, reflecting the natural variability from pristine (often <50 0003μS/cm) to slightly disturbed but healthy upland river conditions.

Metric Definition:

Water Electrical Conductivity (EC) is a fundamental measure of the total concentration of dissolved ionic solutes in water.

Benchmark Definition:

Optimal EC range for high environmental health and supporting natural ecological functions under best-practice grazing.

Justification:

Reflects natural variability from pristine to slightly disturbed but healthy upland river conditions.

Sources (1)

Preview of ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025 Government

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia

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,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

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

Preview of Assessing discharges from a uranium mine 14 case study - Water Quality Australia, accessed May 14, 2025,

Assessing discharges from a uranium mine 14 case study - Water Quality Australia, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Government

Water Quality Guidelines Assessing discharges from a uranium ...

Preview of Default guideline values - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025

Default guideline values - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Government

ANZECC (2000) Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality.

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

Methodology Source Government

Water Quality Guidelines Home - Water Quality Australia

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,

Cross Reference GreyLiterature

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

Preview of environment.des.qld.gov.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

environment.des.qld.gov.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Howley, C., Turner, R., Darr, A., & Grimes, A. (2021). Water quality monitoring in Cape York Streams: June to August 2021. Queensland Department of Environment and Science.

Preview of environment.desi.qld.gov.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

environment.desi.qld.gov.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Setting thresholds of ecosystem structure and function to protect streams of the Brazilian savanna, accessed May 14, 2025

Preview of Environmental Factors Affecting Australia's Livestock Industries - MLA, accessed August 8, 2025

Environmental Factors Affecting Australia's Livestock Industries - MLA, accessed August 8, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Effects of Livestock Grazing on Wetlands: Literature Review - Waikato Regional Council

Preview of GBA Explorer, accessed May 14, 2025,

GBA Explorer, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

GBA Explorer, accessed May 14, 2025,

Preview of Newaukum Creek Basin Characterization Project Report - King County, accessed May 14, 2025,

Newaukum Creek Basin Characterization Project Report - King County, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Newaukum Creek Basin Characterization Project Report - King County, accessed May 14, 2025,

Preview of nt.gov.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

nt.gov.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Document - Department for Infrastructure and Transport, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Nutrient loadings and deforestation decrease benthic macroinvertebrate diversity in an urbanised tropical stream system | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 14, 2025,

Nutrient loadings and deforestation decrease benthic macroinvertebrate diversity in an urbanised tropical stream system | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(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

Preview of papers.acg.uwa.edu.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

papers.acg.uwa.edu.au, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

papers.acg.uwa.edu.au

Preview of Recommended environmental water requirements for the Daly River, Northern Territory, based on ecological, hydrological and biological principles - DCCEEW, accessed May 14, 2025,

Recommended environmental water requirements for the Daly River, Northern Territory, based on ecological, hydrological and biological principles - DCCEEW, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Water quality monitoring in the Mary River catchment - Territory Stories, accessed July 24, 2025

Preview of Setting thresholds of ecosystem structure and function to protect streams of the Brazilian savanna - Frontiers, accessed May 14, 2025,

Setting thresholds of ecosystem structure and function to protect streams of the Brazilian savanna - Frontiers, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Cross Reference Journal

Setting thresholds of ecosystem structure and function to protect streams of the Brazilian savanna - Frontiers, accessed May 14, 2025,

Preview of Setting thresholds of ecosystem structure and function to protect streams of the Brazilian savanna, accessed May 14, 2025,

Setting thresholds of ecosystem structure and function to protect streams of the Brazilian savanna, accessed May 14, 2025,

Cross Reference Journal

Setting thresholds of ecosystem structure and function to protect streams of the Brazilian savanna - Frontiers, accessed May 14, 2025

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

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,

Preview of Water quality for livestock | Agriculture and Food, accessed May 14, 2025,

Water quality for livestock | Agriculture and Food, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Water quality for livestock | Agriculture and Food, accessed May 14, 2025

Preview of Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 1, 2025,

Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000)

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

Best practice aims for the lower end of this range, consistent with local reference conditions. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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