Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMS-LVG-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

350 μS/cm

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: UpperThreshold

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

Consistently exceeding 180 0003μS/cm in upland river systems (or 350 0003μS/cm in lowland systems) indicates departure from high ecological health.

Metric Definition:

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

Benchmark Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold for lowland river systems.

Justification:

Exceeding this range indicates a departure from high ecological health.

Sources (1)

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

ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia

View Source

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

View Source

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 ...

View Source

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.

View Source

Deriving guideline values using reference-site data - Water Quality Australia, accessed August 12, 2025

Methodology Source Government

Water Quality Guidelines Home - Water Quality Australia

View Source

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

View Source

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.

View Source

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

View Source

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

View Source

GBA Explorer, accessed May 14, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

GBA Explorer, accessed May 14, 2025,

View Source

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,

View Source

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

Contextual Support Journal

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

View Source

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

View Source

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

Contextual Support Journal

papers.acg.uwa.edu.au

View Source

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

View Source

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,

View Source

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

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

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

View Source

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)

View Source

Context

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

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

Upper Detrimental Threshold: 350 03μS/cm. Studies suggest ecological community shifts can begin at EC levels of 100-300 0003μS/cm in savanna-like or sensitive systems. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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