Gully Density

AUS-TSW-URB-GUL General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 5

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. The scoring engine uses 4 benchmarks together — the Point form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

Point Primary MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

regional data from non-urban landscapes suggests a density > 5 m/ha indicates extreme degradation

Metric Definition:

Gully Density, defined as the density of active gullies in the landscape.

Benchmark Definition:

A gully density greater than 5 m/ha indicates extreme landscape degradation based on regional data from non-urban areas.

Justification:

This value provides a practical scale of management failure based on regional data from non-urban landscapes.

Sources (1)

Preview of Gully erosion prediction across a large region: Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, accessed August 1, 2025,

Gully erosion prediction across a large region: Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, accessed August 1, 2025, Journal

Australia's State of the Forests Report, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (28)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) Water Sensitive Urban Design - Case Studies (Australia/Dubai) - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Water Sensitive Urban Design - Case Studies (Australia/Dubai) - ResearchGate, accessed July 26, 2025

View Source

Preview of Advancing gully topographic threshold analysis using an automated algorithm and high-resolution topography - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 16, 2025,

Advancing gully topographic threshold analysis using an automated algorithm and high-resolution topography - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Advancing gully topographic threshold analysis using an automated algorithm and high-resolution topography - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

View Source

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

Contextual Support

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Regions), accessed July 12, 2025,

View Source

Chapter 13 Gully erosion and its control - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 12, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Gully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needs, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source

East Australian Mediterranean Woodlands & Temperate Savannas ..., accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support

Temperate Grasslands - Greening Australia

View Source

Eastern Australian temperate forests - Wikipedia, accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support

Eastern Australian temperate forests - Wikipedia, accessed July 7, 2025,

View Source

Great Western Woodlands - Wikipedia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Great Western Woodlands - Wikipedia, accessed July 12, 2025,

View Source

Gully erosion | Land and soil | Environment and Heritage, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Government

Australia's Biodiversity and Climate Change - DAFF, accessed August 6, 2025

View Source

Gully Erosion Assessment and Control Guide released - Local Land Services, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Gully Erosion Assessment and Control Guide released - Local Land Services

View Source

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Category:IBRA regions - Wikipedia, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Regions), accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

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

View Source

nesplandscapes.edu.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Alluvial Gully Erosion Rates and Processes Across the Mitchell ..., accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 32 – Mallee open woodlands and ... - DCCEEW, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 32 – Mallee open woodlands and sparse mallee shrublands - DCCEEW, accessed July 10, 2025

View Source

Prioritising interventions for the reduction of erosion in classical gullies: a modelling study, accessed May 13, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

2025 Guide: Australian Forestry & Sustainable Farming Standards, accessed July 31, 2025

View Source

Program - CSIRO

Contextual Support

Program - CSIRO

Program - CSIRO, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Review of soil erosion modelling involving water with field applications - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source

Protecting Australia's diverse soils and landscapes | Sustainable Food Trust, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Causes and Effects of Gully Erosion on Agricultural Lands and the Environment, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source

Repairing gully erosion in Western Australia | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

A framework for developing completion criteria for mine closure and rehabilitation - The Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source

Save Our Soils - Soil Science Australia, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support

Save Our Soils - Soil Science Australia

View Source

Preview of Sedimentation from landscape clearance-induced soil erosion threatens waterhole persistence in a semi-arid river system, southern Queensland, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 13, 2025,

Sedimentation from landscape clearance-induced soil erosion threatens waterhole persistence in a semi-arid river system, southern Queensland, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Managing outback floodplains - Local Land Services, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source

Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

The effects of clipping frequency and nitrogen fertilisation on greenhouse gas emissions and net ecosystem exchange in an Australian temperate grassland - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal

View Source

Soil Erosion in Australia: Definition, Causes and Prevention, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Erosion in Australia: Definition, Causes and Prevention, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source

Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Assessing gully erosion and rehabilitation using multi temporal LiDAR DEMs: Case study from the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source

Water Sensitive Design Guide for Rural Residential Subdivisions - WaterNSW, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Water Sensitive Design Guide for Rural Residential Subdivisions - WaterNSW

View Source

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)

Contextual Support

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)

View Source

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), accessed July 13, 2025,

View Source

Water sensitive urban design guideline June 2023 - Transport for NSW, accessed July 13, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Water sensitive urban design guideline June 2023 - Transport for NSW, accessed July 13, 2025,

View Source

Water Sensitive Urban Design in North Queensland, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Water Sensitive Urban Design in North Queensland

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Urban & Developed Use
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 2
Effective From 15 Mar 2026

Notes

This threshold is derived from non-urban landscapes and may have reduced direct relevance to urban and developed land use contexts. ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:13 UTC: BenchmarkValue 5 → (check: MinAbovePointValue, rationale: The BenchmarkValue should be cleared or ignored as the threshold is now in UpperThreshold.) ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:13 UTC: UpperThreshold → 5 (check: MinAbovePointValue, rationale: The Notes state that gully density > 5 m/ha indicates extreme degradation, so this threshold should be an upper limit. Moving the value to UpperThreshold will auto-correct the form to MaximumOnly, resolving the contradiction.) [Auto-corrected BenchmarkForm: MinimumOnly → MaximumOnly] ConsistencyResolver applied 2026-03-23 00:13 UTC: LowerThreshold → (check: MinAbovePointValue, rationale: No change needed to LowerThreshold as it is already null.)

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSW-URB-GUL family.