Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TDG-FOR-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

150 µS/cm
Range: 20 to 140 µS/cm
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 150
Optimal Range: 20 to 140
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 11 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 10 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

A Reference Value representing the best available condition for EC in surface waters under sustainable production forestry in this biome is proposed as – 150 μS/cm, with an aspirational target for systems aiming for very high ecological integrity to remain within the 20 140 μS/cm range.

Metric Definition:

Water Electrical Conductivity (EC) in surface waters under sustainable production forestry in Australian Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands biome.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the maximum acceptable Water Electrical Conductivity (EC) in surface waters under sustainable production forestry in the Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands biome of Australia. The optimal range for high ecological integrity is between 20 and 140 µS/cm.

Justification:

Derived from ANZECC (2000) guidelines for SE Australian upland rivers (20-140 µS/cm for slightly disturbed systems, 80th percentile 140 µS/cm) and supported by diatom sensitivity studies (~280 µS/cm impact threshold).

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

View Source

Supporting Sources (26)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025,
(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of (PDF) From fresh to saline: a comparison of zooplankton and plant communities developing under a gradient of salinity with communities developing under constant salinity levels - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,
(PDF) From fresh to saline: a comparison of zooplankton and plant communities developing under a gradient of salinity with communities developing under constant salinity levels - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) From fresh to saline: a comparison of zooplankton and plant communities developing under a gradient of salinity with communities developing under constant salinity levels - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of AUSTRALASIAN Temperate Dry Sclerophyll Forest & Woodlands (south-west), accessed May 15, 2025,
AUSTRALASIAN Temperate Dry Sclerophyll Forest & Woodlands (south-west), accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

AUSTRALASIAN Temperate Dry Sclerophyll Forest & Woodlands (south-west), accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Australia's State of the Forests Report 2008, accessed May 15, 2025,
Australia's State of the Forests Report 2008, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's State of the Forests Report 2008, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 13 Criterion 4 - DAFF, accessed August 1, 2025,
Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 13 Criterion 4 - DAFF, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Victoria's State of the Forests Report 2013, accessed March 28, 2026,

View Source
Preview of Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, accessed August 2, 2025,
Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, accessed August 2, 2025,
Direct Evidence

National Guidelines for Water Quality | Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania

View Source
Preview of Box Ironbark Forest - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, accessed May 15, 2025,
Box Ironbark Forest - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Box Ironbark Forest - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of communities.unep.org, accessed May 15, 2025,
communities.unep.org, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Irrelevant

Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality

View Source
Preview of Diatom–water quality thresholds in South Australian streams indicate a need for more stringent water quality guidelines - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed May 15, 2025,
Diatom–water quality thresholds in South Australian streams indicate a need for more stringent water quality guidelines - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed May 15, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

Diatom0water quality thresholds in South Australian streams indicate a need for more stringent water quality guidelines - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research

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 Direct Evidence

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

View Source
Preview of Eastern Australian temperate forests | EBSCO Research Starters, accessed May 15, 2025,
Eastern Australian temperate forests | EBSCO Research Starters, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Eastern Australian temperate forests | EBSCO Research Starters, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet Tropics, Australia | Freshwater Science: Vol 34, No 2, accessed July 22, 2025,
Ecology of streams in a biogeographic isolate—the Queensland Wet Tropics, Australia | Freshwater Science: Vol 34, No 2, accessed July 22, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZECC/ARMCANZ)

View Source
Preview of Electrical studies of the Australian lithosphere - Marine EM Laboratory, accessed May 15, 2025,
Electrical studies of the Australian lithosphere - Marine EM Laboratory, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Electrical studies of the Australian lithosphere - Marine EM Laboratory, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Forests, fire and vegetation change impacts on Murray-Darling basin water resources, accessed May 15, 2025,
Forests, fire and vegetation change impacts on Murray-Darling basin water resources, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support

Tropical logging harms downstream water quality - UPI.com

View Source
Preview of How can forestland owners provide the nation with clean drinking water?, accessed May 15, 2025,
How can forestland owners provide the nation with clean drinking water?, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

How can forestland owners provide the nation with clean drinking water?, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Impacts of Wildfire Severity on Hydraulic Conductivity in Forest, Woodland, and Grassland Soils, accessed May 15, 2025,
Impacts of Wildfire Severity on Hydraulic Conductivity in Forest, Woodland, and Grassland Soils, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support

Hydraulic conductivity in forest, woodland and grassland soils in Australia and the effects of fire

View Source
Preview of Namoi River Water Quality Objectives explained - NSW Government, accessed August 11, 2025,
Namoi River Water Quality Objectives explained - NSW Government, accessed August 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Percentage compliance with ANZECC water quality trigger values for aquatic ecosystems, primary contact recreation and secondary

View Source
Preview of Salinity | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed May 15, 2025,
Salinity | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Salinity | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Salinity is not necessarily bad for biodiversity: case studies of invertebrates from South Australian streams and River Murray wetlands, accessed May 15, 2025,
Salinity is not necessarily bad for biodiversity: case studies of invertebrates from South Australian streams and River Murray wetlands, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Indicators: Conductivity | US EPA, accessed July 13, 2025

View Source
Preview of The effects of forest management on water quality | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,
The effects of forest management on water quality | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The effects of forest management on water quality | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 31, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Using the ANZECC Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives in NSW, accessed August 11, 2025,
Using the ANZECC Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives in NSW, accessed August 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000) - Tuvalu Environment Data Portal, accessed July 19, 2025,

View Source
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)

View Source
Preview of Water quality of surface water environments - NSW Government Water, accessed August 1, 2025,
Water quality of surface water environments - NSW Government Water, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

National Guidelines for Water Quality | Department of Natural ...

View Source
Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of www.epa.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,
www.epa.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Regulated timber harvesting does not reduce koala density in north-east forests of New South Wales - PMC

View Source
Preview of www.nrc.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,
www.nrc.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

www.nrc.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 15 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: Not defined; naturally low EC (e.g., 20 µS/cm) is typical of healthy systems, concern is anthropogenic increases. Optimal Range: Inferred as 20-150 µS/cm for high ecological health. Upper Detrimental Threshold: ~280 µS/cm for sensitive species; >1000-1500 µS/cm for broader ecosystem damage. Best practice forestry should maintain EC well below detrimental levels, within the optimal range.