Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AMR-AQU-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1500 µS/cm
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 1500
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. The scoring engine uses 18 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 17 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard UpperThreshold Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard

Evidence & Context

Direct adverse biological effects are likely to occur when salinity is increased to around 1,000 mg/L, corresponding to an EC of approximately 1,500 µS/cm.

Metric Definition:

Ecosystem health threshold for electrical conductivity (EC) indicating onset of biological stress due to salinity increase.

Benchmark Definition:

Critical EC threshold for environmental degradation in freshwater ecosystems.

Justification:

Based on salt sensitivity review of Australian freshwater biota.

Sources (1)

Preview of (PDF) A review of the salt sensitivity of the Australian freshwater biota, accessed August 11, 2025,
(PDF) A review of the salt sensitivity of the Australian freshwater biota, accessed August 11, 2025, Journal

Salinity Tolerances of Freshwater Macroinvertebrates

View Source

Supporting Sources (40)

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) Water quality parameters and population characteristics for the Flinders Ranges Gudgeon - ResearchGate
(PDF) Water quality parameters and population characteristics for the Flinders Ranges Gudgeon - ResearchGate
Direct Evidence

Toxicant default guideline values for aquatic ecosystem protection ...

View Source
Preview of 66693 - Approved Conservation Advice for Mogurnda clivicola (Flinders Ranges Gudgeon)
66693 - Approved Conservation Advice for Mogurnda clivicola (Flinders Ranges Gudgeon)
Contextual Support Journal

66693 - Approved Conservation Advice for Mogurnda clivicola (Flinders Ranges Gudgeon)

View Source
Preview of A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE FLINDERS RANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Enviro Data SA
A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE FLINDERS RANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Enviro Data SA
Contextual Support Journal

A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE FLINDERS RANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Enviro Data SA, accessed July 31, 2025

View Source
Preview of Aquaculture - CSIRO
Aquaculture - CSIRO
Contextual Support

Aquaculture - CSIRO

Preview of Aquaculture - Government of Western Australia
Aquaculture - Government of Western Australia
Regulatory Framework Journal

Aquaculture - Government of Western Australia

View Source
Preview of Aquaculture in desert and arid lands: development constraints and opportunities. - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Aquaculture in desert and arid lands: development constraints and opportunities. - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Contextual Support Journal

Aquaculture in desert and arid lands: development constraints and opportunities. - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

View Source
Preview of Arid springs: the hidden evolutionary cradles of Outback Australia - CSIRO
Arid springs: the hidden evolutionary cradles of Outback Australia - CSIRO
Contextual Support Government

Arid springs: the hidden evolutionary cradles of Outback Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 25, 2025

View Source
Preview of Assessment of endemic fish (Mogurnda clivicola) and native vegetation at springs in the northern Flinders Ranges - ResearchGate
Assessment of endemic fish (Mogurnda clivicola) and native vegetation at springs in the northern Flinders Ranges - ResearchGate
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Assessment of endemic fish (Mogurnda clivicola) and native vegetation at springs in the northern Flinders Ranges - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Australia - Brackish Water Aquaculture, accessed July 20, 2025,
Australia - Brackish Water Aquaculture, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Inland saline aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

View Source
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,
Regulatory Framework Journal

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

View Source
Preview of CHAPTER 1: Introduction - University of Canberra Research Portal
CHAPTER 1: Introduction - University of Canberra Research Portal
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

CHAPTER 1: Introduction - University of Canberra Research Portal

View Source
Preview of Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed August 5, 2025
Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed August 5, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Report Card 2022-23 - EPA Victoria

View Source
Preview of Chlamydogobius eremius (Desert goby) - Animal Diversity Web
Chlamydogobius eremius (Desert goby) - Animal Diversity Web
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Chlamydogobius eremius (Desert goby) - Animal Diversity Web

View Source
Preview of Climate and river health | Murray–Darling Basin Authority
Climate and river health | Murray–Darling Basin Authority
Contextual Support Government

The Ecological and Hydrological Significance of Ephemeral and Intermittent Streams in the Arid and Semi-arid American Southwest - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), accessed July 31, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Desert Goby Chlamydogobius eremius biotope Aquarium Coward Springs South Australia BADC 2022 Comp. - YouTube
Desert Goby Chlamydogobius eremius biotope Aquarium Coward Springs South Australia BADC 2022 Comp. - YouTube
Contextual Support

Desert Goby Chlamydogobius eremius biotope Aquarium Coward Springs South Australia BADC 2022 Comp. - YouTube

View Source
Preview of Development of a Health Management Strategy for the Silver Perch Aquaculture Industry., accessed July 20, 2025,
Development of a Health Management Strategy for the Silver Perch Aquaculture Industry., accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Silver perch aquaculture | Business Queensland, accessed August 10, 2025

View Source
Preview of EC Conversion Chart - Aero-Gro
EC Conversion Chart - Aero-Gro
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

EC Conversion Chart - Aero-Gro

View Source
Preview of Effects of salinity on stream ecosystems: improving models for macroinvertebrates - CSIRO Research Publications Repository
Effects of salinity on stream ecosystems: improving models for macroinvertebrates - CSIRO Research Publications Repository
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Effects of salinity on stream ecosystems: improving models for macroinvertebrates - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

View Source
Preview of Guidelines for constructing and maintaining aquaculture containment structures - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland
Guidelines for constructing and maintaining aquaculture containment structures - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland
Regulatory Framework Journal

Guidelines for constructing and maintaining aquaculture containment structures - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed August 10, 2025

View Source
Preview of Inland Saline Aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed July 20, 2025,
Inland Saline Aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support

Inland Saline Aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Inland Saline Aquaculture | FRDC, accessed July 20, 2025,
Inland Saline Aquaculture | FRDC, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Inland Saline Aquaculture | FRDC, accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Land-based aquaculture - Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia - PIRSA
Land-based aquaculture - Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia - PIRSA
Contextual Support Government

Land-based aquaculture - Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia - PIRSA

View Source
Preview of MacDonnell Ranges bioregion - DCCEEW
MacDonnell Ranges bioregion - DCCEEW
Contextual Support Journal

MacDonnell Ranges bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Measuring salinity, TDS and conductivity.
Measuring salinity, TDS and conductivity.
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Measuring salinity, TDS and conductivity.

View Source
Preview of Meeting Presentation | INLAND SALINE AQUACULTURE IN NSW: 10 YEARS OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Meeting Presentation | INLAND SALINE AQUACULTURE IN NSW: 10 YEARS OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Meeting Presentation | INLAND SALINE AQUACULTURE IN NSW: 10 YEARS OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

View Source
Preview of National Guidelines for Water Quality - Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, accessed August 1, 2025,
National Guidelines for Water Quality - Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, accessed August 1, 2025,
Regulatory Framework

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water ...

View Source
Preview of Natural Surface Waters - State of the Environment 2023
Natural Surface Waters - State of the Environment 2023
Contextual Support Government

Natural Surface Waters - State of the Environment 2023

View Source
Preview of Natural water systems | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed July 16, 2025,
Natural water systems | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Characterising the relationship between water quality and water quantity, accessed July 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Outback Water Project Update April 2018 - BioCollect
Outback Water Project Update April 2018 - BioCollect
Contextual Support Journal

Outback Water Project Update April 2018 - BioCollect

View Source
Preview of SA Arid Lands | Ground water - Landscape South Australia
SA Arid Lands | Ground water - Landscape South Australia
Contextual Support Government

SA Arid Lands | Ground water - Landscape South Australia

View Source
Preview of Salinity and water quality
Salinity and water quality
Contextual Support Government

Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority

View Source
Preview of Salinity Converter Remember that EC units are expressed in micro-siemens/cm at 25°C (µS/cm) and that
Salinity Converter Remember that EC units are expressed in micro-siemens/cm at 25°C (µS/cm) and that
Methodology Source Journal

Salinity Converter Remember that EC units are expressed in micro-siemens/cm at 25°C (µS/cm) and that

View Source
Preview of Salinity tolerances of endemic freshwater fishes ... - CSIRO Publishing
Salinity tolerances of endemic freshwater fishes ... - CSIRO Publishing
Contextual Support Journal

Salinity tolerances of endemic freshwater fishes ... - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of Saltwater success inland: Exploring the potential of saline aquaculture | FRDC
Saltwater success inland: Exploring the potential of saline aquaculture | FRDC
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Saltwater success inland: Exploring the potential of saline aquaculture | FRDC, accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Silver Perch | Department of Primary Industries
Silver Perch | Department of Primary Industries
Contextual Support Government

Silver Perch | Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 10, 2025

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Yabby - Healthy Rivers - Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
Yabby - Healthy Rivers - Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
Contextual Support Government

Yabby - Healthy Rivers - Department of Water and Environmental Regulation

View Source
Preview of Yabby (Cherax destructor) - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Yabby (Cherax destructor) - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Contextual Support Journal

Yabby (Cherax destructor) - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

View Source
Preview of Yabby preparation for market - NSW Department of Primary Industries
Yabby preparation for market - NSW Department of Primary Industries
Contextual Support Government

Yabbies - NSW Department of Primary Industries

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
  • Land Use Aquaculture
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 16 Mar 2026

Notes

Applies specifically to ecosystems adapted to low salinity impacted by secondary salinisation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-AQU-WEC family.

12500 µS/cm Moderate
Aquaculture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Active v1
10 % Moderate
Aquaculture · Pristine Reference
MaximumOnly Retired v1