Water Nitrate
Benchmark Value
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 5 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 4 guard(s) constrain the result.
Contributing Benchmarks
Evidence & Context
Therefore, the recommended benchmark is 0.7 mg/L. This value should be interpreted as a target for the event mean concentration in runoff from a best-practice grazing system, with the expectation that ambient baseflow concentrations would be significantly lower.
Event mean concentration of nitrate (NO3−N or NOx−N) in runoff from best-practice grazing systems.
This benchmark represents the target event mean concentration of nitrate in runoff from best-practice grazing systems in the Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands biome, indicating sustainable water quality management.
The value is based on a proxy data approach due to lack of direct field measurements, adjusted downward from the Brigalow Catchment Study value of 1.7 mg/L to account for the high ecological sensitivity and connectivity of the target biome.
Sources (1)
Hickey, C. (2002). Nitrate guideline values in ANZECC 2000. Memorandum MFE02237 prepared for Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand). NIWA Client Report: HAM2002-126.
View SourceSupporting Sources (1)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
Paddock scale water quality monitoring of grazing management ...