Water Turbidity
Benchmark Value
Scoring Curve
This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.
Evidence & Context
A target of ≤ 2 NTU is proposed for achieving high environmental health.
Water turbidity measured in Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) representing the cloudiness or haziness of water caused by suspended particulate matter in agricultural crop production within Australian Alpine and Subalpine Complex biome.
This benchmark represents the target water turbidity level for best-practice sustainable or regenerative agricultural crop production in the Australian Alpine and Subalpine Complex biome, aiming to maintain high environmental health by minimizing sediment and particulate matter in water.
The reference value is based on the principle that best-practice regenerative agriculture in sensitive alpine/subalpine catchments should result in minimal sediment export, approaching the very low turbidity levels observed in minimally disturbed reference streams within this biome. The ANZECC 2000 guidelines suggest a 2-25 NTU range for upland rivers in slightly-moderately disturbed systems, with low turbidity typical of good condition. A target of ≤ 2 NTU represents high ecological health. Values consistently remaining < 5 NTU are considered indicative of good condition under best practice, as impacts on sensitive biota may occur above 5 NTU.
Sources (1)
ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines - Water Quality Australia
View SourceSupporting Sources (2)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
Northern Territory Government (2020) Darwin Harbour Region Water Quality Objectives, Report Card Section 3.0.
View SourceDetermining Tipping Points and Responses of Macroinvertebrate Traits to Abiotic Factors in Support of River Management. Water, 15(8), 1589.
View Source