Water Turbidity

AUS-AKW-IND-WTU General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

20 NTU

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 20

Direction: Higher 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 5 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 4 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard

Evidence & Context

Based on analogous systems, a trigger value of < 20 NTU for persistent, non-flowing pools is proposed to signal potential containment failure.

Metric Definition:

Water turbidity in off-site surface waters under best-practice industrial use in Australia's Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands biome.

Benchmark Definition:

Benchmark for water turbidity as a trigger value indicating potential containment failure in ephemeral surface waters.

Justification:

This value is inferred for the pooled, non-flow condition of ephemeral surface waters adjacent to a best-practice industrial site. It is based on the principle that best practice is zero discharge, meaning off-site water quality should reflect a minimally disturbed state.