Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-AMR-AGR-SWI General High confidence

Benchmark Value

33 mm/hr

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

Based on the measured average steady-state flow rate (33.3 mm/hr) at the managed (ponded) Hamilton Downs site, which has a Medium Clay soil.

Metric Definition:

Soil water infiltration rate measured as steady-state flow rate in mm/hr.

Benchmark Definition:

Measured average steady-state infiltration rate at managed site representing a conservative, field-verified proxy for hydrologically functional state in fine-textured soils of the Australian Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome.

Justification:

This provides a conservative, field-verified proxy for a hydrologically functional state achievable through management in the target biome.

Sources (1)

Preview of Water ponding for pastoral production in central Australia

Water ponding for pastoral production in central Australia Journal

Classifying Soil by Infiltration Rate - Number Analytics, accessed July 7, 2025

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Supporting Sources (1)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Report on the Condition of Agricultural Land in South Australia - Department for Environment and Water

Direct Evidence Journal

Rainfall infiltration and runoff from an Alfisol in semi-arid tropical India. I. No-till systems1

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

Represents a benchmark for fine-textured soils in the Australian Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-AGR-SWI family.