Water Turbidity

AUS-AMR-AQU-WTU General High confidence

Benchmark Value

3.9 NTU

Range: 2 to 10 NTU

Optimal Range: 2 to 10

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. The scoring engine uses 20 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 19 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

The selected reference value is 3.9 NTU, the mean turbidity of the treated liquid effluent.

Metric Definition:

Water turbidity measured as the mean turbidity of treated liquid effluent from a best-practice Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS).

Benchmark Definition:

Mean turbidity of treated liquid effluent from a best-practice RAS representing the highest level of water quality achieved by the management system.

Justification:

This value reflects the highest level of environmental performance achieved by the system's water treatment process and is selected as the best available condition for sustainable aquaculture in arid zones.

Sources (1)

Preview of Best Pratice Environmental Management Guidelines for ... - VFA, accessed July 20, 2025,

Best Pratice Environmental Management Guidelines for ... - VFA, accessed July 20, 2025, Government

NSW Land Based Sustainable Aquaculture Strategy, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Effects of turbidity, temperature and predation cue on the stress response of juvenile delta smelt | Conservation Physiology | Oxford Academic

Effects of turbidity, temperature and predation cue on the stress response of juvenile delta smelt | Conservation Physiology | Oxford Academic

Contextual Support Journal

Effects of turbidity, temperature and predation cue on the stress response of juvenile delta smelt | Conservation Physiology | Oxford Academic

View Source

Water quality for primary industries, accessed July 30, 2025,

Direct Evidence Government

Development of regional water quality and catchment guidelines for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems - NSW Environment Protection Authority

View Source

Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 1, 2025,

Regulatory Framework Government

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000)

View Source

Context

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

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. The functional range includes a lower threshold of < 2 NTU which may induce stress in some species, an optimal range of approximately 2–10 NTU, and an upper detrimental threshold of > 25 NTU indicating system failure. [Migration] Original wider evidence range: 0 – 11 (retained OptimalRange: 2 – 10)

Related Benchmarks

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