A Catchment Journey1995 – 2005

to Integrated Natural Resources Management

Contents

Our Catchment Journey – a message from the Presiding Member

Integrated Natural Resources Management – a message from the Minister

History of the Catchment

Torrens Catchment Fact File

State of the Catchment

1995

1998

The Catchment Levy – a decade of environmental investment

2002

2005

Physical Works

Stormwater Management and Flood Mitigation

Torrens Catchment – Completed on-ground works and community programs 1995-2005

Working with the Community

Water Quality Improvement

Sustainable Water Resources and Riverine Health

Going Forward – a message from the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board

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Throughout the catchment achieve sustainable water resources and healthy ecosystems through integrated catchment management and a committed community.

Vision

The Torrens Catchment Water Management Board(the Board) is a statutory authority of the South Australian Government proclaimed by theGovernor of South Australia on 4 May 1995.

It’s appropriate that as the Board – alongwith 13 other boards and agencies in theregion – transitions to form the Adelaideand Mt Lofty Ranges Natural ResourcesManagement (NRM) Board, we pause toreflect on the myriad great achievements ofthe Board, its partners and its communityand contemplate the challenges ahead.

In the transition period, staff and Boardmembers will work closely with the new NRM Board to ensure current andcommitted programs are delivered and thegoals of our current Catchment Plan 2002-2007 are met. I thank all those who havecome with us on the catchment journey todate, a journey we know is far from over.

Jay HoganPresiding MemberTorrens Catchment Water Management Board

Care was the catchword back then. Indeed,care has been the central thread runningthrough a decade of Board achievementsduring which significant strides have beenmade towards an overall improvement ofenvironmental management in the Torrenscatchment.

Care lay at the core of the Board’s efforts to take the concept of a catchment to thecommunity and encourage them to join the journey from severely degradedwaterways to effective, integrated naturalresources management.

It featured, too, in the design andimplementation of major projects tocleanse and re-use stormwater and remove pollutants from our waterways.

The results have been spectacular: there is a marked increase in communityknowledge; changes in public attitudeshave prompted a swing to responsiblebehaviour; our waterways are considerablyhealthier; and all levels of government,industry and business are committed toimprove and sustain catchment health.

Through this State Government initiative,the collective efforts of urban and ruralcommunities, farmers and other primaryproducers, conservationists, landownersand Aboriginal communities are beingmarshalled to help create a singleintegrated system for natural resourcesmanagement in our State.

The establishment of the new Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural ResourcesManagement (NRM) Board has effectivelyamalgamated the programs of 14 boardsand groups – the Torrens, Patawalonga,Northern Adelaide & Barossa andOnkaparinga Catchment WaterManagement Boards, regional Soil Boards,Animal & Plant Control Boards, and theMount Lofty Ranges and Greater AdelaideInterim Integrated NRM Group.

These organisations have come togetherunder one umbrella to achieve a moreefficient, effective, accountable andfocussed means of delivering long-termbenefits for the region’s extensive water,land and biodiversity assets.

Integrated NaturalResources Management

A message from the Minister

Our CatchmentJourney

A message from the Presiding Member

So much good work has already been done or is underway through thecoordinated and strategic catchment boardapproach to resolving long-standing anddifficult rural and urban water resourcesissues. None of that will be lost as the faceof catchment management in the regionchanges to a new and better way of takingcare of our State’s water, soil, ecosystems,marine environments, native vegetationand animals.

The cleanup of the Torrens catchmentunder a decade of Torrens CatchmentWater Management Board stewardship has been incredibly successful. The Board has pioneered innovativecatchment management practices and itsachievements over the past 10 years havelaid an impressive and solid foundation for the State Government’s new naturalresources management initiative.

Hon John Hill MPMinister for Environment and Conservation

The establishment of the Torrens Catchment Water Management Board in 1995 signalled a new era in thinking and action, an era characterised by coordinated and catchment-widemanagement of and care for our precious water resources.

On 1 July 2005, the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 replaced the Animal and Plant Control Act 1986, the Soil Conservation and Land Care Act 1989 and theWater Resources Act 1997.

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The River was a major factor inColonel Light’s selection of the site for Adelaide and was the onlysource of surface water for the city until the late 19th Century. Most of the city’s effluent wasdischarged into the Torrens andwater quality soon became a problem for the early settlers withreports of sickness as a result ofdrinking water drawn from it.

A quality water supply for Adelaide

was obtained by collecting water

from the upper catchment at the

Gorge Weir, storing it in the now

decommissioned Thorndon Park

reservoir and piping it to Adelaide.

This allowed development to

continue on the Adelaide Plains,

which contributed to the

continuing decline in water quality.

History of the Catchment

Floodgates were installed at theTorrens Weir in 1928 in an attemptto overcome flooding and siltationproblems in the Torrens Lake

To understand the state of the waters of the Torrens catchment as they were when the Board was established, it is necessary to go back to the pre-European era and early days of settlement.

Indigenous people owned and

occupied the whole of the

Australian continent prior to the

arrival of Europeans. The Kaurna

people lived in a narrow corridor

along the eastern shore of the

Gulf St Vincent from Cape Jervis

to Port Wakefield. Inland the

stringy bark forests of the

Mount Lofty Ranges marked

their boundary.

The lower Torrens catchment

area was originally swampland

called “The Reedbeds” which

extended from Glenelg to Grange

and as far inland as Torrensville.

The Kaurna people visited

The Reedbeds and coastal areas

of Adelaide during the spring and

summer months.

The dunes and beaches provided

food and shelter, and reeds from

the wetlands were used to make

baskets and mats. The inland

areas had better shelter and

firewood in the cooler weather,

more mammals to hunt, and

creeks and swamps contained

fish and other water life.

For early European settlers the

River Torrens was at first a narrow

stream, prone to flooding in winter

and drying up to a series of

waterholes in summer. For more

than 160 years since, the waters

of the Torrens catchment have

been used for water supply,

horticulture, recreation and

commerce – and as a drainage

system.

Construction of the Seaview Road Bridge over the Torrens outlet at Breakout Creek

Top left: 1935 E&WS plan showingscheme for enlargement of River Torrens with concrete sea outlet

Top right: Early artist’s impression of Adelaide Plains wetlands – copy of original 1890 painting by JamesAshton from the White collection

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River Torre

ns

Riv

er

Torrens

Gulf St Vincent

Cudlee Creek

KersbrookForreston

Gumeracha

Mount Torrens

Birdwood

Mount Pleasant

Ashton Basket Range

Norton SummitHenleyBeach

LargsBay

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• River Torrens named in 1836 by Colonel Light after Robert Torrens, Chairman of the ColonisationCommission which promoted settlement of South Australia

• The River Torrens has its source in the Mount Lofty Ranges, is Adelaide’s largest metropolitan waterway, and flows across the Adelaide plains and through the City of Adelaide to Gulf St Vincent

• Catchment includes the River Torrens and First to Sixth Creeks, the West Lakes/Port Adelaide River catchments and the northerly drainage systems flowing to Barker Inlet

• Catchment covers more than 620 square kilometres

• 54% of catchment is in Mt Lofty Ranges Watershed

• Catchment is underlain by various groundwater systems: fractured rock aquifers in the hills areas and sedimentary aquifers on the plains – both systems provide a variety of private water supplies

• 500,000 people living in 156,000 residences

• 18,000 commercial and industrial properties, including most of Adelaide’s CBD

• Around 1,350 rural properties supporting vital agricultural production and rural towns

Torrens Catchment Fact File

Since the early days of European settlement, the Port Adelaide River hasprovided major port facilities

Northern Adelaide & Barossa Board Catchment area

City of Port Adelaide Enfield

City of Charles Sturt

City of West Torrens

City of Prospect

City of Adelaide

Town of Walkerville

City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters

City of Campbelltown

City of Tea Tree Gully

City of Burnside

Adelaide Hills Council

The Barossa Council

The catchment is contained within12 local government areas includingall or parts of the following

Local government areas within the Torrens catchment

Patawalonga andOnkaparinga BoardCatchment areas

Today the Milbrook, Hope Valley

and Kangaroo Creek Reservoirs

are within the catchment.

The current Torrens Weir was built

in 1881 to create an ornamental

lake for public recreation in the

City of Adelaide. This replaced an

earlier timber weir built in 1862

that had washed away.

The Port Adelaide River estuary

has provided Adelaide and South

Australia with major port facilities

since the early days of settlement.

However, its banks have also

accommodated a variety of often

noxious industries ranging from

acid production, coal handling,

electricity generation, cement

works and boat building facilities

to fuel storage, a major sewage

treatment plant and the rubbish

dumps of Garden Island and

Wingfield.

In 1934 the State Government

constructed a flood channel on

the River Torrens at Henley Beach

South to take flows through the

sand-hills to the sea. Breakout

Creek – as it became known –

was designed to cope with very

high flows.

Before the construction of

Breakout Creek the Torrens had

a less direct outlet to the sea,

with water gathering in

The Reedbeds area and high

flows finding their way south to

the Patawalonga or north to the

Port Adelaide River.

The joining of the Port Adelaide

River catchment with the Torrens

catchment zone in 1998

symbolically reunited the

Torrens and the Port.

Work on the River Torrens Linear

Park and Flood Mitigation Scheme

was carried out during the 1980s

and 1990s. The first linear park

developed in Australia, it

integrates a diverse range of

functions including stormwater

management, recreation, flood

mitigation and transportation

corridors.

Over the years the Torrenscatchment has been highly modified,yet it is still vital to the human andcommercial existence of much ofAdelaide. The catchment providesraw water for SA Water’s water supply for Adelaide, sustains anenormous population and supportssignificant commercial andindustrial enterprises, both rural and urban.

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State of the Catchment

The major problems identifiedduring research to develop the firstTorrens Catchment Plan were:

• water quality levels below standards acceptable for recreational use in the urban catchment and water supply in the rural catchment

• inappropriate rural land management practices and degradation of waterways contributed to poor water quality and environmental decline in the rural parts of the catchment, and

• stormwater runoff as a major contributor to low water quality in urban areas, particularly evident in ‘first flush’ stormwater events.

1995In 1995 the Board immediately

implemented its Initial Plan while

developing the first five-year

Comprehensive Catchment Water

Management Plan 1997-2001. This

Plan set out important catchment

works, planning initiatives and

community education and

involvement programs, with

a priority on water quality

improvements and watercourse

health.

Importantly, this initiative also

created a designated funding

source – the Catchment

Environment Levy – to ensure

results and to resolve long

standing and difficult urban

catchment issues with both Local

and State Government support.

The Board has always operated

according to catchment plans

developed in consultation with

businesses, State and local

government agencies and the

community.

An eroded waterway in the upper catchment

Gutter borne leaf litter,a major stormwaterpollutant

The establishment of the Board by the State Government on 4 May 1995brought together for the first time a sense of community ownership,accountability, technical expertise and inter-agency coordination of water resources management on a catchment-wide basis.

Top left: Torrens Lake, view from the weir

Top right: Prof Bill Williams, water sampling

1998The Catchment Levy: A Decade of EnvironmentalInvestment 1995 – 2005

The work of the Board over the past decade has been made possible through the Catchment Environment Levy, a SouthAustralian Government initiative to providevital funding for the management andprotection of our precious water resources.Local councils have collected the levy fromratepayers and paid it direct to the Board.Since 1995 the levy collected within theTorrens catchment has amounted to $33.6m,all of which has been invested in the Board’sfull range of projects and used to leveragesupport from other Government agencies and private organisations. This has resulted in an environmental investment of more than $38.5m in the catchment over the past 10 years.

Open drain in the Port AdelaideRiver and Environs catchment

Goal 1 $18.7m

Goal 2 $0.8m

Goal 3 $1.1m

Goal 4 $0.5m

Goal 5 $9.9m

Goal 6 $1m

Goal 7 $6.5mTotal $38.5m

Investment 1995 – 2005

Refer Catchment Plan Goalson page 6

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Before the construction of Breakout Creek in 1934, the RiverTorrens had a less direct outlet to the sea

While some stormwater drains

had silt traps and screens to

trap large debris, the only drains

intercepted by wetlands were

those constructed during the

1990s at The Range, Magazine

Creek and Barker Inlet.

Of particular concern was the

“red tide” of sub-surface algae

caused by high nutrient levels

and high fresh water inputs to

the estuary from the Port Adelaide

Wastewater Treatment Plant,

other industry sources and

stormwater. Widespread pollution

of groundwater was another worry.

An immediate goal was to reduce the pollution entering thePort Adelaide River and improve its water quality, thereby enhancingits recreational standing andboosting the fish nursery areaamong the mangroves.

Poor housekeeping at industrial sites was leading to contamination of rainfall runoff

View of Port Adelaidefrom Barker Inlet

In 1998, the Port Adelaide

River and Environs catchment

joined the Torrens Catchment

Board area.

The extended catchment covered

the Cities of Port Adelaide Enfield,

Charles Sturt and Prospect.

It included, too, the historical

industrial areas of Gepps Cross,

Kilburn, Wingfield, Port Adelaide,

Birkenhead, Taperoo and Outer

Harbour and their collection of

foundries, gas works, refineries

and abattoirs that combined to

leave a legacy of contaminated

land and polluted water.

The catchment also contained

extensive residential areas

stretching in an arc from North

Haven and Taperoo, south through

West Lakes and Grange and east

to Woodville, Kilkenny, Prospect,

Broadview and Northfield.

Stormwater runoff from

residential and industrial sites

discharged directly into the Barker

Inlet, West Lakes, Port Adelaide

River and Gulf St Vincent.

2002Following the successful

completion of its first five-year

Plan, in consultation with the

community and the various State

and Local Government agencies,

the Board developed its current

Catchment Water Management

Plan 2002-2007. The goals of

the Plan are:

Goal 1Improve and maintain water qualityin the catchment to a standardsuitable for community use(including public water supply), for sustaining natural ecosystemsand to reduce impacts on receiving waters.

Goal 2Ensure sufficient water ismaintained in creeks, rivers andaquifers to be available forequitable and economic communityuse (both private and public) and to maintain ecosystems.

Goal 3Protect and enhance water-dependent ecosystems throughintegrated natural resourcemanagement.

Goal 4Coordinate floodplain managementat the catchment scale.

Goal 5Foster an informed, committed and involved community that takesresponsibility for, and activelysupports its role in, catchment water management.

Goal 6Establish monitoring and evaluation systems that enable theBoard to assess the effectiveness of its programs and the health of the catchment.

Goal 7Deliver the Board’s programs in an integrated manner in partnershipwith all other stakeholders, takinginto account environmental,economic and social considerations.

EDS staff help clean up the Torrens in 2000

The Board has been a principal funding partner of KESAB’s Patawalonga and Torrens Waterwatchprogram since 1995

GPT installation on Portscorp land at Port Adelaide

In 2002, the major environmentalchallenges facing the Torrenscatchment were:

• to use treated stormwater and wastewater for irrigation and industry

• the management of groundwater

• the setting of realistic water quality targets

• the provision of adequate water for environmental purposes, and

• the sustainable uptake of good practice in both urban and rural settings.

The development of strong partnerships with the various councils in the (Torrens) Board area has

enabled the Board to address the myriad of issues faced by such a diverse catchment area. A leader in

innovation the Board has pursued wetland management, riparian restoration, and reversed the image of

stormwater to promote it as a resource, an asset with significant value. The Torrens (Board) has particularly

been successful in engaging urban communities and enabling finances raised in urban areas to be spent

higher up in the catchment at the ‘source’ of the problem.

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�R E V I E W O F T H E I M P L E M E N T A T I O N O F

C A T C H M E N T W A T E R M A N A G E M E N T P L A N S

S A W A T E R R E S O U R C E S C O U N C I L J U L Y 2 0 0 2

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2005Ten years on from the Board’s

establishment the health and

aesthetics of the Torrens

catchment are vastly improved.

In the last decade the Board

has been committed to a

comprehensive water resources

program that integrates existing

efforts of Federal, State and

local government agencies. It has

facilitated partnerships and new

approaches to catchment

management, increased

community understanding and

ownership of issues, and

facilitated works such as wetlands

and gross pollutant traps to

restore water quality.

The cleanup of the poorlymaintained and degraded Torrensand Port Adelaide Rivers has been a big success with thousands oftonnes of rubbish, silt and debrisintercepted and removed.

Large areas of woody weeds,

including ash trees, willows and

other introduced species, have

been removed from watercourses,

with hundreds of thousands

of indigenous species planted

in their place.

Fourth Creek outlet GPT

More than 100km of fencing has been installed to stoplivestock wandering into creeks, polluting the water anderoding banks

You’re never too young to learn about your localwatery environment

Community awareness and

behaviour change programs

have delivered significant results,

with the majority of the population

aware of their impact on the

environment and the changes they

must adopt to limit that impact.

Despite these major changes in the health of our waterways andimprovements in the awareness and behaviour of industry, business,governments and individuals, thereis still a long way to go.

Two years remain of the Board’scurrent Catchment Plan, and by its conclusion in June 2007 thetransitional journey to integratednatural resources managementshould be complete.

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The health of the River Torrens impacts on its status as a tourismand recreational focal point for the CBD of Adelaide

About 160km of catchment

streams are being rehabilitated

through exotic tree removal, weed

control and revegetation works.

Failing septic systems in the

Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed

have been upgraded. Nutrient

runoff from farms has been

reduced thanks to improved

farming practices, bank erosion

control and revegetation.

Where there was virtually no riverrestoration work in this section ofthe catchment before the Board’sestablishment, today, many reacheshave been remediated and much of the main tributaries are underlandowner care and control.

Before 1995, industrial workers

and small business operators

didn’t know or didn’t care about

their impact on the health of

our urban waterways through

diffuse pollution. After 10 years

of persistent site visits and advice

from Stormwater Pollution

Project Officers to more than

5,000 small-to-medium-sized

industrial businesses in the

Torrens catchment, the majority

now acknowledge their

responsibility for stormwater

pollution activities and the

necessity for them to adopt

prevention measures.

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Physical Works

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The most productive site in the catchment is at Drage Reserve on the Third Creek outlet to theRiver Torrens at Felixstow (average150 tonnes of material collected per year).

During 1996 and 1997 some trash

rack installations were delayed

while the Board negotiated with

local councils for an agreement

for handover and maintenance

of the GPTs. Today councils

share with the Board installation

costs, as well as cleaning and

maintenance activities.

Each year the Board disposes

of about 900 tonnes of material

caught in its trash racks,

currently to landfill. The Board

is keenly awaiting the outcome

of trials being undertaken by

the Patawalonga Board to find

Breakout Creek wetland

North Haven Marina GPT delivery

Top left: Construction of the Breakout Creek GPT and floating boom structure

Top right: Eroded watercourse

In 1995 watercourses across the Torrens catchment were badlydegraded and on-ground physical works to prevent pollution and sustain our water resources were few and far between.

The Board, together with partner

organisations, has invested ten

years and $18.7m in the planning

and implementation of physical

works to address these issues.

Significant inroads have been

made to the restoration of

damaged watercourses, the

prevention of waterway pollution

and the development of

innovative projects to capture,

cleanse and even reuse

stormwater.

Gross Pollutant Traps and Silt TrapsThe Board and Torrens catchment

councils have installed a series

of more than 70 trash racks

(also known as gross pollutant

traps or GPTs) and silt traps at

strategic locations throughout

the catchment.

Together they have prevented morethan 6,000 tonnes of trash, organicmatter and sediment from pollutingGulf St Vincent, West Lakes, Barker Inlet and the Torrens and Port Adelaide Rivers.

Estimated waste breakdown is

5% man-made litter, 60% organic

(leaf litter etc) and 35% silt.

Third Creek RehabilitationThe Third Creek rehabilitation project – designed and constructed in 2001 in a joint partnership betweenthe Board and the University of SA at Magill – is a great example of what can be achieved with urban watercourses. The project provides an example of how an urban waterway can look and behave when good land management practices are adopted. While the project doesn’t necessarily satisfy all biodiversity and water quality outcomes, it is a good compromise taking into account the need for open space, amenity and safety, and is a marked improvement over the original deeply incised, weed-infested drain that previously ran through the site. The project won a Merit Award in theenvironment category of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects 2003 State Awards. Here’s what the judges had to say…

This project is important in that it sets an

example of what can be done to rehabilitate an

important natural feature. Added significance

of this particular project comes from its location

within the Magill Campus. The project readily

demonstrates to the students how effective creek

rehabilitation can be and how good a healthy

creek looks. The project had clearly enhanced

the quality of the environment.

A watercourse restorationproject before (inset top)and after (above)

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Watercourse restoration on the River Torrens near Birdwood

In the past year there has been

a substantial increase in the area

of riparian zones fenced with

the introduction of a program

that allows for crash grazing of

the buffer zone. As a consequence,

buffer widths have increased

to up to 30 metres. In this way

the buffer zone can remain as

a paddock available for limited

grazing in the summer period.

This is targeted to achieve water

quality benefits in particular.

An in-depth audit in 2001/2002

confirmed the program is

delivering on its community

involvement and environmental

outcome objectives.

To date, the WMAP program has seen more than 220 landholdersinvolved in the rehabilitation of about 160km of stream through exotic tree removal, weed control and revegetation works.

More than 100 kilometres of fencinghas been installed to stop livestockwandering into creeks, polluting the water and eroding banks –representing 17% of the almost600km that needs to be fenced.

In the upper rural catchment about 10% and in the lower ruralcatchment about 25-30% of theWMAP is dedicated to weed controlin native vegetation.

an environmentally viable zero

waste solution for catchment

waste. After pilot-scale trials,

scientists from the Flinders

University-based company

Flinders Bioremediation are

currently conducting full-scale

trials to confirm the economic

and technical feasibility of

composting catchment waste.

Watercourse RestorationThe single most important

investment for the Board has

been watercourse restoration

works from the Mount Lofty

Ranges, across urban Adelaide

and down to the coast.

The Board has successfully

influenced community interest

and commitment to riparian

restoration and improved land

management programs in the rural

catchment through the support

of key sub-catchment groups –

the Sixth Creek, Upper Torrens,

Mid Torrens and Fourth Creek

groups.

The Board’s Watercourse

Management Assistance Program

(WMAP) was established in

1996 to work with private and

public landholders in undertaking

watercourse rehabilitation that

improves water quality and

aquatic and riparian biodiversity.

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Apex Park Wetland was built in 1993 and in 2000 the Boardwas a partner in a KESAB Patawalonga and Torrens Waterwatchcoordinated cleanup program at the site

Catchment area that would feed The Grange Golf Club’s potential ASR scheme

Mosquito Management inConstructed Urban WetlandsThe Board retained theUniversity of SA MosquitoResearch Laboratory toundertake an extensive studyover the past five years ofmosquitoes in the St PetersBillabong, monitoringpopulations in and around thesite as well as several otherconstructed urban wetlands.

The results consistently show that mosquitoes are not a problem in well designed,well maintained wetlands. Adult mosquitoes found werepredominantly opportunisticbackyard breeding species thatutilise small isolated waterssuch as pot plant saucers andold tyres.

The results of the monitoringprogram have been provided to local councils, and the Board is confident that thedevelopment of wetlands does not increase mosquitopopulations because of thelarge variety of predatory fish and macroinvertebrates which inhabit them.

The Royal Adelaide Golf Course at Seatonis a potential wetland/ASR site

Wetlands and Aquifer Storage& Recovery (ASR)The Board has investigated,

planned and constructed a

network of wetlands to improve

water quality, remove harmful

nutrients from the water stream

and trap pollutants.

Working with local councils,

community groups, private

business, Government agencies

and other catchment boards,

the Board has constructed and

restored wetlands at Breakout

Creek, St Peters Billabong and

along the River Torrens near Reids

Road at Highbury. The Board has

also enhanced the Barker Inlet,

Apex Park, Magazine Creek and

Range Wetlands, as well as the

Torrens Lake.

The Board has significantly

progressed major wetland

and ASR schemes which when

combined will harvest 500

megalitres of urban stormwater

for the irrigation of two of

Adelaide’s premier sporting

venues, the internationally rated

Grange and Royal Adelaide

Golf Clubs.

In addition, the Board has

instigated drilling investigations

for ASR opportunities at the

Botanic Gardens of Adelaide

and adjacent Torrens Lake.

These projects represent significant investments by the Board and not-for-profit partnerorganisations to help maintain the surface and groundwater health of the catchment.

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Staged Wetlands ExtensionThe Board plans to further developthe wetlands at Breakout Creek.The next stage would extenddownstream from Henley BeachRoad to Tapleys Hill Road. Before detailed planning andconstruction, in 2005 the Boardcommissioned a Social ImpactAssessment (SIA). The SIAinvolved a range of consultationactivities to ensure that the socialimpact issues and ideas of thecommunity were identified,explored and documented, inparticular the impact on horseagistment in this area.

Breakout Creek today – an in-streamwetland demonstrating riparian

improvements and improved amenity for the community

During construction, the area was drained and a temporary weir constructed upstream to preventflows through the site during excavation of the deep pools

Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle)

Breakout Creek WetlandsIn 1996 the Board identified the

Breakout Creek section of the

River Torrens as having potential

for riparian and water quality

improvements. A concept plan,

which involved on-ground

works for the complete length

of Breakout Creek from Henley

Beach Road at Lockleys to

the sea outlet, was released

for community comment in

April 1997.

In May 1998 the Board approved

a shorter ‘demonstration project’

to try and secure community

support for a full-scale project.

This first stage, a 500-metre

stretch of the river upstream

of Henley Beach Road, was

completed in 1999. The project

involved the widening of the

existing waterway and deepening

of sections to form wetlands

with public access paths, viewing

areas and riparian vegetation.

Horses are no longer agisted

within this area.

To evaluate the performance

and effectiveness of the project,

in partnership with the Board,

the West Torrens Council is

monitoring water quality,

biodiversity, flood protection

performance, vegetation

establishment and management,

and mosquito populations.

The total cost of this Board-

funded project was approximately

$550,000.

The Breakout Creek Wetlandsproject was designed to recreate a viable ecosystem within theriparian zone that can be accessedand enjoyed by the local community.The project also maintained theexisting level of flood protectionafforded by the River Torrens Flood Mitigation Scheme.

Septic Tank RemediationParts of the Mount LoftyRanges, Gillman and Wingfieldhave no sewerage system.Homes and businesses rely on individual waste controlsystems – such as septic tanksor aerobic treatment systems –to dispose of waste water,including sewage. Many ofthese systems are poorlymaintained. This results inleakages and pollution ofunderground and surface water.

In 1997, the Board committedto help fund the Waterfall GullySewerage Scheme, which wascompleted in 2000.

St Peters BillabongRehabilitationThe St Peters Billabong is a

former oxbow bend of the River

Torrens isolated from the main

stream in the 1970s. Over time

it accumulated silt and became

reed-choked, providing limited

water quality improvement for

low volume inflows from Second

Creek and the River.

The 19km2 Second Creek

catchment comprises more than

10 percent of the total urban

catchment of the River Torrens.

Therefore provision of a wetland

near the outlet of the Creek at

St Peters offered excellent

potential to rehabilitate the site

and improve its performance

by treating stormwater from

this catchment before it enters

the River.

To ensure input from key

stakeholders, a reference group

was formed comprising

representatives from the Board,

the City of Norwood Payneham

& St Peters and the Friends

of St Peters Billabong.

The Billabong rehabilitation wascompleted in January 2002 andincluded:

• controlled aquatic reed growth, with additional reed species selected to improve diversity

• partial desilting and raising the water level to create deeper pools of open water and increase the storage volume

• top dressing the adjoining oval with dry silt removed from the Billabong

• filtering stormwater through a GPT, reedbeds and other aquatic vegetation to trap sediments

• shallow pools and habitat restoration for flora andfauna refuge, and

• stocking with native fish.

The total construction cost was

approximately $1million, funded

by the Board with a contribution

of $200,000 from the Natural

Heritage Trust Coasts and Clean

Seas program.

A separate five-year project to

rehabilitate the badly degraded

cliff face that provides a backdrop

to the rejuvenated Billabong

commenced in 2004 with joint

funding from the Board and the

City of Norwood Payneham

& St Peters.

In 1999/2000, about 1,500 septicsystems in the Hills reservoirwatershed were surveyed, ofwhich 356 were located in theTorrens catchment.

More than 40 percent of these systems were found to be failing.

A partnership project of the Adelaide Hills Council, the EPA,SA Water and the Torrens Board– the Mt Lofty Ranges WasteControl Project – has fixed morethan 60 percent of problemsystems.

12

The Adelaide Hills Council offered financial incentive

packages to encourage Hillsproperty owners to upgrade

their septic systems

After – local residents now have a beautiful community asset and rehabilitation works have substantiallyimproved water quality in the catchment

Before – the Billabong was silt and reed-choked

A failing septic system

In the Mount Lofty RangesWatershed the link betweenfailing septic systems and theoccurrence of pathogens suchas Giardia and Cryptosporidiumin surface waters is beingexplored. Human effluent is a known carrier of these andother pathogens and nutrients.

Council is very grateful for the intellectual leadership of the

Torrens Board. The innovative research and programs of the Board

to improve water quality in the Torrens Lake have delivered

impressive results. Indeed, the water quality improvement in the

Lake has been so great as to allow primary contact with the water

for the first time in 40 years.

�

�L O R D M A Y O R O F A D E L A I D E

M I C H A E L H A R B I S O N

J U L Y 2 0 0 4

Going Forward

.......

...........Major challenges for the Torrens Catchment still to be met include:

> counter the blue-green algal bloom in the Torrens Lake

> address the difficulties of ASR under the current EPA policy

> create a stormwater management system that allows for population growth and infill development

> deliver the next stage of the Breakout Creek Wetlands

> nearly 500km of stream fencing still required

> landholder compliance issues with watercourse restoration

> ongoing GPT maintenance costs

> find a “zero waste” solution for catchment waste

13

A set-back in the health of the

Lake occurred in February 2005.

Several of the mixers were not

working when, following summer

storms, there was a large inflow

of stormwater to the Lake.

A non-toxic blue-green algal bloom

occurred and the Lake was closed

for primary and secondary contact

for 12 weeks.

Investigations are underway tofurther improve water quality in theLake and minimise the occurrenceof blue-green algal blooms.

Mechanical mixers installed in the Lake in 2001 mix the water andincrease oxygen levels

Torrens LakeWhen the Board was established,

the Torrens Lake was badly silted

and had not been comprehensively

dredged since the City weir was

built in 1881. Mud banks inhibited

the navigation of the Popeye

and rowing activities on the Lake.

In 1997 the Lake was dredged

and cleared of 40,000 cubic

metres of accumulated silt.

Between 1998 and 2002 the

Torrens Lake was plagued by

blue-green algal blooms, so the

Board and the Adelaide City

Council joined forces to address

the issue and restore the Lake

water quality.

Fourteen mechanical mixers were

installed in and on the Lake in

December 2001 to gently move

the water and stop the warm top

layer, called stratification, from

developing.

Thanks to the major water quality

improvements achieved, there

were no algal blooms for two

consecutive summers and in 2004

primary contact with Torrens Lake

water was allowed for the first

time in 40 years.

Torrens Lake algalbloom 1999

A joint project of the Board and the Adelaide City Council saw40,000 cubic metres of silt dredged from the Lake in 1997

In October 2004 the Board and theAdelaide City Council were jointwinners of the infrastructure anddevelopment category of the 2004AWA South Australia Water Awards for the Torrens Lake aeration anddestratification strategy project.

Stormwater Management and Flood Mitigation

Effective stormwater management and flood mitigation are increasinglyimportant issues for metropolitan Adelaide.

14

� stormwater runoff does not

impact on receiving waters, and� suitable treated and/or stored

stormwater replaces or

enhances traditional sources

of water.

At a strategic level, USMPs willassist local government in focussingattention on stormwater issuesduring budgetary and businessplanning, and in the allocation of expenditure priorities.

A USMP will also be an important

ingredient in the review of local

government Development Plans,

and in the identification of

amendments to structure plans

and zones and other development

policies that are necessary to

achieve improved urban

stormwater management

outcomes.First Creek in flood at Tusmore Park

Top left: Flooding in Rundle Park, June 2001

Top right: Flood damage Sixth Creek

GPT on Second Creek outlet

Urban Stormwater Master PlansIn 2002, together with Planning

SA, the Torrens and Patawalonga

Boards developed guidelines for

urban stormwater management.

These guidelines help councils

develop USMPs that improve

amenity and function to deliver

wider urban environments

in which:� the risk of flooding is low� recreational waterways are

healthy

Floodplain mapping studies

have also been undertaken by

the Board in order to better

understand the flooding risks

in various parts of the catchment,

as well as to assist with planning

development decisions and flood

protection measures.

Councils face growing pressure

to allow infill development

throughout the metropolitan

area. Correspondingly, it is

important that planning measures

at the local level take into

account the future management

of the issues of stormwater

control and flood mitigation.

The Board has actively

encouraged and supported

councils to develop catchment-

based Urban Stormwater Master

Plans (USMPs) to ensure

effective stormwater

management.

15

> develop and implementUrban Stormwater Master Plans for all council areas

> minimise flood risk through mitigation and development controls

> complete foodplain mapping for First to Fifth Creeks and assist councils with any necessary mitigation measures

Over the past year, this process

has been embraced by several

catchment councils with a

50 percent cost contribution by

the Board, including the Cities

of Port Adelaide Enfield, Charles

Sturt, Prospect, Burnside,

Campbelltown and Norwood

Payneham & St Peters.

Groundbreaking StudyHighlights Flood RiskAs a result of the development

of its USMP, in May 2005 the

City of Charles Sturt released

floodplain maps of the

Henley-Fulham, Meakin Terrace

and Trimmer Parade urban

stormwater sub-catchments.

The floodplain mapping indicates

that 20 percent of properties

in these areas would be at risk

of flooding in a one-in-100 year

rainfall event.

The council has already begun

discussions with the State

Government about sharing the

cost of mitigation, which could

run to tens of millions of dollars.

A cost-benefit analysis is

underway to determine

infrastructure priorities and the

likely cost of the work required

to reduce the risk of major

flooding.

Going Forward

.......

...........Major challenges for the Torrens Catchment still to be met include:

�

�

This mapping is groundbreaking because the

technology is new and we are the first council in

Australia to use it on such a significant scale.

For the first time we have comprehensive information

about flood risk so we can implement strategies to deal

with the problem and plan for future development

over the next 50 years. H A R O L D A N D E R S O NM A Y O RC I T Y O F C H A R L E S S T U R TM A Y 2 0 0 5

Floodplain Mapping and Flood MitigationThe Board has long been

involved in flood risk planning in

the catchment and participated

in the Flood Warning Consultative

Committee from 1996.

That year it was also involved

in the remediation of the River

Torrens Linear Park flood damage

and participated in negotiations

surrounding the management

of Linear Park.

Furthermore, it provided technical

assistance and funding for the

preparation of flood maps for the

tributaries of the River Torrens.

In reviewing existing

reports and assessments,

the Board identified areas

of highest flood risk along

First to Fifth Creeks.

In collaboration with eastern suburbs councils and StateGovernment agency partners, in 2004 the Board embarked on a floodplain mapping study of the area. The mapping will aid in the review of development controls and to identify floodmitigation requirements. The study is due to be completed in late 2005/early 2006.

Breakout Creek flooding August 2004

Flooding – Port Road

Gilbert Weir

Third Creek

Fourth Creek

Fifth Creek SixthC

reek

Kenton

Creek

Mill

ers

Cree

k

RiverTorrens

First

Creek

A

Cudlee

Creek

Second Creek

Chai

nof

Pon

dsC

reek

River Torre ns

Gulf St Vincent

Barker Inlet

Hope Valley Reservoir

Kangaroo CreekReservoir

Milbrook Reservoir

Kersbrook

Forreston

Gumeracha

Cudlee Creek

AshtonBasket Range

Norton Summit

Adelaide

Largs Bay

Henley Beach

16

Physical Works – Wetlands

Working with its partners, the Board hasconstructed and restored wetlands atBreakout Creek and St Peters Billabongand along the River Torrens near ReidsRoad at Highbury. The Board has alsoenhanced the Barker Inlet, Apex Park,Magazine Creek and Range Wetlands, as well as the Torrens Lake.

Physical Works – Gross PollutantTraps and Silts Traps

The Board and Torrens catchment councils have installed a series of morethan 70 gross pollutant traps and silt traps at strategic locations throughout the catchment. They have prevented morethan 6,000 tonnes of trash, organic matterand sediment from polluting catchmentwaterways and the Gulf St Vincent.

Torrens Catchment Completed on-ground works and community programs 1995 – 2005

▲

▲

Rive

r Torr

ens

StonyC

reek

BlumbergCreek

Angas

Creek

Birdwood

Mount Pleasant

Mount Torrens

17

Partnerships with these organisations andindividuals has been vital to the success of the Board’s programs and activities:

Minister for Environment and Conservation and State Government Agencies within that Portfolio

� Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation� Department for Environment and Heritage� Environment Protection Authority

Other Government Agencies and Statutory Bodies

� SA Water Resources Council� Other catchment water management boards� Primary Industries and Resources SA� Soil Conservation Boards� Animal and Plant Control Boards� SA Water� Planning SA� Mount Lofty Ranges and Greater Adelaide Interim

Integrated Natural Resources Management Group

Local Government

� City of Port Adelaide Enfield*� City of Charles Sturt*� City of West Torrens*� City of Prospect� City of Adelaide� City of Norwood Payneham

& St Peters**and their antecedent councils prior to amalgamation

Community groups and organisations

Business

Industry groups

Educational institutions

Rural landholders

General public

Physical Works – WatercourseRestoration

The Board’s Watercourse ManagementAssistance Program works with private and public landholders in undertakingwatercourse rehabilitation that improveswater quality and aquatic and riparianbiodiversity. About 160km of stream has been rehabilitated, and more than 100 kilometres of creek fencing has been installed.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Projects

Urban catchment councils in this area have been or are currently involved in theStormwater Pollution Prevention Projectswhich work with businesses to improve the quality of water entering local creeksand rivers via the stormwater system.Since 1995, the Board has audited 2,679businesses and industry premises andfound over 80 percent to be compliant.

Community Involvement – Our Patch

The Board’s Our Patch program facilitatescommunity involvement and ownership inthe care, protection and restoration of theTorrens catchment. Today there are around50 active groups involving nearly 2,000volunteers, including school children,businesses and individuals.

Partnerships

●

●

� Town of Walkerville� City of Campbelltown� City of Burnside� City of Tea Tree Gully� Adelaide Hills Council*� The Barossa Council*

Working with the Community

There was limited understanding

of the connection between street

gutters, stormwater drains, our

waterways and the ocean. Many

people were unaware of the

difference between stormwater

and sewerage systems.

Ten years later, the majority of

the population at the very least

are aware of the impacts these

activities have on our waterways

and the ocean, and most claim to

have changed the way they carry

out their daily activities to limit

their impact on the environment.

Much of the raised awareness and behaviour change can beattributed to the many and variededucation and communityinvolvement programs developedby the Board.

Board-sponsored bunting at the 2005 Come Out Festival River Walk

Top left: The Board supportsthe Upper Torrens LandManagement Program whichinvolves more than 100landholders in developingon-ground works thatprovide environmentalbenefits

Top right: Pultenaea species(Bush Pea)

18

Initially, people either didn’t know

or didn’t care about the impact

their behaviour had on the quality

of the environment. Common

practices included:

� littering and leaves being

allowed to collect on streets

and be washed down

stormwater drains � cars being washed on the

street � poor housekeeping at industrial

sites that contaminated rainfall

runoff � discharge of substances directly

into waterways � industrial and home spillages

allowed to flow into waterways

and stormwater drains� faecal pollution from dogs and

stock animals, and� poor land management

practices including grazing in

watercourses.

Unless the attitudes and

practices of the majority of the

population, including industry,

commerce, and local and State

government were changed, the

Board’s success in improving

water quality, protecting and

reversing degradation of

watercourses, and increasing

environmental flows would be

severely limited.

Stream name signage

From the outset, the Board knew that community education would be one of the keys to success in bringing about a major shift incommunity attitudes and actions.

KESAB Patawalonga andTorrens WaterwatchSince 1995, the Board has been

one of the principal funding

partners (with the Patawalonga

Catchment Board) of KESAB’s

Patawalonga and Torrens

Waterwatch (KPTW) program,

previously called the Clean Waters

Program. The KPTW program

helps schools, businesses and

community groups learn more

about caring for their catchment

by facilitating hands-on water

quality monitoring and

educational sessions.

As the Board’s major school

education program, over the past

decade the KPTW program has

left a lasting impression on a

generation of young people who

live or go to school within the

Torrens catchment.

In 2003/2004:• 712 school sessions delivered

involving 17,319 participants

• water quality monitoring involving 133 Waterwatch groups at 182 sites

• student research and educational website www.cwmb.sa.gov.au/kwc received 7,961 hits, and

• KPTW groups won 9 of the 18 metropolitan SA Waterwatch Awards.

Catchment Areas Tracking SurveyA Catchment Areas Tracking Survey conductedby the Torrens and Patawalonga CatchmentBoards in June 2004 showed that there is now far greater community awareness aboutstormwater pollution and its negative impact on water quality in our creeks, rivers and the sea. In the first benchmark survey in 1997,many people did not understand that stormwaterwas connected to our natural waterways and theocean. Subsequent surveys in 1998, 1999, 2002and 2004 have shown a progressive increase in community awareness of both water qualityand quantity issues. The Board has also seen a marked improvement in the number of peopleclaiming to have changed their practices toprotect our water resources, with 75% ofrespondents able to nominate something theyhad done in the past couple of years to protectlocal waterways from degradation and damage.

19

Our Patch community group removing boxthorn at Mutton Cove

0%

10%

1997

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

1998 1999 2002 2004

Done something to protect watercourses

% o

f res

pons

es

Patawalonga CatchmentTorrens Plains CatchmentTorrens Rural CatchmentPort Adelaide River Catchment

Waterwatch group undertakingmacroinvertebrate sampling

Our Patch school group removing aster

at Breakout Creek

Today there are around 50 active groups involving nearly 2,000 volunteers, including school children, businesses and individuals.

The program also provides

community members with

watercourse management,

biodiversity and practical

revegetation skills.

Our PatchThe Our Patch program aims to

facilitate community involvement

and ownership in the care,

protection and restoration of the

Torrens catchment. Our Patch

provides a practical support and

funding link for school, industry

and community involvement

in catchment management.

Business and IndustryEducating business and industry

about how to reduce their impact

on stormwater quality has led

to a culture change throughout

metropolitan Adelaide. The huge

increase in awareness and

behaviour change has been

brought about by the following

key projects of the Board.

20

If business performance meets specific criteria in regard to stormwater management, annual recognition status is granted and acknowledged by display of WaterCare BRS signage

WaterCare Business Recognition SchemeIn 2004, a pilot program was

launched in the North West

Adelaide region to trial a scheme

to recognise businesses and

industries that adopt improved

stormwater management

practices. The WaterCare Business

Recognition Scheme (BRS) is a

joint initiative of the metropolitan

catchment boards’ SPP Projects

with support from WaterCare.

The scheme also provides

customers with the ability to make

informed business choices based

on environmental best practice.

The six-month trial concluded in May 2005. It is likely that theScheme will be implementedthroughout all Board fundedmetropolitan SPP Projects.

SPP Project site audit

SPP Project site visit

Port Adelaide River

Stormwater Pollution Prevention ProjectsThe Stormwater Pollution

Prevention (SPP) Projects began

in 1995 and now operate in most

Council areas within the four

metropolitan Adelaide catchments.

The SPP Projects work with

businesses to improve the quality

of water entering local creeks and

rivers via the stormwater system.

Trained SPP project officers visit

business premises to help identify

practices with the potential to

cause pollution, before providing

advice and information to the

proprietor on how best to address

the situation.

Training workshops, information

sheets and newsletters help to

keep businesses updated on

developments in pollution

prevention.

Since 1995, the Board has audited2,679 businesses and industrypremises and found over 80 percentto be compliant. The SPP Projectslead the way with Natural ResourcesManagement (NRM) reform by usingan integrated catchment modelacross the four metropolitancatchment boards.

Educational Video for BusinessCreating business awarenessabout the need to preventstormwater pollution at itssource was the focus of a 20-minute educational andtraining video released in early2005 – Stormwater Pollution:It’s Your Business. The video,developed by the fourmetropolitan catchment boards, outlines why pollutedstormwater is damaging to the environment and givessmall and medium-sizedbusiness owners step-by-stepinformation on how to preventstormwater pollution occurringas a result of their operations.It was met with a greatresponse by local businessesand has been distributed invideo, CD and DVD formatsthroughout Australia.

Education ToolsSchool students have always been a major target for the Board’s education and awarenessprograms. From the early days of programs such as Kids Congressfor Catchment Care, the WaterCareWagon and the CatchmentMusical, through to developmentof resource materials specificallyfor schools, the Board has beencommitted to integratingcatchment messages into theformal education system.

In partnership with thePatawalonga, Northern Adelaide & Barossa, Onkaparinga and RiverMurray Catchment Boards, the EPA and Waterwatch, in 2003 theBoard released Water-Learningand Living, a CDROM-basedteaching resource and associatedwebsite. The website underwent a substantial upgrade in 2005.

www.watercare.net/wll

21

Clean SiteSince July 2002 the Torrens and

Patawalonga Boards have provided

major funding support for the

Clean Site environmental

education, awareness and

enforcement program which is

delivered throughout metropolitan

Adelaide in partnership with

KESAB. The program encourages

the South Australian building

industry and contractors to clean

up their worksite practices.

This is accomplished through free

information, training and practical

demonstrations of environmentally

responsible building site practices

that prevent stormwater pollution.

The program also lends support

to council officers to monitor

and enforce Clean Site practices,

and is supported by the MBA,

HIA and major Adelaide building

companies.

An awareness campaign targeting the adoption of similarpractices by the DIY homehandyperson was launched in June 2005 in collaboration withother metropolitan catchmentboards. A fact sheet is being issued to all visitors to the Home Ideas Centre at Ashford.

A KESAB Clean Site demonstration day in progress

The program continues to be

State Government-run and is

jointly funded by the State’s

catchment boards, the EPA,

SA Water, the Department for

Environment and Heritage, and

the Department for Water, Land

and Biodiversity Conservation.

Market research from the mostrecent WaterCare Tracking Reportshows that community recognition of the WaterCare brand hasincreased from 38% in September2004 to 56% in May 2005.

Catchment Tours The Board has been a greatsupporter of National Water Weekactivities, one of the most popularbeing free community tours of theTorrens catchment. These areconducted twice annually.

Having just completed a wonderful day of

enlightenment on your Urban Catchment Tour, I wish

to thank you very much for the opportunity to see

the wonderful work you are doing.

�

�H E L E NL O C A L R E S I D E N T O C T O B E R 2 0 0 3

WaterCareThe Torrens and Patawalonga

Boards launched the WaterCare

community education program

in 1998 to inform, educate and

motivate South Australians to

own and participate in a culture

of care for water (in general)

and catchments (in particular).

A whole-of-government trial

program followed in 1999 with

television advertising campaigns

and print advertisements and,

a year later, the Boards finally

secured the WaterCare program

as a whole-of-community, whole-

of-government program led by

the then Minister for Water

Resources and his department.

Grants and SponsorshipsThe Board strategically invests

thousands of dollars every year in

community education sponsorships

and grants. These have included:

• Oliphant Science Awards

• Water Trail at the SA Museum

• Education posters for Horse SA

• River Walk, the opening event for the Come Out Festival

• Port River Clean Project – a water-based cleanup of floating and river/inlet bank debris within the Port Adelaide River and environs, using volunteer crews on The School of Fish vessel

• Kaurna Nation capacity building around water and natural resources management and education

A revamped WaterCare awareness campaign was launched in September 2004 by Minister forEnvironment and Conservation John Hill (left) and Dr Paul Vogel, EPA Chief Executive

22

Chemical use demonstrations at hardware stores and garden centres target Adelaide Hills landholders

Chemical Users ProjectThe Chemical Users Project,

a rural community education

initiative, launched in 1999, has

been very successful in promoting

responsible use of chemicals

and pesticides, increasing

understanding of environmental

management issues and

preventing pollution of waterways

in the Mount Lofty Ranges

Watershed. So much so that there

has been a run of enquiries from

local and interstate organisations

keen to adopt the innovative

techniques.

Small landholders in the AdelaideHills apply up to nine times theamount of chemical necessary.

Saturday morning hardware storeand garden centre demonstrations,and nursery information sessions – advising pesticide purchasers oncorrect application techniques – arehelping to change this behaviour.

The Board has also progressed

the development of a Quality

Assurance Management System

for commercial spray contractors.

It has been adopted by the

SA Groundsprayers’ Association

as their business standard for

members across South Australia.

Marine Discovery CentreThe Marine Discovery Centre

(MDC), established by the Star

of the Sea School at Henley Beach

in 1997, receives thousands of

visitors each year.

Since 1998 the Board has fundedstudent visits to the MDC through an ongoing sponsorship.

In 2004/05 school groups from 45 schools in the Torrens catchmentbenefited from the educationalprograms delivered at the MDC.

All visiting classes are taken

onto the foreshore to learn

about aspects of the local coastal

environment. The Board has also

assisted with sponsorship funding

for a number of MDC-facilitated

interpretive signs along the

foreshore, including a recent

project at the Tennyson Dunes.

Board project signage atSt Peters Billabong

The connection between land management practicesand the health of the marine environment is reinforcedthrough the MDC’s education programs

Stream name signs, which are now a feature in 16 localgovernment areas in both the Torrens and Patawalongacatchments, have since been adopted in all other South Australian catchment areas

Going Forward

.......

...........

> measurement of actual behaviour change in urban and rural sectors

> manage the community’s expectations of what can realistically be achieved in terms of water quality improvements

> develop and implement innovative ways to encourage sustainable behaviour and resource conservation

> embed best water management/catchment management practice in everything we do

> include indigenous culture and heritage issues in catchment water management and planning

> implement the WaterCare Business Recognition Scheme across all SPP Project areas

Major challenges for the Torrens Catchment still to be met include:

Project SignageIndividual project signage has

been strategically placed at Board

installed and/or funded gross

pollutant traps and trash racks,

constructed wetlands and other

catchment improvement works.

Catchment SignageStream Name SignsNo other Board community

education project has provided

such a prominent, widespread and

long-term opportunity to raise

awareness of catchment issues as

the stream name signage program.

Stream name signs on major roads

provide a permanent, subtle and

repetitive reminder to anyone who

travels through the catchment of

the existence of local waterways,

the catchment and the link

between what flows down

stormwater drains and what ends

up in the sea. This simple but

innovative concept was initiated,

developed and coordinated jointly

by the Torrens and Patawalonga

Boards.

Water Quality SignsPermanent standardised beach

and lake signage has been erected

on and near metropolitan beaches

where there are major stormwater

discharges and recreational water

bodies such as West Lakes.

The signs have a consistent

message that advises people not

to swim or recreate in these areas

after rain events. The project

was delivered in collaboration

with all metropolitan coastal

councils, the State Government,

Adelaide Shores, the Patawalonga

and Onkaparinga Catchment

Boards, and Surf Life Saving SA. 23

Water Quality Improvement

24

Discharges into the RiverTorrens Treated wastewater from the

Gumeracha Wastewater

Treatment Plant was discharged

into the River Torrens until 1996.

All treated wastewater is now

diverted to local pine plantations.

The Board also supported the

removal of Birdwood Septic

Tank Effluent Disposal Scheme

(STEDS) discharges from the

River Torrens.

colour, turbidity, dissolved organic

carbon, and nutrients such as

nitrates and phosphorus.

The objectives have been adoptedby SA Water and the Board isworking to use them as broaderpublic water quality indicators for the catchment.

Rock riffle on the River Torrens

Pelicans (Pelecanusconspicillatus) on the Torrens Lake

It will take a long time to addressthe long-term damage that hasoccurred, but the work of the Boardwith the community is deliveringsignificant results in the reduction of pollutants entering ourwaterways.

Setting Water QualityObjectivesThe Board actively addresses

water quality risks in the Mount

Lofty Ranges Watershed. It has

recently compiled raw water

quality objectives for reservoirs

in the Torrens catchment to

help measure water quality

management outcomes in the

Watershed. Objectives have been

established for a range of

parameters including algae,

Cryptosporidium, cyanobacteria,

coliforms and E. coli, pesticides,

soluble iron and manganese,

Water quality in the Torrens has been severely compromised since the early days of European settlement.

In 1839, after an epidemic of

dysentery killed five children in

one day, Governor Gawler banned

people from bathing, washing

clothes and throwing dead

animals into the River Torrens

within one mile of the Adelaide

township. In the many decades

since, residential, industrial and

agricultural development of the

upper and lower catchments has

continued to negatively impact

on water quality.

Over the years, individual

projects have been implemented

in an attempt to improve water

quality in areas throughout

the catchment, but until the

establishment of the Board in

1995 there was no comprehensive

approach to water quality

monitoring or improvement

on a catchment-wide scale.

Top left: In 2003 a Caulerpataxifolia outbreak in thelake at West Lakes wastreated by pumping freshwater (winter stormwaterflows) from the RiverTorrens

Top right: Hardenbergiaviolacea (Native Lilac)

Pathogens and nutrients entering

the river have been reduced

through a progressive upgrade

to this facility over the last five

years. Improvement works are

continuing and options are being

investigated by the Adelaide Hills

Council for reuse of treated

effluent in on-site woodlots.

Coastal spinifex

The aim of the ACWS is toscientifically define acceptable and sustainable loads for the quality and quantity of industrial,stormwater and wastewaterdischarges from local catchmentsentering the marine environment.

It will develop knowledge,

options and tools for the future

management of Adelaide’s coastal

waters by identifying causes

of ecosystem modifications and

the actions required to halt or

reverse the degradation.

The study is being undertaken in

three stages. Stage 1, completed

early in 2002, included a literature

review, scoping exercises,

stakeholder consultation and

design of an integrated and

fully costed research program.

In October 2002 CSIRO’s

Environmental Projects Office

was commissioned to manage

the entire study.

Stage 2, comprising six inter-relatedresearch tasks and Stage 3,involving synthesis of the results,are being implemented concurrently.By June 2006, practical andscientifically sound water qualitytargets will be identified.

Adelaide Coastal Waters StudyTogether with other agencies and

catchment boards, the Board is

supporting a study to investigate

processes in Adelaide’s coastal

waters.

The Adelaide Coastal Waters

Study (ACWS) commenced

in 2001 in response to growing

concerns about the decline in

metropolitan coastal water

quality and the loss of large areas

of shallow sub-tidal seagrass.

The study focuses on the area of

Gulf St Vincent from Port Gawler

to Sellicks Beach and extends

approximately 20km offshore.

The Torrens and Patawalonga

Boards have jointly committed

$420,000 for the life of the

ACWS project.

New standardised beach waterquality signage (see page 13)

Student visitors to theMarine Discovery Centreparticipate in their owncoastal study

Discharges into the Port Adelaide RiverUntil recently the two major point discharges into the Port Adelaide River were the Port AdelaideWastewater Treatment Plant and Penrice SodaProducts. The Board has actively worked to supportmoves to halt these discharges. Following StateGovernment approval in April 2000 for SA Water toproceed with a $100m upgrade of the Port AdelaideWastewater Treatment Plant, which was completed by late 2004, all wastewater from the Port Adelaidecatchment is now diverted to Bolivar.

Combined with a reduction of ammonia in Penricedischarges, this has resulted in a 99 percent reduction of nitrogen discharged to the River. As the graph below shows, even with theseimprovements, the bulk of the nutrient discharges to the Barker Inlet and Port Adelaide River come from EPA-licensed premises. Stormwater contributesa very small amount.

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0

100

200

300

400

500

600

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800

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Penri

ce So

da Pro

ducts

Boliva

r WWT

PNe

t from

Sedim

ents

West L

akes

Catch

ments

Atmosp

heric

Groun

dwate

rLo

cal St

ormwa

ter

Nutrient discharges to Port Waterways 2005

Tonn

es/Y

ear

Phosphorus

Nitrogen Note – Bolivar discharge travels north toGulf under some tide/wind conditions

Sour

ce: E

PA P

ort P

rojec

ts Gr

oup

Water Quality StudiesWater quality is strongly influenced by seasonal and inter-annual variability in rainfall. As a result,evaluation of change and improvements in waterquality over time is complex and requires thecomparison of data from long-term data sets.

Before the Board’s establishment there were a few programs monitoring the physical, chemical and microbiological aspects of waterquality. However these were set up for specificpurposes such as water supply operations and did not provide a coordinated or comprehensivedatabase.

The Board’s initial three-year study from February 1996 to February 1999 used a set of 15 sites throughout the catchment to obtain a first snapshot of water quality by monitoring more than 30 different physical, chemical,biological and microbiological parameters.

In its current water quality study (from October 2002 to July 2005) the Board has increased this to a network of more than 30 sites to obtain quarterly data snapshots of water quality and stream health. Never before has such acomprehensive monitoring system been in place in the catchment.

Comparison between the initial study and the first two years of the current study are presentedgraphically opposite for four key variables:

■ Mean macroinvertebrate diversity■ Median faecal coliforms■ Mean zinc concentration, and■ Mean suspended solids.

All show improvement in water quality at most sites.

Aesthetic Water QualityAesthetic quality of water is largely determined by the quantity of suspended solids in the water column. The average suspended solids concentration has decreased at all but three sites. Third and Fourth Creek both show a slight increase, but were still withinthe EPA’s Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2003 requirement for suspendedsolids concentration of 20mg/L or less for protection of aquatic ecosystems.Improvements are a likely result of the Board’s programs of wetland construction, erosion remediation and limiting stock access to watercourses. The reading at GriggsRoad, near Mount Pleasant, was very high in the second study due to one samplecollected as a storm broke where the concentration was measured at 334mg/L.

Orga

nism

s/10

0ml

0

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Tapley

s Hill

Road

South

Road

Wind

sor Ga

rdens

Silkes

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Popla

r Grov

e

Carne

ll Bou

ndary

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Grigg

s Road

First C

reek (

Zoo)

Secon

d Cree

kTh

ird Cr

eekFo

urth C

reek

Fifth

Creek

Water

fall Gu

llySix

th Cre

ek

Kersb

rook C

reek

Median faecal coliforms2002 – 2004

1996 – 1999

mg/

L

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

Tapley

s Hill

Road

South

Road

Wind

sor Ga

rdens

Silkes

Road

Popla

r Grov

e

Carne

ll Bou

ndary

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Grigg

s Road

First C

reek (

Zoo)

Secon

d Cree

kTh

ird Cr

eekFo

urth C

reek

Fifth

Creek

Water

fall Gu

llySix

th Cre

ek

Kersb

rook C

reek

Mean zinc concentration2002 – 2004

1996 – 1999

0

15

30

45

Tapley

s Hill

Road

South

Road

Wind

sor Ga

rdens

Silkes

Road

Popla

r Grov

e

Carne

ll Bou

ndary

Road

Grigg

s Road

First C

reek (

Zoo)

Water

fall Gu

llySix

th Cre

ek

Kersb

rook C

reek

Mean macroinvertebrate diversity

Taxa

nom

ic ric

hnes

s

2002 – 2004

1996 – 1999

0

20

40

60

Tapley

s Hill

Road

South

Road

Wind

sor Ga

rdens

Silkes

Road

Popla

r Grov

e

Carne

ll Bou

ndary

Road

Grigg

s Road

First C

reek (

Zoo)

Secon

d Cree

kTh

ird Cr

eekFo

urth C

reek

Fifth

Creek

Water

fall Gu

llySix

th Cre

ek

Kersb

rook C

reek

Mean suspended solids

mg/

L

2002 – 2004

1996 – 1999

MacroinvertebratesAquatic macroinvertebrates are an excellent measure of water quality because they processwater continuously as they obtain their food and shelter from the aquatic habitat. Hencethey are a measure of water quality over the preceding weeks as well as on the day ofsampling. Average (mean) macroinvertebrate diversity (taxonomic richness) has increasedat all but one site using the Australia-wide standard AusRivAS sampling protocol.

Microbiological HealthMicrobiological health is assessed by measuring the number of faecal coliform bacteria in a 100mL sample. Faecal coliforms are an indicator of contamination from the faeces of warm-blooded animals including dogs, sheep, cattle and water birds. While thesecoliforms are not themselves a threat to human health they indicate the potential forparasites harmful to humans. The data indicates improvement (i.e. a decrease in coliforms) in all rural sites and some urban sites. Only two sites, First Creek and Fourth Creek, have median values that exceed the standard for secondary recreational activity (1,000organisms/100mL). These higher readings can likely be traced to fouling by water birds,runoff from a local golf course and/or indiscriminate disposal of dog faeces.

ZincZinc is the most common heavy metal pollutant in urban systems in Australia. Within the Torrens catchment zinc concentrations have fallen markedly at 14 out of the 15 sites.The EPA’s Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2003 states that the maximumzinc concentration for protection of aquatic ecosystems should be less than 0.05mg/L. All but one site, Fourth Creek, fell well below this standard in the second study period.

26

Going Forward

.......

...........Major challenges for the Torrens Catchment still to be met include:

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> develop efficient and effective monitoring systems to allow water quality improvements to be assessed against a huge range of seasonal variations

> set agreed water quality targets that are realistic and consider impacts on aquatic ecology rather than pure water quality tests

> use the Adelaide Coastal Waters Study water quality guidelines to help ensure sound investment in catchment management

> monitor groundwater quality and extraction, and improve groundwater management across the catchment

> further reduction of nutrient discharges to the Port Adelaide River from EPA licensed premises

Groundwater QualityGroundwater quality varies across

the catchment dependent on the

underlying geology.

Salinity is the limiting factor

for domestic (backyard bores),

industrial and commercial use

across the urban and rural Torrens

catchment. High extraction is

generally concentrated in areas

where groundwater salinity is low

(below 1500 mg/L).

In 2004 the Board, in collaborationwith the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation(DWLBC), undertook a groundwaterquality survey in a number ofaquifers across the urban catchment.

The survey indicated that whilegroundwater quality is stableoverall, salinity increases areoccurring in areas of concentrated use.

The Board has been addressing

both groundwater quality and

quantity issues by progressing

ASR investigations in partnership

with catchment councils and

private industry.

Water quality monitoring by the AWQC on Torrens Lake

Holbrooks Weir

Data logging and water samplingequipment at the flow and waterquality station at Holbrooks Weir on the River Torrens at Underdale

Monitoring StationsThe Board operates and maintains

eight flow and water quality

monitoring sites throughout the

catchment. These permanent sites

provide a long-term record of the

quantity and quality of water

flowing throughout the catchment.

Each station takes samples of

water automatically and after

laboratory analysis this allows

the total load of pollutants to be

calculated. Undertaken in the

10 years from 1993 to 2004, this

composite monitoring program

has shown improvements in

water quality primarily in terms

of reduction in the concentration

and load of suspended solids and

heavy metals. The most consistent

change was a reduction in

lead levels.

The injection of relatively fresh

stormwater into aquifers in high

extraction areas will improve

groundwater quality in areas at

highest risk of increasing salinity.

The Board is working

collaboratively with DWLBC

and the EPA to progress the

uptake of ASR across the

Torrens catchment.

Research and DevelopmentThe Board has funded a strong

research and development

program with local universities

focussing on areas such as

innovative stormwater

management, ecotoxicological

assessment, sources of pathogens,

best practice in the automotive

sector, irrigation and turf

management. Two examples

include:� Faecal sterol work with

Flinders University has allowed

pollutant impacts to be

identified by source (e.g.

human, dog, bird and stock

animals). This has greatly

assisted source pollution

control.� Sediment analysis through

the University of Adelaide has

provided invaluable data to

allow watercourse erosion and

land management measures

to be targeted to effectively

reduce nutrient sources within

the rural catchment.

Sustainable Water Resources and Riverine Health

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Water ConservationWater conservation is promoted

through community water audits

and guidelines for schools and

businesses. For example, the

Board supported a water audit

of the Adelaide Zoo, which led to

the adoption of water conservation

measures throughout day-to-day

operations and incorporation of

water-sensitive designs for major

developments at the Zoo.

Watercourse Priority SettingThe Watercourse Priority Setting

project has delivered innovative

risk assessment procedures

to help ensure community and

agency resources are invested

in works that yield the greatest

sustainable on-ground outcomes.

Barriers to fish movement and

loss of seasonal flows and refuge

pondage are prolific. Historically,

little field data have been available

to determine which species are

most affected.

The Board has worked tirelesslyover the past ten years to raiseawareness of the importance ofsustainable water resources andriverine health, and to implementprojects for their protection.

Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) at St Peters Billabong

Top left: Kangaroo Creek Reservoir

Top right: Eucalyptus porosa (Mallee Box)

Vineyard and dam, Adelaide Hills

Never before has the focus been

so strong on the need to protect

our precious water supplies for

the future. Until now, most people

have taken water for granted.

Groundwater has been pumped

out of wells throughout the rural

and urban parts of the Torrens

catchment without control and

often at unsustainable rates.

Development of public water

supply and associated river

regulation has impacted on the

aquatic ecosystem of our

waterways.

The sustainable future of South Australia is dependent on a sustainablesupply of water – for drinking, irrigation and the environment.

29

Graph 1 shows the natural flow in the River Torrens upstream of Gorge Weir, while graph 2 shows the very reduced volume that flows through the weir to the city and the sea. Water released from Kangaroo Creek Reservoir for diversion to Hope Valley Reservoir is not included.

Only species which can survive

on minimal water flows, or have

a very short life cycle, can survive.

Water quality downstream is also

impacted.

For the first time since the Gorge and Gumeracha Weirs were built, something is being done to addressthe problem. The Board has investigated the impacts ofallowing limited flows over the weirs and is negotiatingwith SA Water to provide ‘water for the environment’.The plan is to allow small amounts of water to flow pastthe weirs year-round, supplemented by two large flowsannually, to allow the re-establishment of the diverseriverine environment that is crucial to the health of our waterways.

Graph 1: Flow upstream of Gorge WeirJuly 2001 – July 2002

Graph 2: Flow downstream of Gorge WeirJuly 2001 – July 2002

Water for the EnvironmentWhen the Gorge Weir was

constructed in 1860 and

the Gumeracha Weir in 1918,

aquatic ecosystems in the Torrens

catchment changed forever.

The weirs stop the vital year-

round natural flow from upper

reache