Stormwater Management on the Peninsula

Stormwater management on the Lefevre Peninsula is complex for reasons including:

– there are a large number of stormwater catchments;

– major flooding/ponding occurs with troublesome areas including, but not limited to, Bridges Ave Osborne; Swan Terrace; Hanson St; Alfred and Mary St, Peterhead; numerous trapped low spots along the west coast of the Peninsula;

– the volume of stormwater discharged into Gulf St Vincent needs to be reduced, and the quality of the water discharged needs to improve, to reduce the dieback of seagrasses;

– urban infill is adding to the stormwater load;

– the land is low lying, bordered by the coast and Port River, with high ground water and potential acid sulphate soils;

– about 1/3 of the area has privately managed stormwater drainage systems.

The City of Port Adelaide Enfield, with contributory funding from the Stormwater Management Authority and the Adelaide Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, commissioned the Lefevre Peninsula Stormwater Management Plan.

The draft Lefevre Peninsula Stormwater Management Plan was presented to Council in August 2016. The Stormwater Management Plan proposes about $45.6M of capital works and so a key challenge is accessing Council, State Government and Commonwealth Government funds to implement the Plan in a timely way.

There are some examples of Water Sensitive Urban Design on the Peninsula and through this Plan we could have more, with environmental and aesthetic benefits.

Yerlo Drive, Largs North - swale to collect and filter stormwater
Yerlo Drive, Largs North – swale to collect and filter stormwater
ABC Community Park, Hargrave St, Peterhead - flood waters can enter and exit the basin through an underground drain extension
ABC Community Park, Hargrave St, Peterhead – flood waters can enter and exit the basin through an underground drain extension

Council’s Annual Business Plan 2018-19 suggests it is undertaking ‘significant flood proofing across the city.’ Details about  Council’s work in relation to Stormwater and Flooding is available on their website here.

(Current at 30 July 2018)

This post is one in the series Significant Environmental Issues on the Lefevre Peninsula