Inland Waters
Page 173
Regent Gardens
In 1995, three wetland ponds in Roy Amer Reserve in the Oakden residential
development were constructed as a major water and catchment feature for a
newly developed housing area. The system was one of the first in the State,
and was a demonstration site to learn how small freshwater wetland systems
might work in urban areas, as part of a suburban stormwater management
system. The wetlands serve as a stormwater detention basin, and as a
functional wetland system to improve water quality. An aquifer recharge and
recovery system (ASR) was also installed, to harvest clean stormwater from the
wetlands, for later re-use to replenish water levels of the wetland in summer and
the irrigation of the reserve. Roy Amer Reserve attracts many people. A popular
activity of visitors to the wetlands is feeding the large numbers of water birds
that are resident in the wetlands.
Over time, the condition of the wetlands was impacted on by a range of issues,
with banks being eroded due to yabbies and other fauna, reduced wetland
vegetation, water quality that did not meet the stringent EPA requirements for
injection to the aquifer, and degraded habitat. The Oakden Wetland Study was
developed by Council in July 2004 to outline key recommendations for the
rehabilitation of the wetlands. The study determined that the wetlands were of
an adequate size to achieve good water quality, but required some redesign
from the original development work.
The objectives for rehabilitation of the wetlands were to -
•
Restore the water quality to a standard suitable for aquifer recharge
•
Restore the visual qualities of the wetland
•
Create a diverse and sustainable wetland habitat and ecosystem for
wildlife and plants
(
Source: Oakden Wetland Study, 2004).
Works in the wetlands have been completed (2011) and there has been a
significant improvement in the amenity of the area. The system’s potential to
allow aquifer injection will be monitored ongoing.
Northgate
The Northgate Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) scheme is located on the
corner of Dumfries and Folland Avenues, Northgate, approximately 8 km from
the Adelaide CBD. The scheme was developed as part of the residential
development associated with Northgate Stage 1, undertaken by the developers
AV Jennings between late 1999 and April 2001. The system consists of a series
of 4 detention/retention ponds that collect and store stormwater runoff from the
development area prior to injection to the underlying fractured rock aquifer.
Based on lake volumes within the active harvesting range and typical injection
rates, a water retention time of approximately 4 days is available within the main
lake.
A long retention time is a critical element in ensuring water treatment occurs to
the required EPA standard to allow for injection to the aquifer. The total urban
