Looking after our waterways

We help look after metropolitan Adelaide’s water resources including lakes, floodplains, wetlands, dams, groundwater and wells. Find out about water plans and permits and how you can help to protect these water resources.

Water plans and permits

Learn about Adelaide's water plans, policies and how to apply for a water permit.

Green Adelaide regulates water resources in the Adelaide metropolitan area (view map of area).

This includes overseeing the implementation of the new Adelaide Plains Water Allocation Plan. This plan details the rules around licensing, allocation and management of groundwater and wells.

We also manage activities that may impact local watercourses in metropolitan Adelaide through issuing Water Affecting Activity Permits as per the Water-Affecting Activities Control Policy (PDF | 1 MB).

Our responsibility to these 2 tasks forms part of the Landscape Act SA 2019.

Apply for a water affecting activity permit

Help look after Adelaide's waterways

Guide to looking after waterways

A new guide has been created to help metropolitan Adelaide property owners to care for waterways in and around their property.

5 tips for looking after waterways

Most of Adelaide's waterways run through private land, so property owners can have a huge impact on waterway health.

Keeping our rivers litter free

Ever wondered what gets washed into Adelaide's rivers & creeks after heavy rain, how to stop rubbish from entering our waterways & what you can do to help?

Healthy waterways

Why do healthy waterways matter? Learn about the impacts on our native wildlife, and the common issues that might occur in rivers, creeks and wetlands.

Learn more about Adelaide's water resources

5 native fish that live in the River Torrens

We have some interesting rare and threatened native species and even an ancient sucker fish living in our iconic River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari.

How groundwater supports climate resilience

Returning groundwater to storages is making Adelaide more climate resilient. It may be out of sight but groundwater is the world’s top source of freshwater

Adelaide’s River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari

Decades of effort has gone into creating a healthier River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari. Find out how the river has transformed over the last 20 years.