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. Recently, the penalty rates for over-use of water have changed.
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).
We also have Current Recommended Practices (CRPs) for some common Water Affecting Activities. These include Removing Vegetation from Waterways (PDF | 747 KB) and Constructing Ford Crossings over Waterways (PDF | 1 MB). If the activity you want to undertake is covered by the scope of a CRP, you are not required to apply for a Water Affecting Activity permit.
Our responsibility to these 2 tasks forms part of the Landscape Act SA 2019.
