Project planning & design
The City of West Torrens has installed 20 rain gardens along Brooker Terrace, Hilton as part of road upgrade works between Richmond Road to Sir Donald Bradman Drive.
Financial partners
This project was one of 3 pilot projects with part funding from the Catchment to Coast project being led by the EPA with funding from the National Landcare Programme ($250,000), to demonstrate action that can be taken at a street level to improve urban and coastal water quality.
WSUD features and design criteria
Previously, stormwater in Brooker Terrace was managed via the kerb and gutter system draining to a conventional underground stormwater pipe system and associated side entry pits (SEPs) at the end of the street. In the new design, all road runoff and stormwater systems from adjoining dwellings is directed to a series of raingardens that are located and sized to cater to the contributing sub-catchment.
Approximately 9,000 indigenous plants have been planted in these gardens, adding variety and interest to this urban street scape. Each rain garden has, on average, 4 species of plants, which have been selected based on their features of colour, texture and ability to treat and filter out pollutants from the water.
History shows that some of these species were used by Indigenous people to make items such as baskets, mats and fishing nets. There are also companion plants which provide aesthetic appeal and enhance biodiversity values.
The outlets have been designed to provide between 100 mm and 200 mm extended detention. The raingardens typically include three inspection and flushing pipes. Treated stormwater collected by the raingarden underdrains and any subsequent overflow discharges to the existing downstream drainage system to Keswick Creek and then the Patawalonga.
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