The City of Adelaide has acted to remediate an erosion gully and improve water quality in Botanic Creek through King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina (Park 15)

The project costing around $240,000 has been completed without impacting the historic 1870's olive groves.

Water runoff from East Terrace and eastern CBD finds its way into Botanic Creek, which in turn feeds the lake in the Adelaide Botanic Garden.

However after heavy rain, water pouring downhill can carve channels through topsoil. This poses some danger to the historic olive grove, planted in 1872.

Over winter, contractors employed by the City of Adelaide have undertaken significant work near East Terrace between Wakefield Road and Bartels Road.

The completed works now provide erosion protection through a new water channel. Part of the channel, closest to East Terrace, is now below ground. Above ground, a few metres higher than the creek level, contractors have installed gabions, large rocks, rock riprap and drop structures.

There is also a new gross pollutant trap and a sedimentation zone at the downstream of the system.

The works also include a new horse jump for future editions of the Three-Day Equestrian event. The event is scheduled to return to Adelaide in April 2023.

The City of Adelaide advises that the works will improve the quality of water in Botanic Creek, by removing gross pollutants and reducing nutrients and hydrocarbons from the runoff.

Approximately 2.7 hectares of the City East catchment drains into the channel via a pipe system.

Although the earthworks have been completed, there is still some work to come, with new plants to be established around the watercourse, before the end of August (weather permitting).