Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater

Dam constructed at Ridge Park

Brown Hill, Keswick, Glen Osmond and Parklands Creeks are important drainage watercourses in metropolitan Adelaide. The creeks have a relatively high flood risk, a history of flood events and a low standard of flood protection. Their combined catchment is mainly contained within the local government areas of Adelaide, Burnside, Mitcham, Unley and West Torrens.

In February 2017, the State Government, five local councils and the Stormwater Management Authority (SMA) reached a historic agreement on a $140 million infrastructure project to safeguard against flooding in the Brown Hill and Keswick Creek catchment.

The flood mitigation works detailed in the Brown Hill and Keswick Creek Stormwater Management Plan will reduce the number of properties affected by a 1-in-100 year flood event by nearly 98 per cent. The infrastructure project will deliver about 73 full-time jobs during construction.

The plan will also yield more than $240 million in community benefit in terms of damage mitigation, reducing flood impacts on Adelaide Airport, minimising economic disruption, and improving stormwater quality across the catchment.

The councils and State Government have called on the Commonwealth to contribute funding toward the project, and will be actively lobbying for this contribution in order to expedite construction and reduce the burden on ratepayers.

The State Government has agreed to fund 50 per cent of the required works via its Stormwater Management Fund over the next 20 years.

Project background

View the Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project website for further information and history on the Project and the approved stormwater management plan.

May-June 2015
The Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project undertook a six-week community consultation process  from 13 May 13 to 23 June 2015.  

August 2015
The Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project released the consultation results. The consultation attracted 818 public respondents, with 696 of these respondents (85%) indicating their support for the project’s preferred Option D, which includes upgrading the capacity of upper Brown Hill Creek at critical sections. Among respondents who own creek properties likely to be impacted, support for Option D was evenly divided.

September 2015
The five catchment councils unanimously agreed on Option D – ‘Creek Capacity Upgrade’ – as the preferred option for Part B Works, enabling the project’s Stormwater Management Plan to be finalised for the Stormwater Management Authority’s approval.

March 2016
The Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project submit the final Stormwater Management Plan to the Stormwater Management Authority.

February 2017
The State Government, five local councils and the Stormwater Management Authority reach a historic agreement on a $140 million infrastructure project to safeguard against flooding in the Brown Hill and Keswick Creek catchment.