Torrens riverbank repairs begin at Thebarton

SA Water, on behalf of the State Government, has begun on-site remediation of a 38 metre section of storm-damaged riverbank along the River Torrens near Murray Street in Thebarton.

Management of the River Torrens and Linear Park is a joint state and local government responsibility, with SA Water sometimes called on to contribute its construction management and engineering expertise to help repair riverbanks.

SA Water’s General Manager of Asset Operations and Delivery Mark Gobbie said it’s committed to keeping construction impacts to a minimum during the work, and has been working with the City of West Torrens and Charles Sturt, and updating residents and businesses in the lead-up to the project starting.

“There will be increased vehicle activity during construction, and for the safety of the community and our contractors, temporary traffic management will be required during parts of the project,” Mark said.

“This will allow trucks and other vehicles to access the site compound temporarily in place on a section at the northern end of Murray Street.

"To allow for the safe setup and operation of equipment close to the river, pumps will be used to lower the water level on occasion throughout the works.

“The shared-use path on the southern side of the river will be temporarily closed during construction, however the northern side will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.”

South Australian contractor SEM Utilities will carry out the work from Monday to Saturday between 7am and 5pm. Some work may be required on Sundays, but neighbouring properties will be advised when this occurs.

SA Water has helped with similar repairs at several sites along the Torrens since the areas were damaged by severe storms in late 2016. This includes adjacent the brewery at Hindmarsh, and in Paradise.

“Since receiving funding in 2018 to progress riverbank remediation on behalf of the State Government at four additional sites along the Torrens, we have undertaken extensive planning and design work, completed works at Gilberton, and are in the final stages of remediation at Lockleys.

“Work will begin at the last site – Torrensville – in coming weeks, and subject to weather and river flow conditions, repairs at all sites are expected to be complete in the first half of this year.

“The completion of remediation at these sites will enable the relevant local councils to undertake repairs to their infrastructure within Linear Park and re-open adjacent walkways or bicycle paths to the public.”

All repair sites were assessed and prioritised based on safety, the volume and frequency of visitors they receive, and the likelihood they might deteriorate further in the near-term.

Work being undertaken by SA Water as part of the overall $5.2 million project varies between locations, and includes:

• debris and unstable soil removal
• some vegetation removal to ensure bank stability and safety of our workers and the community
• installation of concrete pins and gabion walls (specialised steel baskets filled with rocks) to support the riverbank through any future high water events
• temporary removal of existing infrastructure such as walkways and fencing, for better access during construction.

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