Wetland, Eyre Street, Kingston
The wetland beside Jerrabomberra Creek in Kingston plays a key role in improving water quality in the creek and in Lake Burley Griffin. Construction will be completed by the end of June 2019.
The wetland is is one of three ACT Healthy Waterways projects in the area that will bolster the work the established Jerrabomberra Wetlands already does – filter stormwater before it flows into the Lake and provide habitat for the growing number of native animals and birds that call the wetlands home.
The wetland will remove approximately 17,000 kilograms of nitrogen, phosphorous and suspended solids from stormwater every year.
The Eyre Street wetland is one of the biggest ACT Healthy Waterways projects with a treatment area of 6000 square metres. It will draw water from Jerrabomberra Creek for treatment.
The site was previously a municipal waste site. Geotechnical and contamination investigations conducted during the design phase confirmed the likely presence of waste including gravel, concrete and steel but no hazardous materials.
To avoid potential leaching and contamination, the wetland has been built on an impermeable base and constructed almost entirely in fill excavated from other sites.
There are two more ACT Healthy Waterways projects in the area – Matina Street in Narrabundah and off Dairy Road in Fyshwick
Design changes
As a result of consultation with the community and, in particular, the Jerrabomberra Woodlands and Wetlands Trust and Canberra Airport, a number of changes have been made to the original design. These include:
- The repositioning of the wetlands away from the creek edge to protect the riparian habitat. This move also allows for the future removal of the transmission towers and cables without damaging the wetlands.
- The reconfiguration of the wetlands to eliminate large open water areas or roosting islands that would attract large birds and increase the risk of bird strike at the nearby Canberra Airport.
- The replacement of through pathways for pedestrians and cyclists to separate users from riparian vegetation.
- The relocation of the pump station away from the noise-sensitive creek area.
More information
Find out what you can do on your own block to improve water quality in our lakes and waterways.
