Catchments of the Northern Adelaide and Barossa Region
The Northern Adelaide and Barossa Region encompasses the catchments of the Gawler River, North and South Para River, Little Para River, Smith Creek, Cobbler Creek and Dry Creek.
The Northern Adelaide and Barossa Region contains many water courses that all provide significant benefit to the populations of the area. The region is home to some of our state's most productive agricultural land - the premium grape growing regions of the Barossa and the horticultural regions of the Northern Adelaide Plains.
The region also supports around 320,000 people who live in some 125,000 homes, and is home to over 25% of the State's manufacturing output.
Aboriginal significance
Prior to European settlement, the region was occupied by the Ngadjuri, Kaurna and Peramangk indigenous groups.
What were the watercourses like before European settlement?
Dry Creek and the Little Para River were ephemeral waterways before European settlement, meaning that during summer stream beds dried out to leave a chain of ponds. The North Para River was a near permanent waterway before European settlement, while the Gawler River was made up of several small streams that spilled onto the floodplains surrounding the area in times of high water flow.
What happens to the water flow today?
Today, the watercourses of the Northern Adelaide and Barossa Region have been altered for human settlement. Reservoirs store water for urban usage and channels and drains now divert some water away from its original course and away from floodplains. Water is used in the area primarily for domestic use, industry and agriculture and horticulture.