The Australian Democrats today called on the state government to impose tighter yearly targets for the improvement of the River Torrens.

"Since 1997 the Torrens Catchment Water Management Board has spent a little over $7 million for no noticeable improvement in the River Torrens," Australian Democrats leader, Mike Elliott, said today.

"Over $5 million of this came from the new catchment levy which is a tax on the people living in the catchment, with $1/2 million contributed by Adelaide City Council ratepayers last year.

"The Torrens Lake is a dark putrid embarrassment to the state.

"If our native wildlife cannot survive in and around the Torrens Lake then obviously any existing targets are not stringent enough.

"With spending estimated to reach around $11 million by the end of this year, the state government must insist on tighter and measurable water improvement targets."