The creek begins near the Chetinnad Palace, extending northward into the mainland and taking a complete U-turn near the Foreshore Estate before ending near Mandavelipakkam.
In 2008, a 58-acre Adyar Poonga bordered by Greenways road to the south, Town Planning Scheme road on the northwest, South Canal Bank road in the north east and Santhome Causeway bridge to the east was restored in the first phase and was completed in 2010.
The second phase of restoration covers a total area of 300 acres.
Insect species, including butterflies and dragonflies, has increased from 98 to 155 in the same period.
About 57,000 mangrove species and 35,000 terrestrial saplings have been planted in the estuary.