Managing the Rain

Last week, a bird’s eye view of the Rush Creek Preserve, as a passenger in a car traveling north on Highway 101, had me concerned. The preserve resembled a muddy beach with very little water, not the critical, coastal brackish-water marsh many animals rely on for their year-round wetland habitat at the Rush Creek Preserve.

The birds, snails and other residents must be pleased this week, with the rains this week to moisten their habitat.

Do you know that northeastern Novato storm water is directed into either Rush Creek or the Deer Island Basin and the Simmons Slough? So when the rain runs down the storm drain, it flows into the Rush Creek Preserve, through the Black John Slough, ending up in the Petaluma River. Makes one really think about how water travels and what is flowing into the storm drains from our yards, cars and street.

Water levels are maintained by the Marin County Watershed Program and the preserve is part of the Marin County Open Space.

So if you get a chance, take a hike, rain or shine and check out Rush Creek, one of the best bird watching areas in the North Bay.