Although you might not realize it, the stream that enters University Bay at this point actually drains much of the near west side of Madison. Every time a heavy storm hits, or the winter snows melt, a great rush of water enters the bay here. Over time the sandbar that naturally occurred here through the action of wind, waves, and currents, has increased in size due to sedimentation associated with storm water from this creek. However, a project xxxxxx willow creek captures much of that sediment…
Because so much of the land in the Creek’s watershed has now been built up and covered with hard surfaces, outflows have accelerated dramatically in recent decades, with corresponding impacts on the bay that we are only beginning to understand. Managing this watershed for the long-term health of the Preserve – to say nothing of the community of Madison – remains one of the enduring environmental challenges of being good stewards of this place.
As you’ll see, the very shallow waters that cover the delta of Willow Creek are a favorite gathering place for a number of species of waterfowl. You can almost always see birds offshore here, any time of year.