DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR STORM DRAINS FLOW?
The 10 square mile Rush Creek Watershed is at the northern edge of Novato and includes the area of Old Town to the southwest, the Olive Ave. neighborhood to the southeast., Mt. Burdell to the northwest, and Atherton Ave. and Rush Creek Preserve to the northeast. It supports mostly coastal saltwater marsh and coastal brackish-water marsh habitats, providing critical wetland habitat year-round.
Rush Creek is a relatively short stream originating from two forks and one quasi-tributary, Basalt Creek, on the north edge of Novato and flows 1.5 miles northeasterly down through wetlands into Black John Slough and then the Petaluma River. The name is associated with Peter Rush who bought land near Novato in 1862.