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Hay Creek flows south out of the Brighton State Recreation Area (5000 acres of irregular hills interspersed with many lakes and trails) and enters Bass Lake, and then Gallagher Lake, which is a lake on the Huron River. The creekshed is located slightly east of Pickney and slightly west of Hamburg, in Livingston County.
Brighton State Rec area and other areas of undeveloped public land in the upper portions of the watershed are one of the main reasons the Huron River remains clean and healthy throughout much of its run. HRWC has found that Hay Creek consistently supports sensitive insect families, which are a sign of a healthy and thriving ecosystem. However, as this watershed becomes developed as a residential area for commuters, the quality of the creek could decline if stormwater runoff is not retained on the developed properties. Eight percent of the creekshed currently is covered by impervious surface, which is right at the tipping point where creeks start to see negative effects on the habitat, insect, and fish populations.
Let’s keep the Hay creekshed covered with as much natural land as possible!