During repairs to the Van Norman Reservoir, in the 1970’s, areas along Haskell Creek were dug in order to collect clay to line the reservoir. Large depressions or borrow pits were left behind. Each winter the pits filled with rainwater and soon became seasonal ponds that attracted scores of waterfowl. In 1991, the pits were transformed into a permanent wildlife lake, now maintained daily with a continuous supply of reclaimed water from the Tillman Reclamation Plant.In recent years, storm runoff and daily flow have corroded the banks and bottom of Haskell Creek, often degrading the habitat and making it difficult for trees to take hold. Because the creek provides critical habitat for wildlife, habitat restoration here has been a priority.
Regraded and widened, Haskell Creek and the surrounding site have now been restored. New plants stabilize the banks. A canopy of cottonwoods and willows creates new habitats that attract wildlife including nesting songbirds. Small mammals and birds forage in the shrubs. Insects dart above and below the surface of the water, often becoming food for other creek inhabitants. The biological diversity has been enhanced and Haskell Creek once again nourishes life in the Sepulveda Basin
