The Northwest Creek Committee oversees issues in the creek on a day to day basis. This can also include Little Northwest Creek to the west, adjacent to Sag Harbor. In addition, issues that may arise along the beaches and bluffs along Northwest Harbor are usually handled by the committee.
Within the creek, moorings are assigned by the Trustees. It is one of the most popular of the Trustee harbors in which to keep a boat, given the relatively protected outside waters of Northwest Harbor and the Peconic Bays beyond. Correspondingly, the Trustees maintain kayak racks on the beach of Northwest Harbor, a popular paddling destination.
Similarly, Trustee issued duck blind permits surrounding the creek are highly sought after. The substantial amount of undeveloped upland and vast marshes that border the creek make it a popular waterfowl hunting destination.
The Town Shellfish Hatchery holds clam seed over the winter in the creek for additional growth into a second season. This produces a larger seed clam, increasing the survival rate once seed is disseminated into public beds. This practice makes use of the part of the creek otherwise closed to shell fishing due to elevated bacterial levels.
Horseshoe crabs are an important part of the bay ecosystem and Trustee monitoring of spring spawning events along the beaches along the creek and harbor assist scientists in ascertaining the extent and condition of the breeding populations in this area.
Finally, the Trustees monitor creek conditions to assess the need for dredging to maintain navigation and/or water quality in the inner parts of the creeks. As Northwest Harbor is a shared jurisdiction, the Trustees also coordinate with Sag Harbor on water quality, mooring and navigation issues of mutual interest.
Projects
Horseshoe Crab Monitoring, Moorings, Shellfish Seeding, Little NW Creek dredging, Working with Sag Harbor Village government on water quality.