This bridge takes you across Willow Slough, a waterway within the Preserve. A slough is a low-lying river channel with little or no natural outlet—its water is often still or flows very slowly. While sloughs might appear stagnant, they play a vital role in supporting wetland and riparian habitats. At the Cosumnes River Preserve, sloughs like this one are tidally influenced by the San Francisco Bay, causing subtle but important changes in water levels and salinity that help sustain a rich diversity of plant and animal life.
