Hobson's Conduit, constructed from 1610, used the natural springs at Nine Wells to create a flow of water to the city and flush the kings ditch.

The dominant trees here are beech which were originally planted for firewood but have a detrimental effect on the watercourses: an acidic leaf fall in autumn is causing heavy silting and a change in oxygen levels.

[3] Efforts are being made to recreate conditions favourable to re-establishing a richer invertebrate fauna again, however there is a great deal of new building going on in the area so this special little habitat patch is potentially under threat.

According to the information boards within the reserve, active management is needed to keep the streams suitable for bullhead fish to thrive and this is important as they provide food for kingfishers.

[6] It is south of Addenbrooke's Hospital and east of the railway line and the genome cycle track (52°09′58″N 0°08′06″E / 52.166°N 0.1349°E / 52.166; 0.1349 (Hobson Conduit (spring at Nine Wells))), near the village of Great Shelford.