Clearing a Beaver Dam


One of the ponds on the drive in to our place



Here at the lake one of our closest neighbours are beavers.  There are a multitude of ponds, dams and houses in the immediate area and while they can be pretty and interesting they impact various aspects of our lives – but mainly the roads.




Lots of lilypads












Management of the levels in the ponds can be a constant activity depending on the rains.  If the pond levels get too high adjacent roads will flood.  Roads in this area are private and maintained by local property owners.  Flooding will put the road underwater, or in some cases wash out a channel across the road.  As well, beavers crossing the road from pond to pond start to wear down the edges of the road which gradually results in it becoming more narrow.

Luckily we knew that the road under this flood was solid


As the waters rise in the pond (due to rain perhaps, as certainly is the case this year) there is a need to lower the levels to avoid road problems.  This is done by damaging or opening a dam.  Water then flows out to the next pond and may also have to be let out from that one depending again on roads.  If it heads to a larger body of water like a lake that is probably all that needs to happen. 

The dams are extremely well built and so take some effort to open.  Since the beavers are at their workaholic best at night we generally open the dam first thing in the morning which generally will allow flow all day.  Overnight the dam will usually be repaired and the water flow reduced to a trickle or stopped entirely.  In the spring when water levels are highest this happens regularly and is a task shared with our neighbours.

Today was one of those days and we opened 2 dams – one that is completely natural and one where we have installed a culvert.  

Pulling out the loose stuff


Here we are opening the one without a culvert.  Note the heaps of dead wood and branches beside the dam from previous openings.  The first step was pulling out whatever loose branches and logs we could.  This morning on this particular dam it was quite easy.











Then Bob got in there with a pitchfork for the final, most important clearing.

Attacking the muck and fibres with the pitchfork





Success



And voila !  We have flow !!  





So that will be good for the most of the day.  
It will most likely be repaired overnight (sigh), and we get to do it all again.


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