Taken Away: City removes beaver dam for safety | News

admin editors_picks, News 0 Comments January 17, 2023

, 2023-01-17 12:00:00,

It is natural for beavers to construct dams at local waterways but one such dam has been removed by the City of St. Helens due to flooding and safety concerns.

Dam Removed — The area of the beaver dam at McCormack that has been removed by the city.

Kelli Nicholson / Country Media, Inc.

“Yes, the City of St. Helens recently removed a beaver dam from McCormick Park,” St. Helens Communications Officer Crystal King told The Chronicle. “The dam was located close to the pedestrian bridge that spans Milton Creek. This bridge provides connection from the main playground and parking lot area of McCormick Park to additional walking trails and disc golf holes on the opposite side of the creek.”

King said the location of the beaver dam created two concerns if it was left in place:

1. higher-than-usual flood damage to the main trail and surrounding areas of the park.

2. significant damage to the structural integrity of the pedestrian bridge.

The City consulted with a state trapper who came to the park in the hopes of trapping the beaver. After examining the location of the dam, the trapper determined that trapping the beaver was not an option because the dam was in an area heavily trafficked by dogs and small children which created a safety risk,” according to King.

“It was recommended that the City remove the dam,” King said. “This would encourage the beaver to move to a different area of the creek where a dam would not pose the same safety or flood damage concerns. In the process of dislodging the dam, the machinery used entered the creek.”

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