How best to dam a creek?????

[MossRoad]

If you diverted part of the stream flow through a pipe into a separate pond that you make then you wouldn't have to be concerned about high water flows taking out your dam.

That's what we plan to do some day out on our property. There's a county ditch that we cannot mess with constantly flowing. But we can dig a pond off to the side of it and connect with a channel. Would have to put some sort of screen in the channel to keep the fishies in/out.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

Import a Beaver

I did that (actually the beavers came on there own) and the neighbors got ahold of the state and they came and removed them from my property. Personally would have prefered the beavers being there, they create a good habitat until the trees are all gone!

 

[oosik]

A low beaver dam controls the level of my ten acre lake. The beavers, obviously, do not bother my pine trees. That's about all I have here on my 80 acres.

However - from a quarter mile away they have found young birch and alder to create their dam.

Somebody start futzing with the beavers on my lake - there will be a HOLY WAR. Fortunately - there are also lots of coyotes to clean up the mess.

I should add - the entire lake plus inlet/outlet are totally contained within my property. There is no public access to my lake.

 

[Eagle1]

A low beaver dam controls the level of my ten acre lake. The beavers, obviously, do not bother my pine trees. That's about all I have here on my 80 acres.

However - from a quarter mile away they have found young birch and alder to create their dam.

Somebody start futzing with the beavers on my lake - there will be a HOLY WAR. Fortunately - there are also lots of coyotes to clean up the mess.

I should add - the entire lake plus inlet/outlet are totally contained within my property. There is no public access to my lake.

Same here completely own my large pond and beavers show up every year except this spring. Been here 17 years and it's a first. We have few pines but beavers like willow, poplar, maple and river birch best but will drop pretty large cedar and oak trees for building material. I mean 10-12"+ diameter. Tried to live with them but no dice, sooner or later they try damming the the spillway, dig into the dam or start downing a tree in the campground. Now it's war on sight.

 

[oosik]

When we first moved onto the property - planted a weeping willow down by the lake shore. It got pretty big - 24 inches at the base. The beavers took it down and used everything except the main trunk to build their dam. I knew it was coming - sooner or later.

I know my situation is most fortunate. It's seldom that a beaver dam is helpful.

 

[CalG]

Any small dam needs to be built to allow flood water to flow OVER it. Wooden cribs with spillway ramp boards allow such overtopping flows.

perhaps a better word than allow would be survive.

This one is a couple miles from my place. in springtime melt, the water can flow 4 feet over the edge. Quite a sight and sound!

 

[ultrarunner]

A low beaver dam controls the level of my ten acre lake. The beavers, obviously, do not bother my pine trees. That's about all I have here on my 80 acres.

However - from a quarter mile away they have found young birch and alder to create their dam.

Somebody start futzing with the beavers on my lake - there will be a HOLY WAR. Fortunately - there are also lots of coyotes to clean up the mess.

I should add - the entire lake plus inlet/outlet are totally contained within my property. There is no public access to my lake.

By invitation only?

I bet it’s on every firefighter map as a water source?

In the foothills a neighbor found his pond emptied out from helicopter buckets fighting a fire down wind…

 

[Eagle1]

By invitation only?

I bet it’s on every firefighter map as a water source?

In the foothills a neighbor found his pond emptied out from helicopter buckets fighting a fire down wind…

Been there. I don't mind the forest service using my water when needed, mother nature will make more

 

[HawkinsHollow]

WOW! Do you live is a rainforest? That is some lush vegetation!!

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Are Beavers found in your part of the country?
Here, in mine, they do an amazing job of dam building.
No permits, studies, or gubmit types tromping around on your property needed

That is the million dollar idea! Figure out how to train beavers to make their dams exactly where we want them!!