Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam rebuilding pond dam

pond was originally constructed in the 1930s. we installed a stop~log water control outlet pipe (C) in '95 when we built a 1 acre marsh below the pond dam.




over the last 6~7 years, beavers have invaided our pond and have built multiple dens (1,2,3,4) on the west dike. the dike has collapsed and isn't holding water.



we are planning to cut a hole in the dam and remove the original outlet pipe (A,B). if you look closely at the pond side of the pipe (A), you will see a beaver hole beneath the 12" pipe. the drain side of the pipe (B) has a corresponding hole as well.

i'm planning to rent a track hoe for the weekend in march to drain the pond and remove the original pipe.

should i remove the beaver dens on the west dike with the track hoe or wait until the ponds dry in the summer? by mid~summer, we'll have a dozer guy come into rebuild the west dike and build the west marsh.


the pic is a "well~like" structure that i don't know what or how it was used. any idears?


finally, we may be building the lower marsh as well this summer. i'd like to rebuild the dam in such a way that it drains most (if not all) runoff around the east side and into a "collection ditch) to fill the lower marsh.

Boy, I thought I had it bad. Those beavers look like they are worse then the nutria I have.

Boy, I don't know that much about beavers. We have them but they stay in the creeks. They clobber some beautiful trees but that's about all the damage they do. Coyotes and bobcats usually take care of them.

I would start a serious beaver remediation plan before I counted on doing anything and then I would be keeping after them in the future. Can you get government trappers?

Sorry I missed this thread somehow. I would definitely use the trackhoe to remove beaver lodge debris. That will set the stage for a dozer to come in and rearrange 'good' soils and rebuild the levee. Plus, with all evidence of the lodge gone this time of year, any beavers left will likely move on. If not, they will be obvious and you can take action. Looking at your photos, there doesn't seem to be any new beaver activity, except maybe at the right in photo 4. Lodges look like they are in disarray.
The concrete structure looks like an old cistern, used years ago to collect rainwater off rooftops for household use. There may have been a homestead there years ago.

I found them easy to trap. I bought my traps here:

Beaver Traps

On a nice spring evening, get yourself a shotgun and a spotlight. Be vewwy, vewwy quiet and sit and listen. You'll spot them swimming along the banks. Blast 'em. A night spotting scope makes this easier. A full moon helps as well. Ignore PETArds that take umbrage to this. (Might consider a permit from DNR, if you want.)

When I was young, we did this several times along a creek a buddy's dad was having beaver problems on. Managed to kill quite a few in several nights and he had no troubles for the next several years.

We used rifles, but we were young and dumb. 12 ga, 3" mag turkey loads would take care of them out to 40 yards or so...

We used rifles, but we were young and dumb. 12 ga, 3" mag turkey loads would take care of them out to 40 yards or so...

i'm not so sure about using a shotgun. i absolutely drilled a beaver w/ a 3 1/2" hevi-shot shell w/ an extra full choke and that s.o.g. rolled once and never popped back up. they don't expose very much of their body, just their greasy head. i'm using a .223 now!

as always, thanks for the replies!
we began trapping and shooting beavers last year, but haven't seemed to slow 'em down.
to date, we have 5 confirmed kills (2 trapped, 3 shot).

it is too difficult being a "weekend trapper", so i've contacted a couple local trappers to remedy the problem. i'm planning to spend a considerable amount of time eradication all willow trees this spring to, hopefully, dissuade the fury lil' devils from ever coming back.

strm:

Yeah, your probably ahead to get some real trappers in there. Getting rid of the food source will surely help, at least they won't be so apt to return without a ready supply of willows...