Carbondale Colorado, just outside of aspen, is just about as pretty as you’d imagine it with all the mountain trimmings and clear waters to give it fame. I imagine that has something to do with the beavers who are causing a bit of a stir in the area. Fortunately they’ve had some great training from Sherri Tippie and her many disciples…
Beaver dams wreak havoc in Carbondale Nature Park
The serene ambiance of Carbondale Nature Park is currently marred by an unintended consequence of nature’s course. A diligent group of beavers, native to the 33-acre valley park, have constructed dams, causing blockage in the culverts and resulting in significant flooding. These circumstances have not only impacted public areas but have also impacted private property access, forcing officials and residents to seek immediate solutions.
Culverts logged
Carbondale Parks & Recreation Director Eric Brendlinger painted a vivid picture of the challenges the town is grappling with. Beavers have effectively blocked a couple of culverts on the town property. Water, unable to find its regular course, has been rerouted.
“We have a couple of culverts there that have been blocked on our town property,” Brendlinger said. “The damming by the beavers has flooded out that road too. We’re just going to have to wait until the water drops to assess what to do about that for the future.”
That doesn’t exactly sound like havoc to me, unless your definition of havoc is “doing what everyone expects and what improves the environment“. From the headline I assumed beavers were tossing molotov cocktails and shooting beer cans in the streets. Well, let’s see how this unwanted behavior is handled shall we?
Potential solutions are being considered as the town braces to address this unexpected challenge. “Beaver deceivers” could play a pivotal role. These devices employ siphon technology to manage and control the water level, preventing flooding without disrupting the beavers’ natural dam-building activities.
“These devices will effectively manage the water levels, preventing flooding while allowing beavers to thrive,” Brendlinger said. “It’s a solution that respects both our community’s needs and the natural ecosystem.”
Don’t you just love it when characters are introduced to a familiar story that actually know how to solve things??? I sure do.
Action to address the damming and resultant flooding is contingent on the water levels receding. The town has scheduled to turn off its ditches on Oct. 16, which will facilitate a reduction in water levels and provide access for a detailed assessment of the situation.
“We turn off our ditches on Oct. 16,” Brendlinger said. “That will help and then just, of course, natural water level drops allowing us to get access to assess the impact.”
While the beavers’ industrious activities are causing some consternation, the issue is currently localized, impacting the park and adjacent private properties. The town remains committed to addressing the problem without causing harm to the beavers or their natural habitat.
“It’s one of those things, where we are trying to coexist with nature but it can be difficult at times,” Brendlinger said.
As the town of Carbondale anticipates a resolution to the conflict of nature versus human convenience, the beavers, oblivious to the stir their dams have caused, continue their industrious work.
How’s that for a nice story. Here’s the problem. Here’s the solution. Here’s why we want to cooperate with beavers.
Have a nice day.
