I would give them a harder time for using VERY old tools and acting like they’re flying to the moon, but it’s NB and they never, never, never have done anything except trapping. So Hurray for them! (And god I hope it works…)

Professor trying to out-build beavers at UNB woodlot

The system makes it possible to alter the water level so it’s not high enough to flood out the roads that allow access into the lot and not low enough that the beavers would need to build their dams higher. (CBC News)

A system installed in the University of New Brunswick’s woodlot in Fredericton to maintain water levels is expected to ease tensions between humans and beavers.

The area has a long history of beaver-built structures impacting human-built ones with the flood waters that result from the construction of beaver dams.

“This area has been a problem area for quite some time, for the last six years I’ve been here,” said Jason Golding, the university’s director of forest land.

“We’ve finally taken measures to do something here.”

The system — dubbed the “Beaver Leveling System” — works to allow Golding control over water levels in a given area rather than the beavers.

“It’s perforated pipes surrounded by a cage so it doesn’t fill up with sludge and debris,” said Golding.

“On the opposite side of the road is a pipe that I can manually manage the level of the water on the other side of the road.”

Golding said having control over the water levels allows him to keep the road from being washed out by waters raised by beaver activity.

“If I want the water low, I take the pipe out at ground level, and the water will spill out,” said Golding.

“If I want the wetland higher I just have to add more pipe.”

Golding said the project wasn’t cheap, costing around $5,000. But included in the cost was a back-up system in case the rodents ever managed to somehow block the leveler.

Wow. 5000 dollars for a pre-built unit that wasn’t even designed for the site. Plus your labor to install it. I’m feeling more than a little worried about this. Especially since when it inevitably fails everyone is going to say, “well we tried it your way, beaver-huggers, but it didn’t work – guess we have to trap.”

“As a precaution, we’ve also built a spill-way,” said Golding.

Oh and that. That worries me a LOT.

Apparently it’s so unheard of to use a flow device in New Brunswick that folks have been showing up terrified that it’s a trap. Which tells you something about the community pressure that got them interested in this process in the first place. I wish they had just done an ounce more research.

Don’t you?