Beaver appears to be causing flooding to land on, near prison

A beaver appears to be causing some flooding issues to land on and near the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, but it looks like there isn’t much anyone can do about it.

Jeff Nichols, City of Hutchinson public works maintenance/flood control superintendent, said a beaver dam has caused water to back up along the Cow Creek in this area in years past and it wouldn’t be atypical for it to happen again.

In the past couple of days the high water has been on the west and east side of K-61 between Avenue G and Blanchard.

Nichols said the creek crosses multiple private properties and it is the owners’ responsibility to maintain it – including beaver dams.

Craig Curtis, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism regional wildlife supervisor, said based on Kansas law you can get rid of the beaver, but you legally can’t get rid of the dam.

Curtis said the landowner can reach out to the department for information on a water level control device that can be put inside the dam to keep the water an at acceptable level. 

Hutchinson correctional facility is in Kansas, where you are apparently allowed to kill beavers as long as you don’t destroy dams. Not sure about the logic in that – I’m sure it’s flood related but I would think that if beavers aren’t around anymore to tend the dam it will eventually break and cause flooding anyway?

I’m pleased at least to see that Kansas knows about flow devices. What do you want to bet that paper would describe the expensive and unreliable Clemson and not Mike or Skip’s Designs?

A pleasant winter trip to the pond from Larry Weber of Minnesota makes me wish that we had snow. Sure feels cold enough anyway.

Northland Nature: A recent visit to a beaver pond reveals.

With all these changes — cold, snow and the beginning of the freeze up — it was time to visit to a beaver pond.

Each November, I like to wander through the woods and adjacent field to a favorite beaver pond. This year, I was able to observe a few others as well. I like to see if the beavers are still present and how well prepared they are for the coming winter season. Three beaver lodges that I went to in past weeks revealed newly cut branches on the top with saplings in the nearby water to serve as food. None were large, but each showed activity. Often in the previous weeks of AutWin, I was able to watch the beavers as they swam by.

As I went towards the large beaver pond, I walked in the new snow cover. AutWin may be over, but now the next chapter in the seasonal changes begins. Though I cannot see many of the low plants that I saw in the woods last week, I could see the animal tracks that tell of their activity during these recent days and nights. Even before I left the yard, I found footprints of deer, squirrel, deer mice and shrew. Within the woods, I noted where a ruffed grouse and fox have passed and a runway of snowshoe hare. Out in the field, I found the tunnel openings in the snow made from underneath by the local field mice. These vole holes are always very common early in the snow season. Arriving at the beaver pond, I saw a few coyotes had left their tracks as they moved along the shore. A more adventurous raccoon tried walking on the new slushy ice. And out in the center of the pond, I saw what I came here to observe: the beaver lodge.

The structure is large and solid. Looking it over, I saw the aquatic dwelling site has many recent cut branches on it; the beavers have worked much in previous weeks to reinforce the strength of their home. Nearby in the water are many branches and twigs sticking up above ner photogfraph, Montanathe pond’s surface. This large gathering of woody material tells of a well-stocked cache of food that allows the beavers to have meals all winter. Though the cache is wet and cold, it does give enough substance and nutrition for these large water rodents. The entire pond was covered with ice, except for a small open space near the lodge. Here the beavers are able exit from their unique house if they desire to do so. (I have previously found their tracks on the nearby shore, but not this time.)

From the size of the lodge and cache, it looks like a whole family will be wintering here. I have visited this beaver pond every November for years and nearly always I find what I saw that day. They appear to be doing fine. It was a good walk and visit to the beaver pond and I wish them well for the coming winter.

I love to think about beavers planning ahead for the snow. It never ceases to amaze me that they make a food cache and share with family members. My  dream is to someday see the cracks they make in the ice before it freezes up so they can have access as long as possible. I wish I could see how they do it, Do you think they use their heads or strong backs? Beavers in snow work so much harder than ours. But it never troubles them. It’s not like you ever see a mass migration of beaver retirees moving to the warmer temperatures so they can take it easy in their golden years.

Of course this beautiful glimpse of beaver under the ice is from our good friend Bob Arnebeck. Thanks Bob.