Village will stay flood-free for $413,620

“That’s the final tab for the recently completed dam in the John Mathison Conservation Area just north of Havelock. The concrete dam has replaced a 10-foot high beaver dam immediately upstream from the village that was holding back an extensive pond encompassing at least 100 acres of the conservation area.

Council made the decision two years ago to build the dam because of growing concern about the flooding and damage that would occur if something happened to the beaver dam, the largest of several in the conservation area. The Havelock arena and the Havelock-Belmont Public School, along with homes and businesses, are only a few hundred feet downstream of the dam and would have been in immediate danger of flooding if the beaver dam was damaged, either by neglect or vandalism.”

Did you get that? This town is putting in a concrete dam in case the beaver dam gives out. No word on whether the beavers themselves approved the work or were harmed during construction. I suppose that no one wanted to affect the dam before because the water would flood the town, although it seems they have constructed a beaver-hampering buffer zone now so I wouldn’t say the beavers were safe. Hmmm you can build an awful lot of flow devices for 400,000 dollars.

I wonder what the trout will say about the substitution? Or all the insects that thrived on the organic floor? Well its done now, and apparently paid for with some fund shuffling. I’m sure it will last forever. It’s not like anyone ever changes their mind about concrete in streams, right?

Oh, and congratulations to our own Cheryl Reynolds who learned this weekend that one of her photos of our stalwart three kits born last year will grace the 2010 Watershed Calendar for Contra Costa. Nice work Cheryl! For at least a full 30 days during some lucky month every single flood district worker and public works employee will be forced to think about beavers belonging in creeks.