I’m off to Auburn to talk about beavers this morning, but I thought I would leave you with some slightly silly news from Washington State, where a beaver was relocated from the water source – not because he was causing beaver fever mind you – but because officials said the dam made the water too turbid.

They only saw one beaver on camera so they’re SURE there’s only one. And the water operator became a ‘licensed beaver trapper’ and did this all himself.

Because honestly, how hard can it be?

Beaver transplanted from its home in Bremerton’s watershed

BREMERTON — A beaver was causing a stir to Bremerton’s primary source of drinking water.  Earlier this month, public works officials began seeing a spike in turbidity, or decreased water clarity, in the middle of the night near the Casad Dam.

The dam, at the headwaters of the Union River west of Gorst, supplies about 60 percent of the water to Bremerton ratepayers. Just below it, before the water is treated in multiple facilities, a beaver was creating a new dam of its own.

There was no immediate panic for one animal, according to Kathleen Cahall, the city’s water resources manager. The engineer-like beaver can be a positive force on the nature around it, but in this case, the city had to remove it. Cahall noted that Bremerton must keep strict control of those waters — a pristine source of rainfall that collects behind the dam.

“Source control is paramount,” Cahall said. And that meant the beaver would have to go.

Well, at least you think beavers can be good news, but something tells me you’re still a little beaver-challenged.

It’s likely the critter’s in adolescence and was recently abandoned by his parents to fend for himself, according to Chad Huntelman, lead operator for the city’s water department. It fell to him to trap the animal.

He had no previous experience, but the city sought bids from 12 trappers. The cost to retain one for a year was $60,000. So Huntelman became a licensed beaver trapper.

He began to put out traps filled with cedar and a scent, and eventually, the beaver climbed right in. The state’s Department of Fish & Wildlife was called.

“They had a spot for it,” Huntelman said.

A state wildlife biologist took it to a creek in Mason County that was missing its beaver. The critter had been hit by a car and the owner of the property was glad to take a new one.

Ohhh little washington. You are so very close to smart about beavers, it is almost sadder to read stupid things from you. Why do you think this beaver was on his own anyway? Because you only saw one beaver on the night cam? And of course if you had two images of one beaver you could tell for sure that they were the same beaver right?

Pu-leeze. Why would a single beaver need to build a dam anyway? I mean without a family to protect why bother?

So you didn’t want to hire anyone qualified to do this, because how hard could it be to trap a dumb animal anyway? There are plenty of qualified folk like Ben Dittbrenner’s team that could have helped, but hey, you got this! The beaver was cooperative (probably a male checking out the scene for his family to make sure its safe) and boom! you caught a beaver! Since it’s Washington state you could borrow the hancock from someone, and lucky you there’s a home just waiting for that little transplanted beaver.

I suppose you took the cameras down now? Because you’re going to be shocked when see that beavers family working on your little dam. I just hope you didn’t create orphans along the way.