Photo Credit - Don McCall
Thornton Creek Watershed is not unusual for a NW Urban Stream in that an iconic species is trying to make a comeback here. Beavers are making their presence known in some natural areas, and sometimes they can create habitat and water quality features that function better than those done by humans.
At Thornton Creek Park Six near Northgate, the beavers have cleverly rearranged things to their liking.
They've built a dam and "lodge" there, and it has become an amazing haven to a myriad of wildlife, such as heron, wooducks, hundreds of cutthroat trout and many others yet to be catalogued. The park is located at the intersection of 8th NE between NE 105 + 106th Sts. The beavers are a little shy, so don't be surprised if you can't see them, but you can see their work.
Some folks including SPU are concerned that the pond will back up too much and flood the local roads and other worries. But, it seems to be under control. Also, of course the beavers went after many of the trees there, including large cottonwoods and some of the many previously planted by local stewardship efforts.
photo credit -Janet Way
Heron fishing at Thornton Creek Park #6
Beaver lodge and pond - photo credit, Boni Biery
Beaver Dam - Photo credit, Boni Biery
Beavers have also been sighted at Shoreline's Ronald Bog, North Seattle Community College and of course Meadowbrook Pond.
Now the Washington Lands Council is looking seriously at how the amazingly, industrious beavers can create ponds that help streams with natural solutions, on issues like "summer stream flow".
Here is an article from Discover Magazine on Environment/ Global Warming and how the Beavers may be "recruited" to do what they do best.
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Photo credit - istockphoto
Beavers Sign up to Fight Effects
of Climate Change
Washington officials think the industrious critters could save more of 650 trillion gallons of water each year, blunting the effects of hot and dry summers.
From the April 2010 issue; published online April 19, 2010
Once hunted for their pelts, beavers are back in demand, not for their
bodies but for their minds—specifically, for their engineering skills.
As changing climate leaves streams short on water in the summer,
researchers are betting that the industrious rodents could provide a
natural solution.
bodies but for their minds—specifically, for their engineering skills.
As changing climate leaves streams short on water in the summer,
researchers are betting that the industrious rodents could provide a
natural solution.
Based on a survey of how dams store water, the Lands Council in Washington
State predicts that reintroducing beavers to 10,000 miles of suitable habitat in
the state could help retain more than 650 trillion gallons of spring runoff, which
would slowly be released by the animals’ naturally leaky dams. The council
began investigating the beaver option after learning that the state was
considering artificial dam projects that might cost billions of dollars. It argues
that beavers can do the job at a small fraction of the expense: Restoration,
maintenance, and monitoring would cost less than $1 million, the council
estimates. This year the group plans to test its water storage predictions
with a small-scale reintroduction project that will compare groundwater
levels before and after beavers settle into their new homes.
State predicts that reintroducing beavers to 10,000 miles of suitable habitat in
the state could help retain more than 650 trillion gallons of spring runoff, which
would slowly be released by the animals’ naturally leaky dams. The council
began investigating the beaver option after learning that the state was
considering artificial dam projects that might cost billions of dollars. It argues
that beavers can do the job at a small fraction of the expense: Restoration,
maintenance, and monitoring would cost less than $1 million, the council
estimates. This year the group plans to test its water storage predictions
with a small-scale reintroduction project that will compare groundwater
levels before and after beavers settle into their new homes.
The project builds on research from ecologists Glynnis Hood and Suzanne
Bayley of the University of Alberta, who studied records spanning 54 years
from Elk Island National Park in Canada. They found that during periods of
drought, wetlands held nine times as much water during years when beavers
were present than when the animals were absent due to trapping. “Beavers
concentrate water into areas where they want it,” Hood says. “They engineer
the landscape to their advantage.” Michael Pollock, an ecosystems analyst
with the National Marine Fisheries Service, is restoring the animals to
Bridge Creek in eastern Oregon, with promising initial results. Since dam
support structures were installed in 2008 to help colonies get started,
groundwater levels there have begun to increase.
Bayley of the University of Alberta, who studied records spanning 54 years
from Elk Island National Park in Canada. They found that during periods of
drought, wetlands held nine times as much water during years when beavers
were present than when the animals were absent due to trapping. “Beavers
concentrate water into areas where they want it,” Hood says. “They engineer
the landscape to their advantage.” Michael Pollock, an ecosystems analyst
with the National Marine Fisheries Service, is restoring the animals to
Bridge Creek in eastern Oregon, with promising initial results. Since dam
support structures were installed in 2008 to help colonies get started,
groundwater levels there have begun to increase.
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