Tuesday, January 2, 2018

WHO TOOK OUT THE BEAVER DAM IN ELMIRA?



A few years back I found a beaver in Elmira who had died of lead poisoning. He was however on private property and his construction had flooded a private roadway. While undecided on this solution nevertheless I could certainly understand the frustration of the landowner over the situation. A similar solution however not on private property I find more problematic.

This past summer I and some friends enjoyed watching the construction of the dam and lodge along the Kissing Bridge Trail (Trans Canada Trail) at the north end of Elmira. If one leaves Arthur St. near the Woolwich Observer newspaper and walks west (towards Floradale & Wallenstein), past a few of the pedestrian bridges, one could see the ingenuity and industriousness of a local beaver at work. The dam was built at a location which already had a natural tiny dam in place. The beaver added to it substantially and succeeded in making a larger, deeper area in the creek upstream of the dam. It actually wasn't until the fall and the leaves were dropping that I could see where he had located his lodge. This area is also upstream of the Elmira Golf Course and wasn't affecting their property at all.

Well lo and behold on my last walk out there it soon became clear that the dam was no longer holding back water. In fact a closer look indicated that it had been intentionally broken open and the backed up water all released downstream. What the heck? Who was negatively affected by this dam? In fact I expected that the dam would be helpful this coming summer and other future summers as it would help store water for the dry summer months when Larch's creek gets extremely low. Three or four summers ago the creek actually dried up, flow stopped and there was only water in a number of deeper holes in the creek. To my mind this dam was an attribute to the natural environment both health wise and cosmetically.

Does anyone know whether this action was the result of a complaint to a municipal or provincial ministry or agency? Or on the other hand was this a private action of a nearby property owner with a legitimate concern over possible damage to his property? If anyone knows please feel free to comment below. Thanks.

5 comments:

  1. Was this dam on the Canagagigue? If so it may have been removed by the GRCA or MNRF on behalf on the GRCA. We used to hire private trappers as all our hydrometric gauges would be affected if there was beaver activity. Often they are trapped and relocated elsewhere that they wouldn't be a nuisance. They may look nice and be a treat to watch but they do create more problems than benefits on creeks and rivers. Trust me Al on this one.

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  2. This dam is on Larch's Creek in Elmira about a mile upstream of where the creek discharges into Canagagigue Creek in Elmira.

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  3. So I gather this was between Snyder Ave and Arthur St in a natural area called Victoria Glenn?? Not sure why it was removed but was it the Municipality on orders or on behalf of the GRCA since it is in their watershed.

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  4. Nope. Further upstream from the Victoria Glenn area. Oddly there are the remnants of an old man made dam in the Victoria Glenn area. That is untouched.

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  5. If it is around Snyder Drive North or on the other side of Kissing Bridge Drive it may have been removed as caution to prevent flooding in this development. Again by the Municipality under the GRCA floodplain guidelines they must follow. Regardless it is gone soooo!!!

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