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Cold Winter in the Midwest US

Lots of arctic air has been spilling into the middle and eastern sections of the US this winter. No complaints with this as the water is much appreciated by the farmers.

This is a view of a minor creek in northern Illinois after a wet snowfall driven by northeastern winds in January.

original.jpg

Reflections at Somonauk Creek​
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Lots of arctic air has been spilling into the middle and eastern sections of the US this winter. No complaints with this as the water is much appreciated by the farmers.

This is a view of a minor creek in northern Illinois after a wet snowfall driven by northeastern winds in January.

original.jpg

Reflections at Somonauk Creek​

Tom,

The ice is just starting to spread. Any beaver dams?

Asher
 
Thank you Antonio!

I didn't see any dams, Asher, but there's plenty of evidence of their presence. The county animal control folks are probably going to be busy rounding the critters up this summer.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Thank you Antonio!

I didn't see any dams, Asher, but there's plenty of evidence of their presence. The county animal control folks are probably going to be busy rounding the critters up this summer.

Tom,

Don't the beavers help nature's balance? Or do they flood land that's too valuable?

Asher
 
Tom,

Don't the beavers help nature's balance? Or do they flood land that's too valuable?

Asher

Excellent question, Asher!

The answers to both questions is yes. Beaver dams have created valuable wetlands habitat for thousands of years. Unfortunately, Midwest farmland has been drained and optimized for the growing of row crops, and unintended wetland creation jeopardizes crops. Residential property exists above and below the location in this instance, so action will be taken.

An interesting situation arose somewhat north of this place where the county established a wetlands area along a creek at an abandoned farmstead twenty years ago. This involved creating a small weir dam and forming low levees to contain the resulting pool. It's a beautiful place. A couple years ago, beavers built a dam of their own on top of the man made dam, which raised the water level of the pool and began to erode the levees. The animal control folks have been trying to trap the animals without success. Ah, the irony...
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Excellent question, Asher!

The answers to both questions is yes. Beaver dams have created valuable wetlands habitat for thousands of years. Unfortunately, Midwest farmland has been drained and optimized for the growing of row crops, and unintended wetland creation jeopardizes crops. Residential property exists above and below the location in this instance, so action will be taken.

An interesting situation arose somewhat north of this place where the county established a wetlands area along a creek at an abandoned farmstead twenty years ago. This involved creating a small weir dam and forming low levees to contain the resulting pool. It's a beautiful place. A couple years ago, beavers built a dam of their own on top of the man made dam, which raised the water level of the pool and began to erode the levees. The animal control folks have been trying to trap the animals without success. Ah, the irony...


So this is a major dilemma, Tom! Reminds me of the good intent of the Army Corps of Engineers installing dams on the Mississippi River to provide water and "Protect" New Orleans. However, the lack of silt caused miles of protective brush and swampland at the coast to vanish leaving the city vulnerable to untamed hurricanes!!

Worse, New Orleans pumped up the clean water table on which the city was resting and so it sunk making it even flooding even more catastrophic.

Looks like the Beavers are in for a bad time!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Excellent question, Asher!

The answers to both questions is yes. Beaver dams have created valuable wetlands habitat for thousands of years. Unfortunately, Midwest farmland has been drained and optimized for the growing of row crops, and unintended wetland creation jeopardizes crops. Residential property exists above and below the location in this instance, so action will be taken.

An interesting situation arose somewhat north of this place where the county established a wetlands area along a creek at an abandoned farmstead twenty years ago. This involved creating a small weir dam and forming low levees to contain the resulting pool. It's a beautiful place. A couple years ago, beavers built a dam of their own on top of the man made dam, which raised the water level of the pool and began to erode the levees. The animal control folks have been trying to trap the animals without success. Ah, the irony...


_80576979_beaversonriverotterdaveland.jpg


In England, there's a concern that these creatures carry risk to man through tapeworm and other diseases. However these lucky fellows will be allowed to thrive in the Otter River after being found free of a lll parasites. Lucky for intervention by animal lovers or else they would have been done away with! Source.

Asher
 
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