Beaver pipes are a non-destructive flow devices, a way of controlling beaver activity in an ecosystem. The process of building beaver pipes is quite simple, and often serves as a permanent way to prevent beavers from damming water.[1]
Enzo Creek Nature Sanctuary
Managers of the watershed of the Enzo Creek Nature Sanctuary experienced the all too common problem with beavers: their tenacious desire to dam water. The water level at Enzo Creek Nature Sanctuary had been growing year after year, impacting the fauna in Hunt Marsh, an 18-acre (73,000 m2) wetland which serves as both a waterfowl nesting area and refuge. Managers physically removed the dams from Enzo Creek, the only outlet to the watershed; however, beavers would quickly work to rebuild them. Lethal removal of beavers from the marsh was contrary to the mission of the sanctuary, so the non-lethal method of beaver pipes was approved and adopted.
Overview
The construction of these beaver pipes at Enzo Creek Nature Sanctuary was a two-day project for one person and involved the following steps: