Stream Bank Stabilization

[Pennsyltucky]

A stream that runs through my land is riddled with beavers. One of the dams is right at a band in the creek. Flooding in the past year has caused the cut bank at the dam to begin eroding quite severely. It's approximately 10 feet from the stream to the top of the bank. I'm looking into planting that cut bank with trees suitable for stream bank stabilization, but it seems the majority of those trees are beaver favorites, e.g., willows. I'd hate to go to the trouble of planting this bank just to have the beavers find them and chow down. Does anyone know of trees I can use that beavers will prefer not to eat? I'm thinking of using hemlock or american sycamore on the top of the cut bank. The sycamores will have to be protected by hardware cloth or some other kind of wire enclosure. I know they will avoid the hemlocks as I have some planted in another part of the stream.

Now, willows are just about the only thing I can think of to plant on the side of the bank. Is there something else that might work? The bank is nearly vertical and quite clayey.

Other then planting the bank, is there something else I could do that is fairly inexpensive?

By the way, ignore my location for this. The problem is at my land in western Pennsylvania.

[Darren]

Do a Google search for "rock vane" +stream. That will describe a non-vegetative way of directing the flow in the sream so it doesn't impinge on the bank.

You need to either trap the beavers or forget about planting any trees to support the bank. Sycamore won't give you the root mass you need. You could try something like Banker Willow which is more of a shrub and hope the beaver don't like it. Earnst Conservation can sell you the Bankers Willow or finds place with scrubby bushy willows and take cuttings. Simply shove the cuttings butt end down into the bank. As long as you don't let them dry out before planting, they should grow.

[fishhead]

Most conifers aren't attractive to beaver around here but you might look at some smaller plant covers. In the meantime you can stabilize the bank with dead logs staked parallel with the waterline. Dead logs don't attract the beaver. Do that about every 3-4' in elevation. Above each log you can plant deep rooted grasses. Our sedges (3 square grass) seem to do that function well. Rocks or logs at the waterline are the most important because the waterline is where the erosion happens.

[Ken Scharabok]

Check with your Wildlife Office. Locally they say they are not a protected species so it is year-round open season on them.

From what I know about beavers they have two kits a year. This year's kits will still be in the nest when the next two are born. Next spring they are run off, usually downstread, to start their own project.

Beaver dams make it particularly bad when streams overflow and carry the dam debris with it. Can easily take down fencing.

[fishhead]

If possible it's best to let them stay because of the benefits of the beaver pond. Sometimes a Clemson Leveler installed in the dam is all it takes.

Generally speaking people have had good luck sustaining ponds long term by the removal of 2-3 beaver each season. Otherwise they can easily eat all the available food supply. I see dozens of beaver ponds like that every year while hiking in our area.

[quietstar]

May I suggest a solid rest and a .222 remington rifle. A quiet,mild caliber and effective to 200+ yards. You are likely too far North for the reasonable Southern solution which is to introduce a fair sized gator into the waterway. Good luck...Glen

[RosewoodfarmVA]

Beavers left unattended will destroy a vast amount of land in no time. This happened on our farm where an area of nice hardwoods, not in a natural swampland, but a sloping area next to a creek, was completely ruined by the beavers, who used the materials to build a dam over 8' tall and several hundred ft long. It was wide enough I could drive a dozer across the dam (and did at a dry spell). They accomplished this task of clearing/flooding 6 acres in about 4 years. We tried to dispose of the beavers but found it impossible, breaking the dam just resulted in more tree destruction to repair said dam. We ended up clearing the stumps and turning that land into pasture, clearing all trees (or should I say remains) from about 200ft on each side of that branch making a long, fairly level field on both sides of it. I have cut some of the best hay on that field in the years since. I think you will find that no solution will prevent the beavers from damaging trees or the creek, as their population increases they will just continue to grow their series of dams and foraging grounds.

As far as streambank stabilization, grasses and shubs will provide a much more extensive root system than trees. I am at odds with the "ecologists" that won't allow trees to be cut near creeks, I have found that soil remains in place much better with a good sod of grass than with a few big tree rootballs and bare soil between. Fescue works well in this area as it fills in quickly with a tight sod, but doesn't hold up to being underwater for long periods of time. For our branch it has worked well with no breaches of bare soil anywhere. You may consider reed canarygrass, which can tolerate underwater conditions like spring flooding. It is considered an invasive plant for the very reason I like it, it spreads vigorously by roots and fills in any bare places creating a wonderful soil-holding sod. Occasional grazing helps to keep the grass in check, but I would certainly not continuously graze a streambank as the cows will quickly destroy the ground.

[Pennsyltucky]

Everyone, thanks for the good information. I think I'll find a trapper to take down their numbers this winter. I may also try staking some trees to the bank. The beaver felled one just over the creek, so that should come in handy. How should I stake the logs?

I'll probably try planting some bankers willows above the logs too. From what I've read, they seem to be a pretty pretty effective. I may as well try spreading some fescue too. It can't hurt and the seeds is cheap. Thanks folks.

[ForestCoCabin]

I worked on a Trout Unlimited project last year. We took a shallow and swampy 100 foot wide section of stream that always flooded and receded with the seasons, dug out the channel, then we came in to make sure it stayed that way.... with rocks lots of rocks. Here are some pictures. I would ask TU to do a walk thru and they will give you ideas on what you can do.

[TxMex]

Whatever you do.....don't be the sucker that gets talked into walking up onto the beaver lodge and lighting it on fire. Snakes LOVE beaver lodges and dams. When said structure is set on fire the snakes 'come out of the woodwork' as the saying goes. My husband always says when remembering that particular day......gee honey, I didn't know you could walk on water

Not sure about your state, but here you can buy dynamite for farm use(god bless Texas and gunpowder). This is what my Grandpa finally resorted to after he had to upgrade his bulldozer a time to two in his constant battle against the beaver. And lets face it.....who doesn't like to blow stuff up?!

For the washing of the creek bank. It may not be real pretty but it should be effective. Drive some T-posts in at the edge of the eroded area. Set boards/cross-ties/logs/etc up against the T-posts and put in rock behind it. The logs or boards don't need to be tight fitting, just tight enough to hold the rocks in place. Planting any kind of tree near beaver habitats is just providing food for the beaver.

It's rather a shame that they are so destructive. I like watchin em. Especially as the sun is setting over the lake and they are dragging a freshly cut willow limb through the water. Looks like a weird water monster.

[Darren]

There's a book by Rosgen titled Applied River Morphology that will help you select what will work. Otherwise you can spend a lot of effort and accomplish nothing. The book tells you how you classify the stream. The key is understanding the dynamics and working with them rather than fighting them.

Once you've done that you can proceed with efforts to armor the bank or redirect stream flow so it doesn't continue undercutting.



http://www.stormwatercenter.net/Asso...deflection.htm

[fishhead]

To hold the logs drive some stakes into the bank and rest the dead logs on the uphill side. Adding some organic matter like leaves or hay will help vegetation take hold.

If it's an outside corner it's going to erode but you should be able to slow it down.

[Chuck R.]

Originally Posted by fishhead

To hold the logs drive some stakes into the bank and rest the dead logs on the uphill side. Adding some organic matter like leaves or hay will help vegetation take hold.

If it's an outside corner it's going to erode but you should be able to slow it down.

This is the method we’ve used and it’s working well so far. We cut jumbo sized stakes and drove them in with the tractor loader.

As for beavers, I feel for anybody that has to deal with them. After a 5 year battle, our last two springs have been beaver free.

In 3 years, I’ve shot and trapped 23 of them off our pond. Every spring we’d get 3 or 4 more move in, then a couple in the fall. We finally did it by completely removing their food source (willows) and fencing every worthwhile tree close to our 9 acre pond. I also built a “beaver deceiver” (modified Clemson Leveler) for our drain tube which is fenced at acute angles and seems to stop them from daming it.

Chuck

[texican]

When beaver get hungry, they'll eat anything... I was joyful when they first hit my lake... figured they'd take all the willows and underbrush down... Nope, they went for the old growth oaks, then huge pines, and the final straw was a luxury condominium in my 20K dam. Called the state trapper out a few times but he always left a few. I got around to setting a snare next to their lodge... never caught one, till I pulled the snare up (to not catch one of my dogs)... last old boar beaver reached up several feet in the air (on a tree) stuck his head in, and well, 'capturated' him by not trying.

My concern with an eroding bank would be my 'dirt' going downstream and being deposited on someone else's place. I've got several log jams on my creek, to slow the water down during floods... a nice layer of sediment is trapped in each of these pools, when the flooding subsides.

Good luck