Get involved with your watershed. Check out our M.A.R.S. program for chance to help!
Watershed Guardians PO Box 634 Pocatello, ID 83204US
help make our watershed watershed resilient
Help us Keep Teaching Future Generations about Beavers
News
BeaverCount -Toponce
Join us for our warm weather BeaverCount, this SATURE JUNE, 11TH. Click here for details.
Volunteers Needed
Watershed Guardians needs your help to calibrate our stream gauges. These gauge help us monitor stream flow throughout the Mink. With the dam data that you have collected, you can help us link beaver to stream flow. Read more about it and register to help on our M.A.R.S. page.
BeaverCount
Well Done!
Contratulations to all of the new Flat-tailers (we have 18 new ones this year! And a hearty "Tail Slap" to all the veteran Flat-tailers who helped us monitor beaver populations in our watershed!
How'd we do?
Teams counted the main stem and the South Fork of Mink Creek and got some great sun snowshoeing and skiing in late January-Early February to catch some activity.
Where were the hotspots?
The BeaverHeaded Scouts proobably saw the most activity in Zone III. Other locations include V and VI. Zone IX had no activity. Ironically and sadly, this zone has been an important refuge for beaver fro the past 10 years.
Team Name?
Don't forget to enter your team's name for our Best Team Name contest! Prizes will be awarded to all team members for best team name!
Picture?
Send us your pics! Fantastic vista? Fun group photo? Let's see it! You may win a prize of some sort ;-)
Got a Story?
Whether it's on video, text, email, or written on a sheet of paper, we don't care! We want to hear about your experiences counting beaver habitat. It Counts!
What's next?
We are planning an informal rendezvous for all of this year's Flat-tailers. We'll post the date in the calanedar and on Facebook.
We plan to Count Pebble Creek sometime in March, 2022. Visit this page or our facebook page to get updates.
don't forget our June Count on Toponce Creek. Itis a much different experience. It's warm!
Mike's featured on KISU's "The Nature of Idaho"
Peter and Leif interview Mike
Leif and Peter interview Watershed Guardians founder and Excutive Director Mike Settell about the origins of the organization (It was a bet), and the multiple benefits offered by and challenges facing beaver in Idaho.
About the Nature of Idaho
The half-hour program features Peter Pruett, Zoo Idaho Superintendent, and Dr. Leif Tapanila, Director of the Idaho Museum of Natural History, highlighting how the Gem State’s wild places have shaped Idaho’s past, present and future. The show features segments on nature news and a fun fact.
“Idaho has so much to offer in terms of varied landscapes, habitats, geology, and people,” said Peter Pruett. “ ‘The Nature of Idaho’ is about sharing our excitement for all that is wild Idaho - the places and the faces.”
"We hope our listeners will take a little time with us to reconnect with nature, whether we're talking about digging up dinosaurs or listening to crickets in the backyard,” said Dr. Leif Tapanila. “There's always something amazing going on outside."
Those who are unable to catch the airing of The Nature of Idaho can download a podcast of previous episodes at kisu.org/programs/TheNatureOfIdaho. Click here or scroll down to download and listen to the file.
Thank you for supporting Watershed Guardians at our "Give-A-
Screening of "Beaver Believers"
The "Believers" film temporarily unavailable. Check back as we hope to have an a la carte version available soon, with a portion of the ticket price to go to Watershed Guardians. However, we encourage you to view our selected videos from on Youtube by visiting our channel here
Tell us you experience? Did you enjoy the film? What did you like? How many "Thumbs Up" would you
This event is available in both on-line and in person. The on-line tickets are updated with links and viewing times.
Mink Creek Artificial Dam Proposal
Form Letter to the Westside District Ranger
Please download this attachment and forward to the Ranger and ask for a hearing. Then, stay tuned for the opportunity to comment.
Beaver "Restoration" project
The USFS is considering a proposal by IDFG to construct 54 artificial beaver dams on the South Fork of Mink Creek. A handful of beaver are surviving on the South Fork. Their numbers have been steadily declining for the past 4 years as some of you Flat-tailers. We don't think that constructing more dams will give the few remaining beaver there the necessary protection needed to allow them to thrive and would like the opportunity to ask questions and have our ideas heard in a public forum.
The Proposal
The proposed project by Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) consists of two phases. One would install thirty some artificial beaver dams on the West Fork of Mink Creek and fifty some on the South Fork.
What are BDAs?
Beaver Dam Analogues or BDAs is the term coined by Dr Joe Wheaton of Utah State. They are intended to mimic the behavior of beaver by impounding water and creating multiple small ponds. Their stated mission is to improve bank stability and create habitat for native fish. Dr. Wheaton has contracts with IDFG.
How do they differ from real beaver dams?
There are several key differences between BDAs and beaver dams:
- Beaver are constantly maintaining, adjusting and improving beaver dams. BDAs are static and without maintenance fall in to disrepair, although some permanent stream channel changes have been observed.
- Beaver are constantly perturbing the pond bottom which increases the BIOLOGIAL activity needed for a robust fishery.
- Beaver construct their anchor logs parallel to the stream flow, making them able to resist stream power, unlike BDAs which are upright and subject to lever forces making them vulnerable to failure during high flows.
- Beaver construct dams for free
What is the upside of BDAs?
- As a group, Watershed Guardians has made it our priority to keep beaver where they are. To the extent that beaver can be relocated to areas where they are gone, BDAs may serve as nursery ponds for relocated beaver. With the proper controls, animal welfare considered, and consideration of downstream effects, we support such projects. Provided these controls are met. we support efforts to construct artificial beaver ponds on the West Fork of Mink Creek and many others. Not the South Fork.
- Some BDAs do have long-term maintenance opportunities. These are not specified in this proposal, however.
- BDAs can scour and redeposit sediments in a stream channel.
Why is a public hearing necessary?
- As recently as 2015-2016,
- While the USFS is not responsible for game management in Idaho, IDFG is. By providing the permit, the Westside District is enabling IDFG's lack of stewardship that may lead to further population reductions and extermination of beaver on the forest as has occurred on the East Fork, the West Fork, Jackson Creek, Dempsey Creek and others. This may be our last opportunity to change harvest levels on the South Fork and increase enforcement of unlawful or unpermitted takes on the Mink. We want IDFG to act.
- BDAs have the word "Beaver" in this acronym, but there is nothing specific for beaver in this proposal.
What would Watershed Guardians like to see?
- Let the beaver do the work.
- Beaver do cause problems such as road flooding and cutting trees. Use funds to relocate roads. Moving roads a couple of feet in may cases can resolve beaver conflicts.
- Construct mitigation structures rather than dams. BeaverDecievers, Pond levelers and tree wrapping have been extremely successful at reducing and even eliminating beaver caused flooding
- The traditional approach is to trap every single beaver in the basin. This leaves the stream vulnerable to erosion and creates a "dead" stream. It's time for a different approach.
- More studies to verify the effectiveness of the BDAs. Few structures have been evaluated over the long term over a long area. Their effectiveness vs. beaver needs to be verified.
- For those streams like the West Fork, the translocation of beaver needs to be specifically called for and words like "may" and "maybe" and "sometime" need to be replaced with words like "will" and "proceed" with specific plans for mitigating future, probable damage with relying on trapping.
- Let the beaver do the work.
About Trapping
- Watershed Guardians is not anti-trapping. However, we are about sound management, watershed health, fisheries and recreation provided by a watershed that can support many types of game . Beaver an do this.
- Exterminating isolated populations of beaver is not management.
- We hope to work with trappers to faciltate live trapping and relocation of beaver, where the proper pre-transfer conditions have been established.
- Inaccurate , missing or incomplete depredation trapping records is not a symptom of good management. We applaud IDFG/Region V 's effort to improve this data and make it accessible. More needs to be done.
- Wildlife Services data needs to be complete and readily accessible. This is not currently the case.
- LET BEAVER DO THE WORK
Site Content
Services
Beaver and climate change
Coming events
Plugged culvert? Trying installing a BeaverDeciever (tm). We can help. Fill out a questionnaire here.
Coming events
Beaver and climate change
Coming events
Reverse Rendezvous coming in April
Beaver and climate change
Beaver and climate change
Would you like to help the next generation of Flat-tailers?
Are we racing towards drought? Will there be sufficient water for the future? What are the solutions. Check out our newest video that answers some of these questions
Would you like to help the next generation of Flat-tailers?
Would you like to help the next generation of Flat-tailers?
Would you like to help the next generation of Flat-tailers?
Flat-tailers are what we call our beaver volunteers. Please donate to help them continue their studies in outdoor leadership.
Our 10th Annual BeaverCount rocked!
Would you like to help the next generation of Flat-tailers?
Our 10th Annual BeaverCount rocked!
Deep snow? Cold weather? Not a problem for this year's Flat-tailers. Check out the updates here!
Resources
Would you like to help the next generation of Flat-tailers?
Our 10th Annual BeaverCount rocked!
Want a deeper dive on beaver behavior? What about conflicts? Water quality? Learn more by consulting these resources
Volunteer
We have many ways that you can help!
Want to help in other ways? We may need material or services. Perhaps we are looking for some truck hauling or something you can do from home? Click the "Volunteer" button below and find a list of services or other ways you can help. You might be surprised! (Photo: ISU leadership students help others by leading them on snowshoe excursions into the Watershed.
About Us
How We're Helping
How We're Helping
How We're Helping
We are a community-based organization focused on helping make the natural world around us a better, happier place. With the help of our tireless volunteers, we organize fundraisers, fund community-building events, and host in-depth training for our volunteers.
Get Involved
How We're Helping
How We're Helping
Are you passionate about watershed conservation? Let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to help us make our vision a reality. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team! beaver conservation beaver damage control
Thank You
How We're Helping
Thank You
Thank you to all who helped out with BeaverDamJam-Idaho. Special thanks to those who donated items for the Raffle (Sportsmans and CAL Ranch); the silent auction (to many to count) and Countless volunteers who helped. Also, special shout out to Teran Engle who ran the sound for us. You rocked it!