Irrigation
Beaver control program implemented in Manitoba

May 16, 2014 - A new four-year, $1 million program in Manitoba will help reduce flooding and other damage to agricultural lands caused by beavers, while also educating farmers and other stakeholders about humane removal methods.

According to a news release from the federal government, the Farmland Beaver Damage Control Program will provide farmers and ranchers with information and additional resources to prevent overland flooding and other problems caused by nuisance beavers, including crop loss and erosion.

The program will include:

• Workshops on humane trapping techniques and non-lethal removal methods,
• An informative fact sheet detailing additional tools to manage beaver populations and their effect on the landscape, and
• Assistance for non-lethal management techniques, including devices known as beaver deceivers or pond levelers, as well as a beaver removal incentive.

Beaver deceivers and pond levelers maintain water flow but reduce the sound of running water from the mouth of a culvert or the surface of a dam. This has been found to be effective in reducing the damage associated with beaver damming activity. Pond levellers also maintain water depth at a desired level. Both devices allow fish to pass and help maintain aquatic environments.

According to Doug Chorney, president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, beavers are a problem for many farmers in the province because they can block waterways and impede water movement. "This leads to flooding and loss of crops, as well as erosion of farmland," he said in the news release. "It's encouraging to see information and assistance will be available now on beaver control."

Program details are currently being finalized by the Manitoba government and will be available by early summer.

May 21, 2014  By Top Crop Manager