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Supervisors flag beaver dams on Prairie Creek, raise drainage concerns that cross county lines
Summary
Board members discussed extensive beaver activity on Prairie Creek that is backing up water, flooding drainage pipes and potentially affecting downstream districts, and asked staff to explore responses including landowner permission and trapping options.
Humboldt County supervisors discussed beaver activity on Prairie Creek and associated drainage problems during general reports. A board participant reported multiple dams—“like, 7 dams and a half mile” of activity—and said water levels were high enough that many drainage pipes were “half underwater.” The area noted in the discussion crosses into Wright County.
The speaker said the beaver activity had raised the water level in the natural stream and that the backed-up water reaches adjacent drainage ditches, potentially affecting tile and outlet performance. They said the work would likely require landowner permission and could be a substantial undertaking because of the number of dams.
Board members and staff discussed trapping as part of a control strategy; a local trapper was reported to have removed several beavers in a nearby township. Participants noted permits and seasonal restrictions can apply to trapping and that some trappers operate under special permits that allow out-of-season removal in certain circumstances.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; supervisors agreed to continue discussing the issue and to investigate options, including contacting landowners for permission and coordinating with neighboring jurisdictions where the stream crosses county lines.
