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Board issues emergency letter for beaver‑control work at Mill Pond, schedules contractor work in August
Summary
Fall River City authorized an emergency letter July 27 allowing installation of Viva Solutions' beaver‑control devices (Viva Deceivers) at Mill Pond and Bell Rock Road to prevent culvert blockage and roadway overtopping; the conservation commission will review permitting next week and the contractor is penciled in for August 11.
The Fall River City Board of Health on July 27 authorized an emergency letter to allow Viva Solutions to install beaver‑control systems at Mill Pond and the Bell Rock Road culverts. Paul Furlan, administrator of community utilities (water and sewer), told the board beavers had built dams that were blocking three 36‑inch culverts and raising pond levels, threatening roadway overtopping and restricting emergency access.
Furlan described two technical approaches recommended by the contractor: an exclusion fence to keep beavers from reaching sensitive shoreline and a pipe installed through the center of a beaver dam with a floating head (a Viva "Deceiver") to regulate pond height. "They came in, evaluated the areas ... and they have recommended some of their beaver deceiver solutions," Furlan said. He asked the board to make an emergency determination so staff could present a letter to the conservation commission, which would permit the work under an emergency authorization.
Board members moved and voted to provide the requested letter; staff said the conservation commission meets next week and that the contractor is penciled in for work around August 11. During the same discussion Furlan also briefed the board on locating a fluoride supplier and plans to test and recommission fluoridation equipment within the next couple months.
