Category Archives: Animals

The status of the beaver dam removal is as follows:
1. Norfolk County Mosquito Control has agreed to assist with the breeching of the dam. They will notch it over several days to lower it gradually.  If it were removed all at once it could a create hazard  to downstream structures given all the water that is impounded.

2, The Board of Health Agent, William Domey has signed off on a preliminary permit to breech the dam. He would not, however, approve trapping of the beavers, so that has to be  put on hold for the present.

3.  I have spoken to the Conservation Commission Agent and left her a copy of the Board of Health permit. The Conservation Commission has to sign  off on the breeching of the dam. She will take care of that on Tuesday, when she returns to work.

4  When the Conservation Commission has signed off I have to attach a copy of that sign off to the Board of Health preliminary permit and return it to the Board of Heatlh Agent for issuance of the final permit.

5.  Norfolk County Mosquito will be available to start breeching the dam as soon as the Board of Health final permit is issued. The Medfield DPW will be available to assist, as necessary.

6. I have notified the licensed emergency beaver trapper that we will not be able to utilize his services at the present time. As of November,1, the start of the normal beaver trapping season, he will be available to trap beavers, without approval of the Board of Health. If the problem persists, in the meantime, we’ll just have to start the process all over again.
7.  No one ever said it would be easy! Have a good weekend.
Mike Sullivan

Mike Sullivan reported Wednesday on his progress on what can be done to control the beaver infestation along the Stop River by Stagecoach and Bayberry Roads, as follows –

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Update on beavers: Making progress with Board of Health, Conservation Commission, Norfolk County Mosquito Control and Barry Mandel (licensed emergency trapper). Will know more tomorrow or Friday after site visit by Carolyn Haviland, Water Management Specialist, from Norfolk County Mosquito Control and Leslee Willets, Conservation Commission Agent.. Will Check with Bill Domey to see if he’ll issue 10 day emergency permit. Mandel’s fee is $500 set up and $150/trapped beaver. Need to coordinate breeching of dam and trapping to make most use of ten day emergency permi; otherwise have to file with Mass Fish and Wildlife for and additonal 30 day emergency permit, which may require preparation of a beaver management plan. Whoever said “nothing’s ever easy” must have been talking about government regulations. Approximate cost $2,300. Will follow up tomorrow when more info available.  Mike

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I looked over the situation Wednesday morning, and the beavers seem to have chosen about the worst possible place to live along the Stop River, as in other areas the river banks are steeper, and any flooding would not effect homeowners as much.  That may be why the beavers chose that spot, because their dam creates a wide flooded area.

I recall that I had heard of diverter pipes put through beaver dams as a way of draining the water.  Perhaps that too can be explored as a possible solution.  I would think the beavers would figure that one out, but I know I saw that as a suggested solution when I was looking into this issue once before.