The Beaver Deceiver

Hearing a "slap" against the water at night is common for residents of Swan Lake Estates in Redmond, WA. It is nothing to be alarmed about, it is just their friendly family of beavers slapping their tails on the water to communicate. The family, (mom, dad, and at least one baby) can be seen during the day scurrying about the water and maintaining a safe distance from the humans taking their strolls around the lake. But, as a vital part of the headwater to a major water basin for King County, these beavers can really cause the water to stop for a large portion of humans living downstream.

To correct this, King County initiated a project to protect the waterflow, including a fish ladder for our local trout population. King County documented the efforts, available in the PDF, "Building A Beaver Deceiver".

It is an interesting feat of engineering, right behind our community picnic and playground area, that leads to a magical looking, moss-covered stream with flowing water...at least until the beavers figure out how to close the sluice gate.