Beaver Problems Plague Chester, Connecticut

CHESTER - Beavers are wrecking havoc in this small town and First Selectman Tom Marsh thought it best to call in the professionals.

In this case, the professionals are the Department of Environmental Protection Natural Wildlife Division.

"We asked them to provide recommendations for different issues in different parts of town," Marsh said, adding that two wildlife biologists from the DEP went from the town's western border to its eastern border to fully examine properties affected by these animals.

While beaver activities in Cockaponset State Forest were examined, more emphasis was placed on activities on land outside the state forest, Marsh said.

Ongoing beaver activity has become a nuisance for those living near Cedar Lake, Marsh said, adding that dams being built by these animals have prevented the lake from properly draining into the swamp.

"People who live along the lake have seawalls and water went over the seawalls and did damage to their property," Marsh said.

Pipes have been installed in beaver dams in Cedar Lake to allow the water to drain to prevent this backup.

This did not prove to be a solution, Marsh said, as the beavers would abandon the old dam and build another.

Pipes were then installed in the new beaver dam, which would be abandoned by beavers who would build another.

"This has made Cedar Lake look like a junkyard," Marsh said, as he showed photos of the various pipes sticking out in the middle of the lake.

Marsh said Cedar Lake's designation as a historical landmark by the National Park System makes preserving the lake's beauty a top priority, Marsh said.

DEP officials told Marsh that if beaver dams continue to change water flows in the area, it could threaten a particularly unique endangered plant.

Further down at Jennings Pond, beavers have been hard at work building their own dam over the town dam.

Through the work of volunteers, this beaver dam was tore down, Marsh said, adding that beavers then rebuilt the dam within two days.

The town crew was called in to remove the second beaver dam and since then the beavers have not been back.