Taking action, 25 youths and adults joined Eco-Engineering In Action and crew members from Symbiotic Restorations building beaver dam analogs (BDAs) at Leek Spring Meadows in El Dorado County. The construction project is supported by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with a goal of establishing 100 BDA’s in the area by 2026. Covering 92-acres, Leek Springs Meadow is the single largest meadow in the Cosumnes River Watershed but was unfortunately drained and degraded by road construction and cattle grazing over many years which resulted in unprecedented rapid spread of wildfires during the devastating 2021 Caldor Fire.
Despite vast areas of burnt forest remnants, the beauty of unharmed parts of the meadow was undeniable and simply mesmerizing. There is inexplicable joy in digging our feet into knee-high, snow-melted cool Sierra river water while packing the BDA’s with our hands using branches, grasses, and mud – like a beaver. In addition to the dams, friendships were built while rolling 300-pound logs in unison and sharing stories and laughter while shoveling 100 pounds of dried compacted gravel. The physical demands of BDA construction went unnoticed, even at 7,200 feet of elevation in thin air. Images of a lush restored wetland and furry beavers feeding on our carefully planted willows energized and excited us.
In total, 8 BDA’s were erected by the group along the North Fork American River and water levels rose noticeably higher by late afternoon. There are numerous benefits to slowing river run-offs including: recharging groundwater storages, increasing biodiversity such as the Sierra Nevada Yellow Legged Frog and Willow Flycatcher, promoting El Dorado wildfire resilience, increasing carbon sequestration by expanding wetlands, and providing longer, cooler summer release into the Cosumnes River benefiting animals and humans downstream. Not bad for a day’s work! As we shake the soil off our water-logged boots and gloves, we look forward to revisiting the area in the near future and the day that beavers call our dams ‘home’ and add their special touch to further enhance the structures.
Qestions? Email:
admin@ecoengineeringinaction.com
