Help Protect the Dams that Protect Us

Help Protect the Dams that Protect Us

Not all maintenance is for weather- or age-related deterioration. The dams are often victims of trespassing by off-road vehicles that can cause substantial damage to various aspects of the dam. Earthen dams require a healthy vegetative cover for protection from erosion. Vegetation is like the hard candy shell that keeps the chocolate from melting.

Even repeated foot traffic can damage the grass and lead to erosion creating vulnerabilities in the dam. Some of our dams are now within parks and allow for pedestrian and bicycle traffic on solid surface trails. Please help keep the dams safe and our maintenance costs down by respecting fences and staying on paths.

Wildlife and Dams

It’s not just human that can cause damage and increase maintenance burdens. Beavers like to clog our spillways and burrowing animals like to dig into the earthen slopes. Cattle like to take shortcuts to the watering hole and really like to stick to the same path causing increasing damage over time. We work with wildlife experts and livestock managers to minimize their impacts. If you notice this type of damage please let us know!