VDOT proposal dams area beaver populace
By Emily Roper | October 20, 2000Those dam animals are everywhere. Beavers are posing a major problem for the Virginia Department of Transportation as the woodland creatures build dams near many roads throughout the Commonwealth. Once the beavers build dams, the water level of the stream tends to rise, causing massive flooding problems on nearby roads, said Colin Ceperich, public relations coordinator for VDOT. Not only does the flooding cause inconvenience and dangerous driving conditions, the water also loosens the dirt, sand and rock that make up the foundation of the road, Ceperich said. He said the problems have become more severe in recent years. "There just seem to be a lot more beavers now than there have been," he said. Drainage tubes located underneath the roads also are plagued by the beaver problem when the toothy critters build dams in the drainage system. "If they hear running water they automatically want to dam up that hole," said Stephanie Boyles, wildlife biologist for the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) a group that has worked with VDOT to solve the beaver problem in an animal-friendly manner. In late September, the Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to spend $272,000 to hire USDA-Wildlife services to trap and kill the offending beavers, much to the dismay of PETA, which claimed the traps used would "cause immeasurable suffering" to the animals. To avoid euthanizing the beavers and bringing about their untimely deaths, PETA currently is working in conjunction with VDOT to develop a plan that will save both the beavers and the conditions of the roads. PETA and VDOT "had a meeting last week and we seem to be on the same page right now," Boyles said. One solution calls for the use of perforated pipes in all drainage tubes under roads.
