I’ve been captivated with this particular beaver dam for years, observing how it thrives regardless of the ups and downs in its life – such as being washed out by exceptional floods. I sat beside it yesterday and for some unknown reason felt such pride in the persistence of the beaver who work on it, regardless of whatever event has destroyed their creation. Today, it looked healthy, substantial, and beautiful with some of its branches glazed in ice and I wondered if there were to be more events in the next few years destroying it.
Here are some photos from my times observing this creation.
2015: I only started taking photos of this beaver dam in 2015. Its at the intersection of Meech Creek and Trail #50 so over the years I passed by numerous times and it always appeared very substantial.
2017: Remember the floods of spring of 2017 on the Ottawa and Rideau River? The creeks in the Gatineau Parks also overflowed and sadly this dam was washed away as the creek rose to the level of the bridge.
Late 2017: Yet in the late summer of 2017 the beaver had already started rebuilding. I can remember cheering for them when I observed their efforts.
2020: In the summer of 2020, the NCC rebuilt the bridge covering the creek so it would withstand floods. (its now quite an engineering structure) The beaver dam was destroyed yet again, this time by the construction work.
Late 2020: And again, the beavers stepped right in and did what they know they do well– they started rebuilding the dam.
2021: And by 2021 it looked like this:
