"Beaver Invasion" Furry Rodents Take Over Seattle Area Creek

ISSAQUAH - They maybe furry and cute but a den of beavers are taking a big bite out of one Eastside Community. The little guys are damming and ripping up a creek that's vital for salmon at Lake Sammamish State Park, but they're also causing the potential for some big time flooding problems.

Kerry Ritland who is Surface Water Manager for the City of Issaquah says a group of busy beavers have figured out away to slow Tibbetts Creek down.

"Well, this is a beaver dam obviously, looks to be 3 or 4 feet tall. Yeah, this is a free flowing stream, now we have a lake," said Ritland.

According to Ritland the dam started to take shape in spring. The beavers have been piling on sticks, twigs, and mud ever since.

The beaver dam has backed up Tibbetts Creeks already about a quarter-mile. The big concern is, if the water continues to rise it could flood the parking lot at Swedish Hospital and flow over Northwest Sammamish Road.

The big rodents have also gnawed their way through the native vegetation the State spent thousands of dollars reintroducing to Tibbetts Creek. Kerry Ritland says that's not the worst of it.

"The fish can't possibly jump over that dam or make it through a hole. So, it's a full fish passage barrier for Coho salmon primarily, possibly Chinook salmon," said Ritland.

Ranger Rich Benson says the pesky buggers have even burrowed dens under the main road into Lake Sammamish State Park.

"It's just undermined the asphalt, so you know there's not a lot of support to where the rocks are and if we continue to let them go I don't know how far they'd go," said Benson.

To get the creek water to flow smoothly again, Kerry Ritland says The Department of Fish And Wildlife has to give the okay to tear down the dam.

"Spent a lot of money on restoration and flood control. It's not a good location for them to build a dam," said Ritland.

The beavers may have other plans, but, quick moving water is what Tibbetts Creek is supposed to have.

If Park Rangers get the green light they could begin trapping and relocating those beavers within the next 3 weeks. That's when they'd take down the dam too.