12 



BULLETIN 1078, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



which the water is to be held, the other end terminating in a wire 

 strainer, reaching down into deep water and covered with stones or 

 logs (Fig. 2) . When the water has been lowered to the desired level 

 the intake end of the pipe must still be well under water so that no 

 marked current or water draft is perceptible at the surface. The 

 pipes must also be securely held in place, so that they can not be 

 pulled up, and the outlets must project a few feet beyond the lower 

 face of the dam, in order that they may not be covered with mud. 



In some cases it will be necessary to pipe the water some distance 

 below the dam to prevent the beavers from building a second dam for 

 retaining the water lost from the first. If the water is to be lowered 

 to its original level a more elaborate system of drainage may be neces- 

 sary, but in many cases lowering it 1 or 2 feet will save the timber 



^, 





Fig. 3. — Three logs laid on a board or piece of sheet iron through the dam and sloping 

 back into the pond, or more logs laid together to carry a greater water flow, in many 

 places can be used to advantage tO' lower the level of the pond, in the same manner as 

 that illustrated in Figure 2. 



around the shores and still leave ample depth for the use of the 

 beavers. 



A very simple drain made of three or more straight hardwood 

 logs laid on a board or a piece of sheet iron through the dam would 

 serve in many cases as well as a pipe. The logs should be laid in 

 the same manner as the pipe, two of them being slightly apart at 

 the bottom and a third laid on top of them, their upper ends extend- 

 ing down into deep water (Fig. 3). 



To discourage beavers from damming a stream, a blind drain of 

 stones, logs, or tiling could be used, so that when a dam is started 

 the water will still flow underneath. 



FENCING BEAVERS. 



One of the simplest and most important means of beaver control 

 is fencing. While it may not be possible greatly to restrict the free- 

 dom of the animals on large streams or lakes, it is a simple matter 

 to fence them on small streams or in lakes with small tributary 

 streams. Advantage may be taken of their habit of not voluntarily 



