Purpose and Function

The purpose of the Beaver Pond Levelers is to alleviate flooding concerns in areas where beavers construct dams. These innovative devices manage the water level in the ponds by regulating how high water can rise before draining—much like a bathtub overflow drain.

Once the water reaches a set height, it begins to drain through the pipe, preventing overflow while still maintaining sufficient ponded habitat for the beavers. This allows both human infrastructure and wildlife to coexist safely. Each Pond Leveler has an exclusion fence on the pipe inlet. This prevents beavers from detecting or blocking the water flow. Since they cannot hear or feel water entering the pipe, they leave the inlet alone. The height of the pipe outlet—the point where water exits the dam—determines the maximum pond level. In effect, the Pond Leveler creates a “permanent leak” that stabilizes the pond at a safe and consistent depth, even while beavers continue to maintain their dam. Additionally, the beavers normally do not build the dams higher than a given water level, and even if they did, the pond levelers maintain the pre-set level of water.

Benefits of the System

This coexistence method prevents recurring issues with flooding and infrastructure damage that can occur when beaver dams are removed or destroyed. If the ponds were completely drained, the beavers would likely relocate and create new dams in less desirable areas—potentially affecting culverts, roadways, or other infrastructure. By keeping the beavers in place and managing their habitat, the District ensures both ecological balance and cost-effective protection for community assets.

During extreme rain events, culvert water levels may still temporarily rise and overtop existing dams—with or without pond levelers—but once the rain subsides, the water level automatically returns to the preset leveler depth.

Project Funding and Background

The majority of this project was funded through a California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) grant obtained by OAEC, with only a minimal cost of $300 to the District. Past efforts to eradicate or remove beavers from these ponds proved unsuccessful, as they consistently returned. In December 2024, when CDFW reviewed these sites and explained the benefits of pond levelers and coexistence, RHCSD shifted its approach to this long-term, sustainable solution. This endeavor began in December 2024 as a result of the CDFW site visit, and subsequently the addition of Stonebriar resident Liz Kmiec who joined us as an Ad Hoc Commitee member working on this as well. The project was approved by the RHCSD Board on April 28, 2025.

Next Steps

Informational signage explaining the project, its partners, and how the levelers work will soon be installed near the Stonebriar Drive beaver pond. This will help educate residents about the District’s efforts to balance environmental stewardship with community safety.