Great educational video as always Nick. I truly hope we can see change in understanding. What is your opinion on Beaver dam building in main stems such as the Main branch of West Antigonish? Do you feel as if all beaver dams should be left alone? I understand the same benefits apply as you describe. Do you feel as if a partial removal while still keeping the main structure intact during low water years such as this one to allow access upstream is a positive decision?
@@StillwatersEdge I think the short answer is ‘it depends’. I’ve been thinking of making a criteria / checklist for beaver dams where folks have concerns. If a dam on the main channel somewhere, the first thing to look for is the presence of side channels and over-flow channels. If there is none and it appears to be a total blockage then someone could consider a partial removal or a notch. It’s always a tough call, some folks make the argument that complete blockages play an important role in staggering juvenile populations. The presence of a deep plunge pool below the dam (3+ feet deep) is typically enough to allow a salmon to clear a 5-6 foot high dam. Problem is those plunge pools typically take a season to develop. Another factor that is more so related to managing fisheries is the presence of upstream stock assessment sites .. we’ve seen that happen before and have opted to notch the dams, rather than have DFO assessments turn up nothing in e-fishing the following season.
Let mother nature take care of it. She's smarter than we are.
Great educational video as always Nick. I truly hope we can see change in understanding. What is your opinion on Beaver dam building in main stems such as the Main branch of West Antigonish? Do you feel as if all beaver dams should be left alone? I understand the same benefits apply as you describe. Do you feel as if a partial removal while still keeping the main structure intact during low water years such as this one to allow access upstream is a positive decision?
@@StillwatersEdge I think the short answer is ‘it depends’. I’ve been thinking of making a criteria / checklist for beaver dams where folks have concerns. If a dam on the main channel somewhere, the first thing to look for is the presence of side channels and over-flow channels. If there is none and it appears to be a total blockage then someone could consider a partial removal or a notch. It’s always a tough call, some folks make the argument that complete blockages play an important role in staggering juvenile populations. The presence of a deep plunge pool below the dam (3+ feet deep) is typically enough to allow a salmon to clear a 5-6 foot high dam. Problem is those plunge pools typically take a season to develop.
Another factor that is more so related to managing fisheries is the presence of upstream stock assessment sites .. we’ve seen that happen before and have opted to notch the dams, rather than have DFO assessments turn up nothing in e-fishing the following season.
You should keep the dog away from the spawning area shouldn't you? Just a thought.
@@Mr38thstreet I had just checked that spot for redds and didn’t see any.