FLOODZILLA GAUGE NETWORK COMMUNITY INPUT SURVEY

If there’s one thing we know about living and working in this valley, it’s that water has a way of keeping us on our toes. Whether you’re checking the river before moving animals, planning your commute, watching a project site, or simply keeping an eye on the tides of the seasons — Floodzilla has become a trusted tool for thousands of neighbors, farmers, commuters, and agencies across the Valley.

Now we need your help to make it even better.

We’re launching a 10–15 minute Floodzilla User Survey, and your feedback is essential to keeping this community-powered network strong, accurate, and responsive to real-world needs. Your insights will help us:

• Improve Floodzilla’s website, app, and gauge coverage

• Understand how different users rely on Floodzilla

• Demonstrate community value and secure future funding

• Continue offering free, real-time flood data to the public

Floodzilla exists because our community asked for better flood visibility — and because you’ve supported and used this tool over the years. Your voice will help shape its future.

👉 Take the survey HERE

Thank you for being part of this work. Together, we’re building a more resilient Snoqualmie Valley — one gauge, one river mile, and one community decision at a time.

P.S. Please share this survey with neighbors, farmers, commuters, and anyone who relies on real-time water data. Flood awareness saves property — and sometimes lives — and your help spreading the word means everything.

From a Pilot to Permanent Program

We are pleased to share that SVPA is introducing an updated logo for the BeaverWise program. This change represents much more than a new visual; it reflects how the program has grown and how our mission has expanded to support more landowners throughout the Snoqualmie Valley.

BeaverWise has evolved from a pilot into a core, long-term program at SVPA, and the new logo reflects that growth. The original BeaverWise logo was created when the program launched as a pilot in January 2024. Since then, BeaverWise has grown into a widely used, highly effective program that supports farmers, reduces beaver‑related flooding, and strengthens watershed health across the Snoqualmie Valley.

Each element of the logo represents a key part of the BeaverWise program and the Snoqualmie Valley landscape. Together, these elements tell a story of connection between land, water, wildlife, and people.

Mountains: Represent the broader watershed and the natural systems that shape the Valley, from headwaters to floodplain.

Farmland rows: Reflect the working lands and farmers of the Snoqualmie Valley. They highlight the importance of agricultural viability and the need to protect both farmland and the ability to farm.

Water: Represents the Snoqualmie River, floodplain (the lifeblood of the Valley), and the central role water plays in both water resource challenges and ecosystem health.

Beaver: Represents both the challenge and the opportunity. Beavers are a natural part of the ecosystem that can create flooding impacts for farmers, but also provide important ecological benefits

This new logo is a step forward, designed to help achieve greater impact and better serve our community. We are excited for this next chapter and look forward to sharing additional updates as SVPA continues to grow its impact across the Valley. Shout out to Rootwinder for creating our new and improved logo!

You can learn more about the BeaverWise program and the services we offer here: SVPA BeaverWise

Beaver Coexistence Strategies (Part 4): To Trap or Not to Trap?

By: Justine Casebolt, SVPA Beaver Conservation Manager (Published 4/10/26)

Photo: Trapped beavers being relocated by the Tulalip Beaver Project from an area of conflict to the upper Snoqualmie River watershed

Beaver trapping has largely shaped North America as we know it today. Historically, beavers were trapped for their pelts and scent (castoreum) glands. Their pelts were desired for their high quality wool undercoat which were fashioned into various hats. Prior to European settlement, beaver populations were estimated to be at 60-400 million across North America and, when the fur trade peaked, an estimated 1 million beavers were harvested per year (Seton, 1929, Müller-Schwarze 2011). By the 1900s beavers were nearly extinct across North America and, as a result, the wetlands where beavers once resided were drained for agriculture and human infrastructure.

After the beaver population reached near extinction, reintroduction efforts began as early as the 1930s to bring back this once prized commodity and ecosystem engineer. Idaho made headlines in the 1940s by parachuting beavers from airplanes to reestablish the population. With extensive reintroduction efforts, beavers are now returning to their historical territory along streams, rivers, and in low-laying floodplains, often overlapping in areas where humans also reside.

When conflicts arise with beavers, lethal trapping has historically been the primary form of controlling beaver damage. Trapping can provide some immediate relief to beaver dam flooding impacts but, since beavers are territorial, once a beaver family is removed and the habitat becomes available, a new beaver family will likely move in. With the expansion of coexistence techniques, such as pond levelers and culvert protection fences, trapping is not the only option to managing conflict. Coexistence measures allow beavers to remain in a landscape and, with these options available, lethal removal should only be considered in emergency situations and as the last option when it comes to managing beaver damage.

Beaver relocation is another alternative to lethal trapping in Washington. When coexistence tools have failed or are deemed inappropriate for a site, a permitted beaver relocator may relocate beavers to an area of less potential human conflict. By relocating beavers to upper watersheds, they can help restore degraded streams and wetlands by providing critical ecosystem services such as water storage, wildfire buffers, and wildlife habitat. However, similar to lethal trapping, relocation may not resolve the beaver damage since new beavers will likely move in once the habitat becomes available.

If you’d like to learn more about the best beaver management options on your property, please visit https://svpa.us/beaverwise-program/ for more information or reach out to Justine Casebolt,  Beaver Conservation Manager at Justine@svpa.us.

Beaver Coexistence Strategies for Snoqualmie Valley (Part 3): Culvert Protection and Notch Exclusion Fences

By: Tashina Kimble, BeaverWise Outreach and Education Volunteer (Published 1/9/2026)

Photo: Beaver Deceiver installed 2024 on a farm in Carnation by SVPA

A common issue with beaver damming is the use of culverts; beavers can easily dam up a culvert which can cause flooding issues. A culvert is a structure, often resembling a pipe, that allows water to flow through and drain underneath features such as roads or embankments. The water that drains typically comes from storm-water runoff, streams, or irrigation. Beavers may even view the roadbed and culvert as a dam, leading them to easily block the culvert (Beaver Solutions, 2018). Commonly known as a “Beaver Deceiver” (Beavers Northwest, 2025), the trapezoidal shaped fence structure is placed at the inlet (or mouth) of the culvert and has an opening at its entrance, encasing the water flowing into the culvert. This prevents beavers from damming the culvert as the fence blocks their progress. If they still decide to dam at the fence, their damming progress is forced away from the culvert, and this misdirection typically discourages further damming (Beaver Solutions, 2018).  The goal of culvert protection is ultimately to allow beavers to remain in their habitat while protecting the culvert’s function, and additional modifications may need to be made to allow for safe fish passage (Project Beaver, 2024).

Additionally, a notch exclusion fence is used to reduce beaver dam related flooding; this device is very similar to the culvert protection fence but can be used in any narrow waterway near a source that beavers are trying to dam up. Not only are beavers prevented from damming the actual source, but the distance from the water flow mitigates their need to stop the water because the noise of the flow is reduced (Beavers Northwest, 2025). They can be added to current dams by removing some of the material in the dam (or notching) and replacing it with the notch exclusion fence (Beavers Northwest, 2025). This adds a break in the dam that the beavers cannot fix, even if they start damming near the fence, and redirects their behavior to other low flood areas (Beavers Northwest, 2025). The cost of both culvert protection fences and notch exclusion fences can range from $1,200 to $2000 (materials + labor) and last 5-10 years with proper maintenance. They do require a Hydraulic Permit Approval permit from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW, 2026).

Photo: Notch exclusion fence installed on beaver dam in Duvall by SVPA and Beavers Northwest

Stay tuned for our next installment of Beaver Coexistence Strategies for Snoqualmie Valley, where we discuss methods to use as a last resort, including relocation and lethal trapping. Relocation and trapping methods are tools that one may use; however, SVPA recommends non-lethal, coexistence-based strategies as the first option, as they are often more effective and the least expensive over the long-term. We will go into greater detail about the costs related to beaver trapping and how their social structure and territoriality relate to the success or failure of relocation and lethal trapping.

If you’d like to learn more about how to implement these coexistence methods on your property, reach out to Justine Casebolt,  Beaver Conservation Manager at Justine@svpa.us or visit https://svpa.us/beaverwise-program/ for more information.

Beaver Coexistence Strategies for Snoqualmie Valley (Part 2): Flexible Pond Levelers

By: Tashina Kimble, BeaverWise Outreach and Education Volunteer (Published 12/12/2025)

Photo: Pond Leveler installed in 2025 by SVPA and our partner organization Beavers Northwest

This article is part two of our series on beaver coexistence strategies. In this article, we will discuss one solution that we recommend to cohabitate with beavers, specifically when it comes to damming, which can cause significant flooding and drainage issues on farms. First, it is important to identify if beavers are actually the cause of water flow issues. When trying to identify potential beaver damage due to damming, changes in water flow are often a good indicator of new damming activity. It is also important to consider that there could be other issues unrelated to beavers affecting your land, like erosion from heavy rain or flooding, and fewer trees along the waterway riparian buffer keeping the soil intact, or a plugged culvert due to debris and sediment buildup. If you are experiencing drainage issues on your property unrelated to beavers, you can contact our partners, Snoqualmie Valley Watershed Improvement District or King Conservation District Agricultural Drainage Program for support. 

If you find signs of beaver damming on your property and it is causing flooding impacts, it is essential to initiate management now, as they are speedy builders and can construct a larger dam overnight. In their natural environment, beavers like things messy; they typically build large wetland complexes, maintaining many dams at once. However, in a highly managed landscape like the lower Snoqualmie Valley, allowing beavers to build a multi-acre wetland complex is not usually feasible, especially if it is threatening farms and infrastructure. We suggest an adaptive management style, continuously adjusting to beavers on your property to tackle problems as they occur, but also maintain the many benefits they can offer, especially to crops and livestock. 

A flexible pond leveler allows water to flow through the beavers’ dam while not interrupting their damming activities and leaving them none the wiser about any water flow occurring (Project Beaver, 2023). A pond leveler uses a plastic culvert pipe under water to disrupt the dam without the beaver’s awareness. Additionally, there is a cylindrical cage around the intake end of the pipe, but upstream so that beavers aren’t able to investigate and sense the flow of the water escaping the pond. This system keeps its dam pond at maximum height, with only some height changes during intense periods of wet weather (Beaver Solutions, 2018). This system makes beavers think they have done their job when it comes to keeping their water high and their home safe, allowing them to continue to add to their dams but not stopping water flow completely. Pond levelers can last 5-10 years with fairly limited maintenance (Project Beaver, 2023) with the cost ranging from $1,600 to $2400 (materials + labor). 

Photo: Downstream end of the pond leveler pictured above: plastic culvert pipe allowing water to flow through the dam.

It is important to note that pond levelers can potentially impact local wildlife and fish populations that benefit from the ecological support that beavers provide (Project Beaver, 2024). Installing a pond leveler does require a Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) permit through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). In recent years, WDFW has raised concerns over pond levelers creating fish passage issues, so they can be tricky to get permitted, depending on the site conditions. Installing a pond leveler should only be done by a trained beaver coexistence practitioner.  

Stay tuned for our next installment of Beaver Coexistence Strategies, where we discuss culvert protection fences and notch exclusion fences used for preventing beaver-caused floodings.

Photo: Beavers Northwest and SVPA pond leveler installation team!

Beaver Coexistence Strategies for Snoqualmie Valley (Part 1)

By: Tashina Kimble, BeaverWise Outreach and Education Volunteer (Published 10/23/25)

As you learned in our previous fall newsletter, beavers can be quite beneficial to the Snoqualmie Valley; however, we know that coexisting with these tenacious critters can be a multi-layered task. Here at BeaverWise, we believe that you know your land best! Whether you are a new landowner or a fourth-generational farmer, you are the first step in understanding your beaver situation. There are many ways you can stay aware of beavers on your property and knowing the signs helps to diagnose the issue.

First, look for chewing of wood; beavers prefer willow, alder, cottonwood, and aspen, which will be indicated by gnaw marks on trees and freshly cut trees and shrubs. Fortunately, fencing trees can be an easy and cost effective option to protect your trees and this can be especially helpful for mature trees (Project Beaver). Typically 2 x 4 inch wire mesh works best for fencing trees and the fence should be at minimum 3 ft tall to deter the beavers. This technique is not to be used for every tree in a beaver habitat, but to prevent the majority from being removed. Beavers rely on these trees not only for building their dams and lodges but also for sustenance. This method works best near water sources where there are certain trees you wish to protect (Project Beaver). Focus on less hardy plants that have not adapted to live near beavers, like willow and aspen.

Second, look for beaver slides near waterways, this can be what looks like a mud slide or tunnel that beavers frequently use to drag food to the water. Crop fencing is a quick and cost-effective solution when beavers are stealing your crops. This can include traditional wire mesh fencing or electric fencing. Wire mesh, like chicken wire, can be effective at keeping beavers away from crops, but it may be necessary to bury the fence partially, as beavers are great diggers and may dig under the fence. Alternatively, beavers don’t typically traverse more than 100 ft from water, so open-ended electric fences running parallel to the water can prevent crop raiding by beavers (Project Beaver). Electric fences are specifically useful because beavers will often not return after an encounter with one. No power? No problem! You can use solar energy or car batteries to power them, and they can be temporary or permanent, great for rotating or even restorative crops (Project Beaver).

With these tools in your corner, we hope that understanding the problematic signs of beaver activities, as well as how crop fencing and tree fencing can be used, will give you a good start to bolster your beaver coexistence strategies. Look for our upcoming article about other beaver coexistence methods, like pond levelers and notch exclusion fences.

Photo: A beaver chewed tree.

Photo: An active beaver slide/tunnel through grass down to waterway.

Finding Balance with Beavers in the Snoqualmie Valley

(Published 9/19/2025)

In our highly modified agricultural landscape, beavers can be both a benefit and a real challenge. Many Snoqualmie Valley landowners know firsthand the difficulties they can bring—flooded pastures and fields, plugged culverts and ditches, downed or girdled trees, damaged roads and fences, and even crop loss when water backs up quickly.

That’s why SVPA created BeaverWise: to help farmers and other landowners navigate these impacts. The program prioritizes protecting farmland, infrastructure, and safety while also working to optimize the ecosystem services beavers provide—where it’s most appropriate. Our team offers site assessments, practical tools like flow devices and tree protection, permitting guidance, cost-share opportunities, monitoring, and, when coexistence isn’t possible, coordination for relocation to areas where beavers can benefit the local ecosystem.

The goal is simple: reduce risks for working lands while capturing the water, habitat, and resiliency benefits that beavers can provide in the right places. Interested in learning more about the benefits beavers can provide on your property or are you experiencing negative impacts from beavers? We are here to help! Reach out to Justine Casebolt, Beaver Conservation Manager at Justine@svpa.us or visit https://svpa.us/beaverwise-program/ for more information.

With that context, we’re excited to share the following articles from our new BeaverWise Outreach and Education Volunteer, Tashina Kimble, highlighting how beavers can help during periods of drought in the Snoqualmie Valley.

Beavers Can Help During Periods of Drought in the Snoqualmie Valley

In the Snoqualmie Valley this time of year, we experience periods of drought that bring a suite of problems, but beavers can help during these critical times for farms in the valley. Beavers are known as ecosystem engineers because they shape the ecosystems they inhabit by regulating water levels, providing a secure habitat for raising their young, protecting themselves from predators, and storing food (Rosell et al., 2005). Over time, beavers create wetlands and change the course of the water flow by maintaining stream and river banks. While eating their favorite tree species, willow, the discarded willow parts can populate water banks, increasing plant diversity, stabilizing stream and river banks, and reducing erosion (Goldfarb, 2018).

When beavers cause the water levels to rise, the weight and pressure of the stored water recharge aquifers (Rosell et al., 2005). This benefits downstream neighbors by replenishing the rock layer beneath their land with water, which creates better access to aquifers for humans and animals. By increasing the water table, beaver dams can also reduce the amount of irrigation needed on farms during periods of drought. The water near and around beaver complexes flows cooler and slower too, as it is not affected by the constant pressure of additional water in a non-dammed area and flows deeper from within the sediment, making it cooler than water passing through a traditional path and more habitable for our salmon and native fish populations too (Rosell et al., 2005).

Beavers encourage the growth of wetlands, allowing humans and animals alike to benefit from increased plant diversity and quality, and improving the availability of foraging resources for local livestock and ungulates. Their dams store excess sediment and filter out pollutants, leaving behind nutrient-rich deposits that benefit plants and nearby crops (Project Beaver, 2025). Abandoned lodges or dams are sometimes referred to as beaver meadows, due to their fertile soil and abundant groundwater (Goldfarb, 2018). The difference is apparent in a non-beaver affected area, with dry, dead grass and soil; however, once you step into a riparian area with the lush vegetation, supported by beavers, it is hard to believe it is still drought season.