Beaver dam on River Otter after heavy rain Nov 2019

In a week of heavy rain - and flooding elsewhere in the country - what impact are beaver dams having on the flow of water in the River Otter?
Devon Wildlife Trust’s Beaver Project Lead Mark Elliott explains how beavers can help reduce flood risk.
Filmed on River Otter on Thursday 14 November.

[@clarebishopsambrook1111]

Thank you - well done to the beaver (and Devon Wildlife Trust)!

[@kayleighcarr4956]

Thank you, really interesting and succinctly explained

[@janstannard6560]

Really clear example of the positive impact of beavers - thank you.

[@sharonhall9506]

Thank you. Well done Beavers & DWT

[@issyjas3309]

A success story on so many levels, great to see

[@dabberlocksisjustoutofview9013]

Update please 2023

[@tonyb83]

At 1:10 you're correct - storing water in the headwaters reduces down-stream flooding. If I may I'd like to point out you are partially correct in saying... creating wetlands in headwaters reduces down-stream flooding. I say 'partially correct' because down-stream flooding will only be reduced if the wetland created by the beaver dam increases upstream storage, and on the other hand, down-stream flooding will be increased if the wetland created by the beaver dam does not increase upstream storage. For these reasons beaver dams should have a freeboard. How is the freeboard on the beaver dam in your video achieved and maintained?

[@m.harris9512]

Where is the catchment area? Thankyou

[@MartinWildlife]

A good example of what people need to know to understand the importance of beavers. Still no substitute for seeing it for yourself, but a great example.

[@Dan-or9qe]

Beavers make a lot of mess don't they lol

[@allenjohnson7686]

its the countryside.... what more can be expected... mud water plants :)

[@mauriceryton]

Beavers also do massive damage. Wait until they take the trees down and start building dams that cause flooding. Somewhere in South America they did a similar test that failed terribly. Now there are so many beavers it is causing massive problems.

[@pusholdpeople8006]

Beavers arent native to south american dipshit? Thats why they had issues

[@TheCommono]

Hmmm, "similiar test" you say: "In 1946, the Argentine military flew 20 beavers from Canada to Tierra del Fuego in hopes of encouraging a fur trade. The industry never flourished, but the beavers did"
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/07/beaver-overpopulation-tierra-del-fuego/

[@mauriceryton]

@@TheCommono that is the one, it is a complete disaster.

[@TheCommono]

@@mauriceryton I'm sure, it's the end of the world...
But much more important: what is "similiar" to the project described here?

[@mauriceryton]

@@TheCommono it is just an expression. Perhaps experiment would have been a better choice of words. Stay safe.