Yeah, but the beavers don't consult with civil engineers on where to build the dams.
It's an issue for rural roads that get eroded and washed out.
It's an issue for rural roads that get eroded and washed out.
There’s going to be some give and take here. If you want the benefit from a natural solution (beavers), you’ll have to work around whatever that solution is.
Biologists can tell you what kinds of locations are good beaver spots - so we shouldn't just build a road too close without some planning. We also shouldn't remove beaver dams so that we can build human structures- the dam will be back soon enough.
And when you do need to build near one, there are lots of techniques to strengthen structures to avoid erosion. My favorite: plant trees. Willows will grow like mad near a pond and their root system will strengthen a bank very well.