Oregon House passes bill encouraging beavers to fix impaired waterways

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – What do Oregonians do when they want to fix up their waterways without spending a dime? They send in the beavers.

On Monday, the Oregon House voted to close all recreational and commercial beaver trappings near the state’s impaired waterways in an effort to encourage their spread. These animals have a natural instinct to dam up creeks and streams — effectively encouraging water to stay where it’s meant to be.

The goal of HB 3932 is to allow these animals to “perform their ecological functions” on the more than 100,000 miles of waterways in Oregon that are considered impaired.

“This legislation gives us an opportunity to try a low-tech, low-risk, and free strategy to address impaired waterways by encouraging beavers to return to Oregon landscapes. The science says this can work, and we’re willing to give it a try,” said Rep. Pam Marsh of Southern Jackson County.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality determines a waterway’s designation by using the following criteria: temperature, sedimentation, level of dissolved oxygen, and health of invertebrates.

Beaver dams can help by slowing water to help pollutants settle out and adjusting the landscape to aid groundwater, prevent wildfires, and create habitats for other members of the local ecosystem. 

“By protecting beavers where they do the most good, we’re investing in natural solutions that support clean water, healthy forests, and more resilient communities,” said Rep. Emerson Levy of Central Oregon. “This bill is a practical step forward that honors the stewardship of our shared public lands.”

However, a recent report by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife found that most recreational trapping in Oregon takes place on private lands. That means only 4% of harvests will be stopped by HB 3932.