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Dam Story
____________________________________________________
Posted: 31st August 2006
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This was allegedly sent to a landowner by the Department of Environmental Quality, State of Michigan...
SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County
Dear Mr. De Vries,
It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the
above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following
unauthorized activity:
Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond.
A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity.
A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity
is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public
Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated.
The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding
at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore
orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and
brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2003.
Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. Failure
to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement
action. We anticipate and would appreciate your full co-operation in
this matter.
Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
David L. Price,
District Representative Land and Water Management Division
Mr. DeVries replied...
Dear Mr. Price,
Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been handed to me to respond to. I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088
Dagget, Pierson, Michigan. A couple of beavers are in the process of constructing
and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam
project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials "debris."
I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can safely state
there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam
determination and/or their dam work ethic.
As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior
to the start of this type of dam activity.
My first dam question to you is:
(1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or (2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request?
If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request
completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301,
Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101
to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated.
I have several concerns. My first concern is; aren't the beavers entitled to
legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation -- so the State will have to provide
them with a dam lawyer.
The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof
that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect.
In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling their dam names.
If you want the stream "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but if you are
going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam
letter, they being unable to read English.
In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water
flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams).
So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred
for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2003?
The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to
contact/harass them.
In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention a real environmental
quality (health) problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually defecating in our woods! I definitely believe you should be persecuting the
defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to investigate
the beaver dam, watch your step. The bears are not careful where they dump!
Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam
office.
Thank you,
Ryan DeVries & The Dam Beavers.
Related Links:
UK Safari Beaver Fact File
UK Safari Mammal Section
UK Safari News
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