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   Our lake, or pond, depending on one’s definition of a lake, was originally designed as a flood control structure. When it was built, it was supposed to impound twenty-six acres of water at normal pool. The maximum it will back up is about sixty acres at flood stage. Most of the time, it is at normal level which means a continuous stream of water is being discharged from the outlet pipe. This outlet pipe is a thirty-six-inch cement culvert that runs through the dam.

   At one time, I thought it would be interesting to have beavers in the lake. They could cut down the hedge, willow, and locust trees to build their little houses. We could watch them as they frolicked in the waters. Several years ago, Iowa State University had some beavers on campus that were destroying the local trees and landscaping. They were going to live trap them and have them relocated. I volunteered to provide a home for them, but never heard back. As nature will do, a pair of beavers moved in without my assistance. It was then I learned to be careful what you wish for.

   I have discovered beavers do not like hedge or locust trees. Apparently, they dislike the thorns as much as I do. They will cut down willow trees but also walnuts, oaks, and hickory trees that I prefer to keep. They also do not like water to escape from their lake.

   Because of the drought conditions, our lake has had no water going out of the outflow tube for most of the year. Until this spring when we started getting a few rains, I had all but forgotten about the beaver dislike of the sound of escaping water. When the ground became saturated enough to allow some rain to run off, the lake filled up to normal level and water started flowing out of the tube as it was designed to. It took very little time for the beavers to determine they had a leak and even less time to plug it up. I would clear the tube and the beavers would return to block it again. We had a running contest between the beavers and me to see if water would run out like it is supposed to or be completely dammed up.

   There is an island in the lake that was designed for goose habitat. As usual, this year a goose nested on the island, starting about three weeks ago. With a spotting scope, we can watch her faithfully on her nest while her mate guards from the top of the dam. She has a safe place for a nest, except for the beavers. Beavers will not mess with a goose, but if flood waters reach the level of the nest, the eggs will cool and the embryos will die.

   One day last week, we received over an inch of rain during the night. As usual, the beavers heard the water rushing out of the tube and plugged up the leak. They did a good enough job this time, the water level was backed over the opening and rising rapidly. I checked on the mother goose who was on her nest, but the water level was getting closer all the time. I was feeling sorry for the geese possibly losing their nest but am not brave enough to work on clearing the debris from the tube with the force of that much water behind it. Some water was escaping but water was still draining from several hundred acres of nearby hillsides.

   There were only a few inches to go before the goose nest was flooded when the water quit rising. Their nest is safe for now. Since the water level is not going down very rapidly, before the next rain, she needs to hatch her eggs, or I need to be able to see the end of the tube to clear it out. I think the goslings’ best chance of survival is to hurry up and hatch before we again have rising waters.

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