One of the beautiful things about living in Tigard is being surrounded by nature, from parks and trails to streams and wildlife.

But in a community where humans and animals live together in an urban setting, there can be challenges that need to be addressed in a holistic way.

Beaver management is one of them.

In most areas of Tigard, no action needs to be taken. However, there are isolated areas where beaver dams become a public safety concern, by preventing access to critical City of Tigard stormwater and wastewater infrastructure. Staff are required to maintain access to these manholes and conveyance pipes for emergency situations, but beaver dams make this access impossible and must be removed in these isolated areas.

Our staff follow the guidelines and best practices from the experts with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the Tualatin River Watershed Council, The Wetland Conservancy, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Beaver Craftworks, the Tualatin Basin Beaver Committee and others.

Collectively, the experts agree that no one approach is effective on its own; the best management strategy involves a variety of tactics. These include using:

• Pond levels and beaver deceivers to help control water level and/or flow
• Manual removal of dams and/or use of heavy equipment for removal
• Trapping, which is only used when the above methods are not effective
  • In these limited cases (less than one every few years, on average), lethal trapping by a certified federal trapper is required. Live trapping for relocation is not an option, based on guidance from ODFW and Beaverworks Oregon, because it creates more trauma for the beaver and is less humane

Based on expert recommendations, these three management techniques are part of the City of Tigard’s comprehensive beaver management plan, which aligns with Council goals by:

• Maintaining a natural area and enhancing the health and well-being of the community (public safety, minimizing flooding of streets, trails and property),
• Broadening and strengthening community safety and resilience (protection of critical infrastructure),
• Having reliant, sustainable and well-maintained facilities that provide reliable and efficient services to our community (maintained, serviceable and accessible infrastructure, efficient level of service for operations and maintenance).

We encourage you to browse the following sources of information and expertise in this area:

• Tualatin River Watershed Council/Tualatin Basin Beaver Committee, “What Do I Do If I Have A Beaver Issue” Tualatin River Watershed Council
• Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, “Living with Beaver,” ODFW Living with Wildlife – Beaver
• “Sediment, Flooding and Beaver in Derry Dell Creek: Site Analysis and Recommendations for the City of Tigard,” prepared by Beaver Craftworks, 2024