April 24 – 25, 2008 Visit
On this trip, I signed CRP agreements in which 13.5 acres of the pasture will be planted with water tolerant trees and shrubs to improve the riparian environment along the creek. After this, I walked the perimeter to see the area that had been marked off with small plastic markers.
I did not see the beavers that moved in last fall. The creek is back to its normal level and flow and their lodge is gone. I did find some willow saplings that had been felled by beavers, so maybe they are still around.
In an attempt to reduce erosion, I cut 40 black willow cuttings and drove these into the creek bank. If the cutting take root, the bank can be stabilized. This probably should have been done earlier while the willows were still dormant.
The spring is flowing very well. It took less than an hour to refill the 325 gallon storage tank after I opened the valves to the tank.
The solar system, which has been unused all winter, is fine and began providing power immediately.
