July 10, 2026 |
Photo – Courtesy of John McCoy
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is building artificial beaver dams to improve downstream water quality.
Earlier this month, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department announced that it, and several partner agencies, installed and restored 130 beaver dam analogs around Lone Tree Creek and Bolton Creek.
Game and Fish Aquatic Habitat Biologist John McCoy said the state agency recognizes the environmental benefit of beaver dams.
McCoy said beaver dams also filter water, reducing downstream sediment and erosion.
To replicate the ecological effects of beaver dams, Wyoming Game and Fish has been building artificial barriers, known as beaver dam analogs, on streams that feed into the North Platte River. McCoy said the dams support greater trout growth.
McCoy said Game and Fish biologists build the dam analogs in areas with past beaver activity or in places where they hope to see more of it. He said the goal is for local beavers to take over maintenance of the artificial dams and recalled a case where that happened.
The dam analogs are made from nearby materials, including sticks, mud, and sagebrush. As biologists improved their methods, McCoy said the analogs began to function more like natural dams.
In May and June, Game and Fish biologists built 100 beaver dam analogs on Lone Tree Creek in the Medicine Bow–Routt National Forest and repaired 30 existing dams on Bolton Creek. McCoy said the dams can’t be constructed in every location. Biologists look for areas with a wide flood plain where beavers would naturally choose to build. He said Lone Tree Creek showed signs of past beaver activity, making it an ideal site for a dam analog.
McCoy said the ultimate goal of the beaver dam analog project is to extend the green‑up period by raising the water table through the creation of small ponds. He said the pools slow down streams, allowing more water to seep into the ground.
McCoy added that larger beaver ponds can make good homes for trout, but said neither Lone Tree nor Bolton creeks support the species. He said every beaver dam analog is permitted through the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office to ensure they comply with existing water rights.
