Framingham Regrets "Demise Of The Beavers" In Statement

FRAMINGHAM, MA- Framingham has seen immense backlash after allowing a trapper to remove the beaver population from spots in the city that were being damaged by dams causing flooding. In a statement that explains how they came to this conclusion, the city says they regret the "demise of the beavers" at their hands.

Flooding along Singletary Lane and an outlet on Worcester Road has become more than a costly nuisance for the city. According to the statement, they have spent almost $40,000 in the last several weeks in pumping costs and traffic details to retain a 100-year-old land bridge on Singletary Road and keep to the road open. The city says if the bridge had eroded away it would have taken the embedded water, sewer, and natural gas lines with it.

Singletary Lane is also the route 15 school buses take each day. The city sates the flooding caused dangerous driving conditions as well as residents’ yards and basements flooding.

Intense rainfall mixed with the beaver dams caused water levels to rise above normal levels and undermine the retaining walls. Many residents who opposed the culling of the beaver population wanted the city to explore options that didn't harm the animals. "Beaver Deceivers" had been used in the past to manage water levels but the city says "At this point in the flooding, and due to the extreme elevation of the water, it was too late to implement that option."

Since the removal of the beavers and work on the city's end to break down dams the threat to public safety is subsiding.

At the close of the statement the city says "The City recognizes this recent action does not achieve the type of conclusion for the beavers that most people would prefer. If the City is able to avoid the removal a beaver population in the process of flood mitigation, as it has in the past, Framingham will avail itself of that option."

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