With so many waterbodies and streams within the city, balancing the natural elements of aquatic ecosystems with urban uses is an ongoing challenge. We recognize the many values that beaver provide to the ecosystem and our community, and we work diligently to identify and implement approaches to coexist with the existing beaver population.

Every summer the City employs a small team of interns with backgrounds in natural resources to inspect a majority of Salem’s streams. The interns collect field data, including the location of beaver dams or signs of beaver activity along the 60 miles of streams they inspect. Identification of potentially problematic beaver activity is promptly reported to Public Works Stormwater Quality staff, who conduct additional analysis and determine an appropriate response, if needed.

In general, the City only manages beaver dams that are on City-owned property, or are impacting City-owned infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. Currently our beaver management program consists of the following:

• monitoring waterways,
• developing and utilizing coexistence strategies, such as pond levelers,
• installing tree and shrub protection on City-owned property to establish vegetation and protect significant trees,
• breaching dams on public property that pose an imminent threat of flooding to infrastructure, and
• hazing to move beaver out of critical infrastructure, such as storm pipes and culverts, while it is being modified to keep beaver out.
• If all other options have failed and only if absolutely necessary, the City may contract with a Wildlife Control Operator to remove the beaver. 

On public land, beaver are classified as protected furbearers under Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 635-050-0050 and Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 496.004 and 498.158. If the City needs to trap or haze beaver on City of Salem property, we must contract with a WCO. In some cases, a permit or coordination with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife may be required.