Beaver dam

Beaver dams are dams built by beavers to provide ponds as protection against predators such as coyotes, wolves, and bears, and to provide easy access to food during winter. These structures modify the natural environment in such a way that the overall ecosystem builds upon the change, making beavers a keystone species. Beavers work at night and are prolific builders, carrying mud and stones with their fore-paws and timber between their teeth. Beavers can rebuild primary dams overnight, though they may not defend secondary dams as vigorously.

Construction

A minimum water level of 0.6 to 0.9 metres (2.0 to 3.0 ft) is required to keep the underwater entrance to beaver lodges from being blocked by ice during the winter. In lakes, rivers and large streams with deep enough water, beavers may not build dams and instead live in bank burrows and lodges. If the water is not deep enough to keep beavers safe from predators and their lodge entrances ice-free, beavers build dams.

Beavers start construction by diverting the stream to lessen the water's flow pressure. Branches and logs are then driven into the mud of the stream bed to form a base. Then sticks, bark (from deciduous trees), rocks, mud, grass, leaves, masses of plants, and anything else available, are used to build the superstructure. The average height of a dam is about 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) with an average depth of water behind the dam of 1.2 to 1.8 m. The thickness of the dam is often around 1 m or more. The length depends on the stream width, but averages about 4.5 m long.

Beaver dam (disambiguation)

Beaver dams are structures built by beavers.

Beaver Dam or Beaverdam may also refer to:

Places

Battles

Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

Beaver Dam is a city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States, along Beaver Dam Lake and the Beaver Dam River. The population was 16,345 in 2014, making it the largest city primarily located in Dodge County. It is the principal city of the Beaver Dam Micropolitan Statistical area. The city is located within the Town of Beaver Dam.

Geography and climate

Beaver Dam is located at 43°27′35″N 88°50′9″W / 43.45972°N 88.83583°W / 43.45972; -88.83583 (43.459967, −88.836066).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.17 square miles (21.16 km²), of which, 6.79 square miles (17.59 km²) is land and 1.38 square miles (3.57 km²) is water.

Since 1996, the average annual snowfall in Beaver Dam has been 63.5 inches (161 cm). The 2007–2008 winter season was the snowiest on record with 119.7 inches (304 cm).

Normal climate

Normal temperatures

Normal precipitation

Snowfall

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,214 people, 6,819 households, and 4,113 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,387.9 inhabitants per square mile (922.0/km²). There were 7,326 housing units at an average density of 1,078.9 per square mile (416.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.0% White, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population.