Page 30 Stories of the Heartland • Sunday, April 19, 2026 hometownsource. com / heartland /
Beavers may be a solution to Little Rock Creek issues
BY SHEILA MCCOY STORIES OF THE HEARTLAND
RICE – When beavers moved in on their property in 2019, Randy Klaphake and Donna Hoffman-Klaphake of Rice weren’ t too happy at first. The beavers were cutting down some of the trees that worked as an excellent windbreak for their wholesale tree nursery. Little did they know at the time, the positive impact the furry creatures would have on their land and surrounding area. It is a story they share openly.
The couple, who is well known for their conservation efforts by the Morrison Soil & Water Conservation District, neighbors, producers and others, quickly recognized the benefits of allowing beaver dams, whether natural or man-made analogs, to restore wetlands. Looking back to when they first encountered the beavers, they noticed that an area on their property that normally drains suddenly wasn’ t. By allowing the beavers to keep the three dams they had created, the Klaphakes and nearby neighbors noticed the change in landscape and wildlife, as well.
“ The water backed up and then our well water was higher than it’ s ever been. The ponds were back. Our neighbor’ s pond was back and he loves to duck hunt. We had waterfalls in the creek again and the Blue Herons and the ducks are back. Birds back that we hadn’ t seen in a long time,” Donna said.
The drastic change also registered on ground water level tests on the Klaphake property. The tests were part of a requirement by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources( DNR) for properties’ groundwater levels in that area to be checked. The Klaphakes’ test showed their groundwater level to be significantly higher than those of 20 other recorded wells in the area, Randy said.
The stream that runs through the Klaphake’ s property is known as Little Rock Creek, which flows from Little Rock Lake. According to the DNR.“ The natural pattern of water levels on the Upper Mississippi River included a spring flood followed by low water levels during summer. For centuries this pattern created ideal habitat for hundreds of species of migratory and resident birds, including tundra swans, bald eagles and spotted sandpipers.”
However, that pattern changed, as outlined by Benton Soil & Water Conservation District on its website, when the Sartell Dam was built in 1907,“ which artificially increased the water levels over 7 feet, making it a shallow lake or‘ reservoir.’” As the areas were flooded for long periods, shoreline plants died and the lack of plants made way for shoreline erosion. With less nutrition available, the plants that did survive did not fare well.
The Little Rock Lake and Creek are considered, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency( MPCA) to be among the most polluted waterways in the state with the lake battling toxic algae blooms. It is believed by MPCA to have been caused by agricultural nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The agency also attributes the loss of trout habitat in Little Rock Creek to grave soil erosion in the creek and irrigation practices that in some years may reduce the streamflow during the summer months. It is not known exactly how much of an impact irrigation actually has on
Randy Klaphake and Donna Hoffman-Klaphake received the Wildlife Habitat Steward Award from Morrison Soil & Water Conservation District earlier this year for their work in forestry management and establishment, wildlife practices and upland habitat restoration and management. That includes their efforts in educating the community on the evological value of beavers.
the streamflow since it has been shown that irrigation, for the most part, actually adds water to the stream as it seeps through the ground. There are also other aspects known to influence trout habitat. For example, the Little Rock Creek is listed as impaired by the MPCA due to low dissolved oxygen( DO), which can lead to severe stress on fish populations.
“ Little Rock Creek is not a good creek for trout,” Randy said.
The Little Rock Creek is the only trout stream in Morrison and Benton counties. However, trout is not a native species to that stream. According to Minnesota’ s Legacy, a government program authorized by the 2008 Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment,“ Brown trout were introduced to Little Rock Creek in Minnesota in 1908 to establish a recreational fishery in the only designated trout stream in the Benton and Morrison County area.”
Although brook trout and lake trout are native to Minnesota, Brown trout is native to Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. According to Minnesota’ s Legacy, brown trout were“ chosen because they can tolerate warmer and more turbid water compared to native brook trout.”
Randy said while implementing beaver analogs may not help the trout situation much, it will certainly help with the pollution in the area as it would create more wetlands. As described by both MPCA and the Minnesota DNR,“ wetlands act as natural filters- often called‘ nature’ s kidneys’- by trapping sediments, absorbing nutrients and breaking down pollutants in water and soil. They improve water quality by using dense vegetation and microbes to metabolize contaminants, sequester metals in soil and remove nitrates.”
There are several ways wetlands filter toxins. For instance, wetland vegetation slows down water runoff and microbes within the wetland soil break down organic pollutants and oxygen-demanding materials. Plants also absorb nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Wetlands are also, according to the Minnesota DNR and MPCA,“ highly effective at converting nitrates from fertilizers into nitrogen gas, preventing them from contaminating groundwater and surface water.”
Another benefit of wetlands, Randy said, is that they filter water as it slowly seeps through the soil into underground