The Starke County Forest will get an inspection by members of the County Park Board, in an effort to resolve drainage issues in the area.
Forester Bruce Wakeland says a neighboring landowner is unfairly blaming beaver dams in the forest for flooding. But County Surveyor Bill Crase believes there may be some validity to the claims, according to County Attorney Marty Lucas. “Sometimes, you just get differences of opinion on land use, if you see what I’m saying. That’s another thing, but it sounds like Bill feels there’s something to it,” Lucas told the park board Tuesday. “I think we should meet with him and investigate it and try to find out what needs to be done to resolve it.”
Lucas suggested that the park board schedule a site visit with Crase and Wakeland. While Wakeland believes issues outside the forest have been causing the flooding, he does admit that a beaver control device installed in the forest hasn’t helped, partly because it wasn’t installed properly.
Still, Wakeland has said he’s done a good job of maintaining water levels in the forest. Lucas says Crase can use GIS data to see whether that’s true. Lucas is confident the park board can reach a solution everyone will be happy with.
