This lovely and peaceful pond is fed by Golde Creek and maintained by a beaver family.
This lovely and peaceful pond is fed by Golde Creek and maintained by a beaver family.
Golde Creek is a happy year-round stream.
It is used in the legal description to define the eastern boundary of the back yard.
Sometime around 2010, a beaver family found the stream and built a dam.
Of course, the trees drowned and then
slowly the standing snags began to crumble into mere stumps.
What had been a swampy forest turned into a pond just outside the north bedroom.
This is downstream of the beaver pond.
Beaver dams are always leaky, but beavers are always active.
It balances out and the result is a serenely beautiful beaver pond.
During cold winters, the pond will freeze over.
One time, it was so thick you could walk on it, but mostly it is just beautiful.
How is that for a Currier and Ives postcard?
Golde Creek flows all year, even when there is no rain.
It rises a little during rainy times.
But honestly, should you be worried about flooding?
LET US HAVE A SERIOUS DISCUSSION OF THE RISK OF FLOODING.
Back in 2012, all of Snohomish County was under a major flood watch.
It was the worst flood anyone had ever seen.
The waters of Golde Creek reached their highest flood level ever.
As you see, the water barely covered any of the back yard.
Even the workshop remained high and dry.
It never even came close to touching the house!
Some people worry about flooding whenever water is involved.
Let me offer a technical explanation.
The beaver dam is like a bathtub in a home.
When you turn on the water, the water level in the tub can rise.
When that level gets to the top of the bathtub,
it then overflows onto the floor in the house.
But even if the water is still running, it can never get any higher than the height of the tub.
There might be water on the floor, but it won't keep going higher until it covers the sink and then the medicine cabinet.
In the same way, when the water level rises behind a beaver dam, it gets high enough to flow over the dam.
At that point, even with lots of rain, the water level just can't rise any more.
So the level behind the dam reaches a maximum and then just stops there.
The flooding in this photo is actually downstream of the dam.
In this case, the limiting factor (like the bathtub walls) is the concrete sidewalk on the side street.
Once the water is high enough to run over the sidewalk, then the level can't rise any higher.
In the photo, the water has finally reached that maximum point,
and the water is now spilling over the concrete sidewalk into the street.
From there, in order to raise the water level,
the entire street would need to flood, bringing floodwater to every house on the street.
Simply put, that is never going to happen.
It was truly amazing that it even got to the level of overflowing the sidewalk on the street,
but that is the maximum it will ever rise,
and keep in mind that it only rose that high one time in the past 23 years.
Part of the reason that flooding is so minimal
is this large culvert that takes the stream under 201st Street.
Don't forget that 201st Street is lower than the fence along the property line.
Before this house can flood, the water will be over the street.
Every other house along the cul-de-sac will be flooded long before water touches this house.
Trust me, that just ain't happening, ever!
We have had a series of beaver families.
The first one had six beavers living in the pond at the same time:
mom and dad, two older kits, and two babies.
On two occasions, the beavers decided to leave.
The picture above shows the first time the beavers left, when the trees were mostly still standing tall.
A new beaver family arrived soon after this picture was taken.
Many years later, with the trees now down to only stumps,
the pond was again without beavers for a short time.
During these short absences, the pond has a different and special kind of beauty,
but it never lasts long.
Snohomish County will tell you that beavers are on the rise everywhere.
There are always young beavers looking for a good place to start a family.
You must enjoy these brief interludes while they last
because they are soon gone when the new beavers set up housekeeping.
The beavers were gone over the winter of 2022-2023.
They returned in summer of 2023.
Even during the hot summer with no rain, the pond again began to fill up.
Here the pond is only about half full, but wait until the rains return.
Beavers don't do their work during the day, but you can catch them at dawn or dusk.
They are constantly building and repairing the dam.
This beaver is bringing a piece of wood where it is needed.
Beavers are careful and meticulous builders,
and the dam is actually quite strong as a result.
Now let's see, where should this piece go?
Beavers do all the work, but many visitors enjoy the pond.
The pond has been visited by playful otters, fishing herons, eagles, ducks of all kinds, and all sorts of birds.
We have seen families raised by wood ducks, geese and this mallard family.
Another pond resident is the Western Painted Turle.
They like to sun themselves on a log but will jump in the water at the slightest disturbance.
The underside of the painted turtles easily explains their name.
This turtle was found as a baby the size of a quarter while mowing the lawn
He is named Mow.
Warm spring days often bring out the turtles to bask in the sun.
For me, at least, this magical place has been the gold at the end of my rainbow.
Maybe it will be the same for you.
Whew, I think this property is beyond awesome!
People have told me I must be crazy to consider selling.
Do you think you could enjoy this sort of waterfront living?
Would you like having a front row seat at the ever changing show that nature provides?
Do you share the belief that being close to nature has health benefits?
And maybe... would you like to have some of those health benefits for yourself?
Let's get real. Yes, there is a house on the property. But it is ONLY a house.
Oh, it's a nice house with 3 full baths, an ensuite bedroom at each end, and no neighbors now or ever.
There are lots of houses, and honestly, this house is just one more house.
But.... You won't EVER find another beaver pond!
Tour Chapters:
Arriving
Beaver Pond
Outside Views
Entry and Dining Area
Kitchen
Great Room
Hall and North Bedrooms
South Bedroom and Laundry
Workshop
Floor Plan and Aerial Photos
Xeric Garden
Backyard and Flowers
Contact and Other Details