Beavers living in Gresham along Johnson Creek. (Courtesy photo: Carol Zyvatkauskas)

Legislators in Salem passed a bill this week that will better support beavers in water systems across the state.

House Bill 3932 passed in the Oregon Senate Monday, June 16. The measure prohibits trapping or removing beavers from public lands where waterways were officially classified as “impaired.” That means they have problems like too much sediment, low oxygen, or water temperature that is too high.

“If we started from scratch to create a resource to improve water quality and quantity on our impaired streams, we couldn’t do better than beavers” said Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland. “This bill puts them to work for us with the barest impact on Oregon trappers.”

Oregon estimates more than 100,000 miles of waterways qualify as impaired. But beavers provide a natural solution. Experts say when they dig canals and build dams, they create wetlands that filter toxins, recharge groundwater, and generate habitat for fish and wildlife.

“We call this the beaver state for a reason,” said Sen. Courtney Neron Misslin, D-Wilsonville. “Beavers help stabilize ecosystems, improve water quality, and build natural resilience against the climate impacts we’re already facing.”

HB 3932 does not change existing laws that permit trapping/removing beavers on private land. A report last year showed only 4% of beaver harvesting happens on impaired waterways on public lands. The new measure requires the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to publish a map showing the waterways where new beaver protections apply.

“Scientific research has shown us this strategy can work,” said Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Southern Jackson County and chief sponsor of the bill. “It’s a low-tech, low-risk strategy we are wise to embrace.”

The bill passed the senate in a vote of 17 to 11. It now goes to Gov. Tina Kotek for her signature.