Homeowner wants to know who's to blame for massive flood
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DUVALL, Wash. -- A homeowner who was stuck in the mud after a beaver dam burst near Duvall Monday morning wants to know who's to blame for the mess.
Officials from both King County and the state have said the flooding isn't their problem, but Bob Siko wants answers.
A torrent of water, mud and logs swept across Siko's property after a massive beaver dam broke apart more than a mile away. Siko believes if he and his wife and kids had been outside at the time, the day could have ended in a tragedy.
"This was as as close as you're gonna get to losing your family in a disaster that was outside our front door," he said.
While the house sustained only minor damage, Siko estimates clearing out the tons of debris will cost as much as $30,000. He thinks either the county or state should cover that bill.
"I want to know if there's anything they're going to do to help me clean this mess up," he said.
King County officials inspected the dam last spring after Siko called to say he was worried about a possible breach. A county engineer said there was a potential hazard and his report was forwarded on to the Washington Department of Ecology, which did nothing.
"It held back fives times as much water," Siko said.
A Department of Ecology spokesperson said his agency is sympathetic to Siko's plight, but doesn't have jurisdiction over beaver dams, which are legally the responsibility of the property owners.
The dam that gave way on Monday was on someone else's property, which leaves Siko a little nervous.
"I want to know if there's anything up there that's going to pose a risk in the future," he said.
While King County officials say the county has no jurisdiction, they will assign a geologist to help monitor any more debris that could cause problems on the Siko's property. The county will also expedite any permits required for the cleanup.
Officials from both King County and the state have said the flooding isn't their problem, but Bob Siko wants answers.
A torrent of water, mud and logs swept across Siko's property after a massive beaver dam broke apart more than a mile away. Siko believes if he and his wife and kids had been outside at the time, the day could have ended in a tragedy.
"This was as as close as you're gonna get to losing your family in a disaster that was outside our front door," he said.
While the house sustained only minor damage, Siko estimates clearing out the tons of debris will cost as much as $30,000. He thinks either the county or state should cover that bill.
"I want to know if there's anything they're going to do to help me clean this mess up," he said.
King County officials inspected the dam last spring after Siko called to say he was worried about a possible breach. A county engineer said there was a potential hazard and his report was forwarded on to the Washington Department of Ecology, which did nothing.
"It held back fives times as much water," Siko said.
A Department of Ecology spokesperson said his agency is sympathetic to Siko's plight, but doesn't have jurisdiction over beaver dams, which are legally the responsibility of the property owners.
The dam that gave way on Monday was on someone else's property, which leaves Siko a little nervous.
"I want to know if there's anything up there that's going to pose a risk in the future," he said.
While King County officials say the county has no jurisdiction, they will assign a geologist to help monitor any more debris that could cause problems on the Siko's property. The county will also expedite any permits required for the cleanup.
Despite my spelling (dam), I stand behind my comments.
This family is not looking for a bailout or for a handout etc. They are a hard working family residing in a historical family home that has been there for over 100 years...long before an adjoining beaver damn was a concern. Four young boys live at that house and are in that very yard almost every day. This could have ended in a major tragedy. The home owners had stressed concerns to the proper authorities and had confidence that the right course of action would be taken. Apparently, it wasn't taken that seriously as there was a potentially life threatening breach. Maybe we shouldn't have to pay the bill for this but someone needs to - NOT the homeowners. They are not at fault here. Quit with the criticisms of a situation you don't have all of the details for. I forsee a very sound lawsuit in their future.
When will people stop building on flood plains? When will municipalities stop permitting such silliness?Â
 @andjustisforall The house has been there for 100 years. First time for anything like this. Sorry to disappoint you but not everyone is stupid.
A cooler full of beers and some beaver stew and he could round up a few helpers with wheel barrows and shovels to clean up alot of it. Maybe even make up a couple of beaver skin hats to sell for backhoe rental.
Mirror mirror on the wall...
Time to find an attorney that will sue a beaver!
Time to buy some beaver traps.
It seems to me like only 2 or 3 of the comments below can possibly be from King County residents.  In King county it goes some thing like this:
1. Beaver builds dam.
2. Dam makes wetlands.
3. County officials declare wetlands holy ground and untouchable.
4. Beaver is GOD! (Or at least a right hand man of the God the Salmon)
It was known that it was over the heads of property owners to handle this matter. Â It had gotten too big. Both County and Army Corp of Engineers sent experts to look at it and said it was unsafe. Â Residents asked for help. Â Got none. Â Sorry folks, but until some makes this county responsible for the stupid laws it makes concerning wetlands they will not stop the madness. Â If I were a lawyer I would take this one on for free.
"While the house sustained only minor damage, Siko estimates clearing out the tons of debris will cost as much as $30,000. He thinks either the county or state should cover that bill."
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Of course he thinks that taxpayers should foot the bill. Â Why should a property owner be responsible for where his house was built. Â If he was so worried about the dam he should have took it up with his neighbor.
 @FBrumfield You don't live in King County or else you are an idiot.  King County would fine any disruption of a beaver dam as destruction of wetlands.  The County is absolutely responsible for this.  The County was aware of the dam and potential danger.  Read the article.
Beaver insurance. Also called a prenup.
Guess what, King County ignores Snoqualmie Valley. We've complain to King County for not clearing a creek that is right on the Woodinville-Duvall Road Bridges. Some idiot from the County thought it was best to plant more trees onto that stream. And there is beavers there, since most of the cottonwood trees are still standing. This will make the flood worse for the nearby farmers to the north.  We've lost so many  hard working farms due to the idiots who run the King County Board, who don't listen to the ones whom work long hours to bring food to people's tables.
It's the Beaver dam it...
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I'll just play Democrat & blame Bush....don't they blame EVERYTHING on him??
 @Controlled-Insanity Not everything, just those things where he had some control.
I feel for you, but I am afraid that's why you buy flood and landslide insurance when you live near water and land that could slide. You could also add EQ if you get an insurer who is not heavily invested in the NW. I don't think you can sue the property owner, unless it was his pet beaver who built the darn thing.
In other words, he didn't buy flood insurance.
if the county said it's alright, they need to be responsible! if the county said that the dam was NOT alright then maybe the home owner could have taken actions into his own hands but he specifically asked about it and it's crap that the county isn't giving in. they f*cked up, they fix it
"which are legally the responsibility of the property owners." Ya right!  Ever see what they do to you if you remove a beaver dam on your property, wetland delineation and all the red tape.   It used to be trappers that took care of these problems in this state but that was voted down.Â
@We care alot I would presume too that, even if the owner had cleared all the red tape, it would have taken weeks to carefully take apart the dam so that there wasn't a sudden torrent of water rushing down the ravine below if he'd just dynamited it (for instance)
I'd blame God for creating beavers with the instinct to build dams across waterways. Â I'd suggest getting a good lawyer though.
A sue happy nation we live in. Blame the beavers above your house.Â
Sue the beavers!
"which are legally the responsibility of the property owners." That says it all. Go after the property owner where the dam is. Same thing is true for a dangerous tree. If you report it to the county, the property owner must take it down, or is responsible for damages that happen afterwards (instead of being an act of God).
I believe he'll need to take it up w/ the other owner.
How about Mother Nature. Get over it buddy.
I note the popularity of shaking fists at the government and demanding it get out of everybody's lives, yet the very first thing some people do is cry to the government for a financial solution to their problems. Heh. The Department of Ecology just gums things to death anyway...everybody who has dealings with them knows this.
Well Siko, you had better figure out who owns the property, I don't see why our taxpayer dollars needs to bail you out.  If you knew about it before and didn't contact the property owner, why is it any one else's problem but yours?  Everyone wants to point the finger at someone else - here's a thought, Siko, point the finger at yourself.  Find the property owner and deal with it like you should have.  In the day of the internet, there is no reason you could not have done some research and figured out who is responsible for the beaver dam.
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Or, you can try suing the beavers, that might work...Â
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You built in a ravine under a water flow......hummm who is to blame.....me wonder...must study gravity......must study ravine......must study oneself on why it occurred...