Crime & Safety

Beaver Dam Break Floods Town In Worcester County

The dam along School Street Brook burst on Saturday evening, sending water into a commercial district along Route 67.

WARREN, MA — A relatively small animal caused a pretty big natural disaster in Warren over the weekend.

A large beaver dam along the School Street Brook in Warren broke on Saturday evening, sending water streaming into a commercial area along Route 67.

The flood began around 6:30 p.m. near the intersection of Spring Street and Route 67. Warren police closed the town's main road for about two hours before the water receded.

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A local resident told a reporter the 12-foot-high dam breaks every six to eight years. School Street Brook flows from a hilly area in Ware south to Warren and into the Quabaog River.

According to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (and anyone who's gone a walk near a wetland), beavers are common across Massachusetts. The rodents, with their signature leathery tails, build dams to create ponds, where they feed and breed.

Find out what's happening in Worcesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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