Culvert Install

[HawkinsHollow]

When I bought my property 5 years ago it became very obvious if I wanted to reach the other side of my pond I was going to need to make a bridge or culvert over the ditch that feeds the pond. For 8 months out of the year (12 in wet years) navigating the swamp to cross this small ditch is difficult at best. I have been across it twice, both in rented machines and both times were almost a disaster. The ditch is not deep, but deep enough and often times full of water. It was time to do it right!

I had originally thought about making a bridge out of free I-beams I got from a friend, but then got my hands on a cheap 18" reinforced concrete pipe ($100). It seemed to me that dropping a pipe in a hole and coving it with dirt would be easier. The culvert location is 1/3 of a mile from the barn down a steep hill and along a trail. Bobby Branson handled the pipe shuttle no problemo. I am estimating this pipe to be in the 1800 lb range (I could be wrong though).

My dirt pile was also up near the barn. So I had to shuttle the dirt from this location down to the culvert 1 bucket at a time. Took about 8 trips. The culvert is not completely finished yet. Plan on putting a concrete apron on the front of it which will allow me to backfill right to the edge of the front, and keep the dirt from washing out around the pipe. But honestly water coming through here is not moving with tons of energy so I am not worried about it getting washed out.

Sorry, having issues upload pictures of the final product, but I am sure you can imagine what it looks like. Excited to gain easy access to that side of the pond. Not much over there yet (due to limited access). I have plans on renting a mini ex and cleaning up that side and cutting a road into the hillside, eventually putting in another access up the draw to the top of the ridge.

Feels good to FINALLY get this project done.

 

[scootr]

Looks great, would love to see the finished pictures. A headwall is an important addition. You can pour it in concrete by placing a sheet of plywood flat against the pipe end and pouring behind it. Insert a piece or 2 of rebar to keep it in place when it cracks.

 

[ovrszd]

Projects like these are good for a man's Soul.

 

[scootr]

New neighbor wants me to help put a 3ft steel culvert in her creek for livestock use. The water can come pretty swiftly down this creek when the upstream dam releases any water which hasn't happened in years but could if the current drought condition reversed. I'd rather see her use a concrete pipe. I have a 3ft conc pipe under my main entrance drive in the same creek. My main worry is the steel is going to rust - but I guess all I can do is mention that which I did .... and not sure how much weight it will bear.

 

[ovrszd]

New neighbor wants me to help put a 3ft steel culvert in her creek for livestock use. The water can come pretty swiftly down this creek when the upstream dam releases any water which hasn't happened in years but could if the current drought condition reversed. I'd rather see her use a concrete pipe. I have a 3ft conc pipe under my main entrance drive in the same creek. My main worry is the steel is going to rust - but I guess all I can do is mention that which I did .... and not sure how much weight it will bear.

If her culvert drains and doesn't have standing water it will last a very long time before it rusts away. Under corrosive conditions 20 years. Under good conditions 30-40 years.

As for weight, I've got some culverts with 6" of dirt over the top and they withstand vehicle traffic including semis loaded with grain. Properly installed a culvert will withstand a LOT of weight.

I know nothing about the cost of a concrete culvert so can't speak to that.

 

[Rockbadchild]

New neighbor wants me to help put a 3ft steel culvert in her creek for livestock use. The water can come pretty swiftly down this creek when the upstream dam releases any water which hasn't happened in years but could if the current drought condition reversed. I'd rather see her use a concrete pipe. I have a 3ft conc pipe under my main entrance drive in the same creek. My main worry is the steel is going to rust - but I guess all I can do is mention that which I did .... and not sure how much weight it will bear.

culverts are supported on all side by dirt so as long as the dirt doesn't move the culvert as no way to move therefore it is near impossible for it to collapse...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Projects like these are good for a man's Soul.

AMEN BROTHA! Feels good!

 

[ovrszd]

AMEN BROTHA! Feels good!

I've installed half a dozen culverts here on the farm. Also built two bridges. Sure makes the property more useable during wet weather times.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Looks great, would love to see the finished pictures. A headwall is an important addition. You can pour it in concrete by placing a sheet of plywood flat against the pipe end and pouring behind it. Insert a piece or 2 of rebar to keep it in place when it cracks.

That is on the short list of things to do.

 

[Thomas]

When I bought my property 5 years ago it became very obvious if I wanted to reach the other side of my pond I was going to need to make a bridge or culvert over the ditch that feeds the pond. For 8 months out of the year (12 in wet years) navigating the swamp to cross this small ditch is difficult at best. I have been across it twice, both in rented machines and both times were almost a disaster. The ditch is not deep, but deep enough and often times full of water. It was time to do it right!

I had originally thought about making a bridge out of free I-beams I got from a friend, but then got my hands on a cheap 18" reinforced concrete pipe ($100). It seemed to me that dropping a pipe in a hole and coving it with dirt would be easier. The culvert location is 1/3 of a mile from the barn down a steep hill and along a trail. Bobby Branson handled the pipe shuttle no problemo. I am estimating this pipe to be in the 1800 lb range (I could be wrong though).View attachment 767606View attachment 767607

My dirt pile was also up near the barn. So I had to shuttle the dirt from this location down to the culvert 1 bucket at a time. Took about 8 trips. The culvert is not completely finished yet. Plan on putting a concrete apron on the front of it which will allow me to backfill right to the edge of the front, and keep the dirt from washing out around the pipe. But honestly water coming through here is not moving with tons of energy so I am not worried about it getting washed out.

Sorry, having issues upload pictures of the final product, but I am sure you can imagine what it looks like. Excited to gain easy access to that side of the pond. Not much over there yet (due to limited access). I have plans on renting a mini ex and cleaning up that side and cutting a road into the hillside, eventually putting in another access up the draw to the top of the ridge.

Feels good to FINALLY get this project done.

Nicely done.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Finally sorted out my download issue. Here is the almost finished culvert. It works great. Need to get that headwall poured so I can add a bit more dirt and level things out. And finish is it off with a little gravel.

 

[weldingisfun]

Add some rip rap to the uphill side and you can call it completed.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Add some rip rap to the uphill side and you can call it completed.

I am planning on making a concrete headwall along the front of that pipe. But I guess the rest of that opening would benefit from some rip rap too, wouldn't it? Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[ovrszd]

I see no need for a headwall. The water is going to go over the roadway before it fills the culvert. If you had an elevated roadway that would pool water above the culvert during flood stage until the culvert can catch up then a headwall is beneficial.

In your case I prefer the roadway to be slightly lower than the roadway on top of the culvert. If the culvert can't keep up and overflows the roadway you don't want it going over at the culvert. You want it to disperse in a wide area to either side of the culvert, or both sides. That keeps a flood situation from washing out your culvert. Easier to repair a section of roadway than reset the culvert.

Thanks for the pics!!!

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I see no need for a headwall. The water is going to go over the roadway before it fills the culvert. If you had an elevated roadway that would pool water above the culvert during flood stage until the culvert can catch up then a headwall is beneficial.

In your case I prefer the roadway to be slightly lower than the roadway on top of the culvert. If the culvert can't keep up and overflows the roadway you don't want it going over at the culvert. You want it to disperse in a wide area to either side of the culvert, or both sides. That keeps a flood situation from washing out your culvert. Easier to repair a section of roadway than reset the culvert.

Thanks for the pics!!!

Thanks for that info. makes total sense.

I think I am still going to do a headwall, it will allow me to fill right up to the edge of the front which will give me more room to fill and grade it how I want it. Culvert is only about 7' wide, so I will take all I can get. I have the concrete already and it will not be difficult.

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks for that info. makes total sense.

I think I am still going to do a headwall, it will allow me to fill right up to the edge of the front which will give me more room to fill and grade it how I want it. Culvert is only about 7' wide, so I will take all I can get. I have the concrete already and it will not be difficult.

Yep. Headwalls gain usable width for sure!!!

 

[hslogger]

View attachment 767896

 

[hslogger]

I am having a malfunction and can't post. Sorry for the distraction.... I will work on my skills.....

 

[Buckeye Guy]

Thanks for that info. makes total sense.

I think I am still going to do a headwall, it will allow me to fill right up to the edge of the front which will give me more room to fill and grade it how I want it. Culvert is only about 7' wide, so I will take all I can get. I have the concrete already and it will not be difficult.

Good find on that culvert pipe! 28 years ago I put two in. The first one was on the back portion of my property which I used very little, but very necessary because like you, I risked getting stuck every time I crossed the creek. I did it exactly like you did, filled it with dirt, and it worked fine. BUT, over those 20 plus years the pipe gradually filled in with sediment until it completely closed off. It is still solid enough to drive on, but water flows around it now.
The second one was a feeder creek to my pond, and is used almost daily. I put rip rap along the creek bed (2-4" limestone) fore and aft, placed two culvert pipes (heavier volume of water), then instead of a headwall, i built up rip rap around the opening to just above the pipe, then filled in the rip rap with chips and dust. I also filled the drive over the pipe with chips and dust. 28 years later, it looks just like it did when we put it in. The rip rap fore and aft eventually filled with sediment, then grass grew, but it stays so solid that I can mow it when it is fairly dry. The pipes never filled up. Just recently I added more rip rap at the entrance of the pond to keep more sediment from washing into the pond.

 

[jyoutz]

I see no need for a headwall. The water is going to go over the roadway before it fills the culvert. If you had an elevated roadway that would pool water above the culvert during flood stage until the culvert can catch up then a headwall is beneficial.

In your case I prefer the roadway to be slightly lower than the roadway on top of the culvert. If the culvert can't keep up and overflows the roadway you don't want it going over at the culvert. You want it to disperse in a wide area to either side of the culvert, or both sides. That keeps a flood situation from washing out your culvert. Easier to repair a section of roadway than reset the culvert.

Thanks for the pics!!!

Installing a dip in the road adjacent to the culvert fill as you suggest is a common practice on forest roads and it works pretty well, especially if the dip is armored with rock.