Creek Crossing Update

[fortyseven2n]

I posted a week or so ago about a creek crossing .

First , I want to say thanks again to all who responded !

Secondly , I thought I would give you guys an update . A co-worker brought his Dad's John Deere 350 track loader over to do some work for me . He pushed over 2 BIG hedgerows , an old house and barn . While he was there , I had him cut a ford across the creek . We wound up picking a different spot to cross , but in about 2 hours , he made a good servicable ford and cleaned up the old logging roads all the way to the river ! The only thing I need to do is to put a little more rock in the bottom of the ford . The best news is that he is only charging me $ 300 for all of the work that he has done ! He will have about 15-20 hours total by the time he is finished .

Thanks Again !

Fortyseven2n

 

[hazmat]

fortyseven2n,

Congratulations on your new "ford"

Now, maybe you or the rest of the TBN brain trust can help me out. I just upgraded my creek bridge. I made it 3' longer and 8" higher to clear the creek when it is flooded. It is a timberbridge design scaled down from <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD7005.html>timberbridges</A> I used one telephone pole per side.

The bridge is 11' long and only spans a 1 - 3' wide stream. I filled the banks with dirt (sandy? loam -- very dark soil, not clay) to bring them up to grade with the bridge. Each approach is 10-12' long before solid ground. My concern is now I'm going to have a lot of mud.

My question is: what should I do to stabilize the banks? previously they were planted with grass. When they were wet, the tractor would make ruts. Should I use gravel, sand, rip rap, soil cement, or old bricks (got a pile sitting in the back but not enough)? Any way to stabilize the grass? Maybe some kind of mesh or old chainlink fence?

Thanks in advance for any ideas. Your advice as been invaluble so far. I got to use the FEL unsticking manuver this weekend /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[theboman]

In these parts rock/rip rap etc are the first choices, so the brick would work too. I see concrete too but the they put down a bag and drive a stakle thur the bag to the ground, the next row is over lapped, etc. I think they have additional ties into the bank. Seems expensive to me.

 

[Woody1]

I am not sure I follow your question.....You looking to stabilize your approach? or the banks that will get wet when it floods?
What I did, was at the creek level, I "planted" some old RR ties to "point" the water to where I wanted it to go, backfilled behind them and planted grass seed. It now thrives, and the stream goes where I want it to go. On the approach....both sides, I got a neighbor that owns a tree service. He brought loads of chipped wood at 10 bucks a load to me, I hauled them down to the creek crossing, and dumped tons and tons of it on both sides of my crossing. It is always firm and dry. Suggestion tho.... when I call him and tell him I need more, I have learned from experience that "trail mix" works best. Trail mix is defined as a mixture of chips that are "stringy". Seams to hold together better and not get washed away. The smaller finer chips have a tendency to decompose faster. This method is cheap and looks natural to the timber.
Hope this helps.

 

[hazmat]

Woody,

I am trying to stabilize the approach to my bridge. Thanks for the tip on the wood chips. How often does it require additional chips?

 

[RobS]

Hazmat, on the local mountain bike trails they use mats to stabilize loose sections. Not sure exactly what it is, but it resembles doormats, or mats you see around machines in factories. Pretty open design so the grass will grow up through it, but it adds enough support to keep the area from getting torn up too badly. Granted, a tractor weighs more than a mountain bike, but the concept should work /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

Hazmat,

Where were you able to get your telephone poles? I am having no luck obtaining any.

 

[hazmat]

There were two old telephone poles standing on my property. I cut them down w/ the chainsaw. A neighbor told be they used to be for a ski lift. I'm not sure that I believe him because to go up hill you have to cross the road (main street) which has houses on it dating back 200+ years. There is an old house foundation near them, I am thinking they may have supported power lines for the house once upon a time. Same neighbor said that house hasn't been there for at least 30 years.

Total height was 11' above ground. One pole was starting to rot abit on the top. I figure I may have to rework the bridge in the future, but the price was right /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. If I have to repair the bridge, I will likely double up some 6x6 landscape timbers. You should have better luck finding them, although not for free /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[DocHeb]

Would something like <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,GALA_project_12655,00.html>Grass Pave 2</A> work in your situation?

 

[Woody1]

hazmat, when i 1st put some chips down, took a tiller and tilled them in with the dirt. let that sit for a month or so. mid summer i put probably 6" down and havent added any since them. Still is firm and stable as day when i put it down. Make sure you get the "stringy" kind tho. "trail mix"