Driveway washout repair...DONE!!!

[Fuddyduddy1952]

My 98 yo Mother still lives with caregivers at home, there for 85 years. The gravel driveway is 1/4 mile long, one curve, downhill across creek then uphill. We were there Saturday and bottom had about 8" water over it. Upstream about 1000ft is a 2 acre lake.
Nothing at the place was ever fixed properly the first time and constant maintenance. Lake overflow is 8", then a 3ft concrete culvert pipe installed in the 1970s near drain, then a spillway other side of dam.
I just can remember when lake was put in 1954.
The driveway was never put in properly. A 12" pipe, then dig up, add another, etc. I'm the property owner 20 years and when Mom passes I'll sell the property.
The caregiver sent me a video, drive washed out on lake-facing side. I'm not sure anyone could get through...about 6-8 ft down to creek.
My question is a local plumbing company has 24" corrugated steel pipe in 10 & 20 ft sections. Banded together, so 30ft. There are two excavation companys within walking distance of the place (I called one & they'll call back later).
To fix it properly it would probably take a 5ft diameter pipe at least 30ft long I'm guessing...but selling the place in a few years I don't know if I could justify the $15K+(?) expense. I'm wondering if the 2ft pipe (or two together) would do it?
My Grandfather planted bamboo there in the 60s...now there's several acres of it there.

 

[ponytug]

Well, a couple of 24" pipes is better than one 12" pipe. Obviously, a 5' pipe allows more flow (6x one 24"), and is less likely to clog. (Square of the pipe diameters...)

It didn't look to me from the photos that a 5' culvert would have enough slope/driveway height, assuming that the downhill toe is at or slightly above the water level.

Ordinarily, I would suggest looking around for potential waterway improvement funds from the county to raise the driveway and install a 5' culvert.

Good luck. Nice to hear that your mom is still going strong.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Here's the other side of driveway, downstream side and it's washing out up under. I have to do something very soon in case of rescue squad or fire truck. I just spoke with weekday caregiver who is there, but "barely made it and frightening". That area is probably 7 ft. wide.
I'm really hesitant calling state/federal assistance because all the regulations and future problems.

 

[2manyrocks]

Looks like a swamp. Is there much elevation change for culverts to drain?

Loggers put in 12 inch culvert here. Constantly clogged. I had it removed.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The creek drops I'd say 3 ft over 20ft span going lake to other side driveway.
Driveway has about 6 or 8 pipes under it...12" and assortment of others. Just a real rigged mess. And leaves, limbs and lots of bamboo clogs.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Fuddy,
Sorry for your problems there ! That bamboo is really invasive stuff, I often wonder why people put it in to begin with ! And it’s almost impossible to get rid of it!

Good luck, I’m thing the 2- 24” pipes should help out quite a bit !

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Bamboo is a type of grass actually.
It is the worse stuff possible. It looks like asparagus when it comes up and I've seen it grow a foot a day.

 

[ponytug]

I suspect that bamboo and small culverts is going to be an ongoing issue. Mulching the brush upstream regularly would help, but I would suspect that's going to depend on soil conditions, and it would have to be repeated with some frequency given how fast bamboo grows.

If it is locally permissible, perhaps when it is drier, you could get an excavator to lower the downstream channel to enable a 5' culvert. The same excavator might be able to do the mulching at a distance, and perhaps place a 24" culvert back to the dam overflow to help dry the local area out a bit.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

There's a place I've used for 45 years that does excavation that's going to fix it tomorrow. They'll make it much wider with a shoulder on each side. They'll do it tomorrow...should be nice. They'll slope banks way back with rip rap also, 57s to finish on top.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I went by this morning and they're working on it. Many loads of rip rap still arriving when I left. It will be nice when through.