Hayfield partly flooded by creek

[John Fitzgerald]

A few days ago our small creek got out of the banks, and was over 100 feet wide in places and probably 7 feet deep in the channel, flowing with about a 10 to 15 mph current. The creek was by far the highest I have seen it since I bought this place in September 2013. About an acre and a half to two acres of our hayfield is flattened and covered with small sticks, leaves, and woody debris from muddy backwater. Most of the debris is small and short (pencil sized), with some half rotten sticks up to a half inch or so mixed in. That part might have to be brush hogged for the first cut and leave the haying for the second cut (my guess). It's about two weeks until usual first cut. I am inexperienced with haying. A neighbor a few miles away does it.
Anybody experienced this problem? How did you fix it? Will disc mowers like my neighbor uses cut through this kind of stuff ok?

After it dried up a bit, I walked around and picked up everything I could see larger than about a half inch thick or more than two feet or so long. No wire or twine was seen.

 

[ovrszd]

Your neighbor will have to decide. I'm guessing his biggest concern is the dirt his mower is going to have to chew. Assuming he has a disc mower?

The vegetation will amazingly bounce back. But the mature growth there already may not stand back up. He'll have to determine what is worth doing.

Good luck!!!!

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Your neighbor will have to decide. I'm guessing his biggest concern is the dirt his mower is going to have to chew. Assuming he has a disc mower?

The vegetation will amazingly bounce back. But the mature growth there already may not stand back up. He'll have to determine what is worth doing.

Good luck!!!!

Yes, he has a couple of disc mowers. Not much dirt. It all washed out in the two inches of rain we had today. The flood was this past Wednesday. It flattened a lot of the grass, but a lot has stood back up.

 

[Texasmark]

That's the pits of bottom land. If you can beat the weather you have a prize for sure. But when and how bad it's going to hit you is the $64 question........$64 was a TV game show back when TV was a teenager. Good luck.

 

[joeu235]

What quality of hay are you expecting to make?

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Common, run of the mill fescue.

 

[Sysop]

Same thing happens here almost yearly. Never causes an issue any more than anything else. Large sticks and branches cause an issue no matter the cause though, so it's good to have them picked up.

 

[joeu235]

If your making cow hay, I'd say clean it up to the specifications your neighbor tells you and no more.

 

[npalen]

That's the pits of bottom land. If you can beat the weather you have a prize for sure. But when and how bad it's going to hit you is the $64 question........$64 was a TV game show back when TV was a teenager. Good luck.

I remember that show well. Wasn't it the $64,000 Question?

Had to look it up and appears that it originated as $64. Chalk it up to inflation, I guess?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_$64,000_Question