Rowdy Raven
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2008
- Messages
- 93
- Tractor
- Kubota L3010
Hey folks, Happy New Year!!!
OK, here goes, to access my property I along with a couple of neighbors cross a stream via a wooden bridge that was built in 1946. This is a low water bridge that goes under with every good rain. However since the farmers who built the bridge did it right, it has never washed out.
First the details of the bridge, in the middle of this stream which is 40' from bank to bank they placed a concrete block that is 12'w x 2'h x 2'd. Then they put locust stringers from the bank to the block 3 on the left then 3 on the right from each bank for a total of 12 stringers. Then the bridge was decked with rough cut 2"x8"x12' oak. On the approach side the bridge is about 16" higher than on the egress side which is just about stream level. The water under the approach side is the deepest, being about 30" deep.
Next, this stream flows constantly and is fed by numerous smaller creeks for about 5 miles before it gets to the bridge. Then when it rains there is a tremendous amount of runoff down the stream. The bridge which has the upstream side lower than the downstream side just goes underwater with each flood and then resurfaces as the rains end. We usually end up with tree limbs, trash and what have ya on the bridge or caught in the upstream edge. The 100 year flood mark would put the bridge under about 8 feet of water. Normally a good flood will put it under about 4' of water.
The bank on the far side of the stream is very low while the bank on the approach side is somewhat higher. About 3 years ago during a sustained flood the concrete block in the stream cracked in the middle and the upstream half settled into the riverbed about a foot. Of course the bridge settled right along with it. So now when we drive across the bridge the decking boards in the middle on the upstream side are submersed.
The decking boards have come off now and it needs to be redecked for sure and really the super structure needs to be reinforced or replaced. We have talked for 10 years about what to do... but now we need to move.
We have talked about I beams, tractor-trailer flatbeds, utility poles, etc for the stringers. For the decking we have discussed rough cut locust or white oak or black gum or using Military surplus Marsden Landing Mats. We also need to substantiate the bank on the high side to keep it from eroding away.
We don't have a ton of money to put into this, but we know we need to build it withstand flooding and to be able to support the Propane truck that brings us fuel.
Well there you have it... what to do, what to do...... I am open to your ideas and technical suggestions on how best to proceed. We will try to do as much of this as possible ourselves. We have access to a couple of tractors with FELs and a backhoe. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and input!!!
OK, here goes, to access my property I along with a couple of neighbors cross a stream via a wooden bridge that was built in 1946. This is a low water bridge that goes under with every good rain. However since the farmers who built the bridge did it right, it has never washed out.
First the details of the bridge, in the middle of this stream which is 40' from bank to bank they placed a concrete block that is 12'w x 2'h x 2'd. Then they put locust stringers from the bank to the block 3 on the left then 3 on the right from each bank for a total of 12 stringers. Then the bridge was decked with rough cut 2"x8"x12' oak. On the approach side the bridge is about 16" higher than on the egress side which is just about stream level. The water under the approach side is the deepest, being about 30" deep.
Next, this stream flows constantly and is fed by numerous smaller creeks for about 5 miles before it gets to the bridge. Then when it rains there is a tremendous amount of runoff down the stream. The bridge which has the upstream side lower than the downstream side just goes underwater with each flood and then resurfaces as the rains end. We usually end up with tree limbs, trash and what have ya on the bridge or caught in the upstream edge. The 100 year flood mark would put the bridge under about 8 feet of water. Normally a good flood will put it under about 4' of water.
The bank on the far side of the stream is very low while the bank on the approach side is somewhat higher. About 3 years ago during a sustained flood the concrete block in the stream cracked in the middle and the upstream half settled into the riverbed about a foot. Of course the bridge settled right along with it. So now when we drive across the bridge the decking boards in the middle on the upstream side are submersed.
The decking boards have come off now and it needs to be redecked for sure and really the super structure needs to be reinforced or replaced. We have talked for 10 years about what to do... but now we need to move.
We have talked about I beams, tractor-trailer flatbeds, utility poles, etc for the stringers. For the decking we have discussed rough cut locust or white oak or black gum or using Military surplus Marsden Landing Mats. We also need to substantiate the bank on the high side to keep it from eroding away.
We don't have a ton of money to put into this, but we know we need to build it withstand flooding and to be able to support the Propane truck that brings us fuel.
Well there you have it... what to do, what to do...... I am open to your ideas and technical suggestions on how best to proceed. We will try to do as much of this as possible ourselves. We have access to a couple of tractors with FELs and a backhoe. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and input!!!