Moving gravel near streams and rivers

[Komrade]

I've read somewhere that you can't take stuff out of the river.. not sure where.

Does that include all the gravel that washes down to the creek and/or river?

I probably have many truckloads worth of gravel waiting for me to put it back on the driveway at the bottom of a creek that runs through my property and into the river.

I wanted to check with the forum, before I check with DEP or the like.

Thanks.

 

[boggen]

i would imagine removing rock from stream / river = bad thing. the rock is most likely acting as a way to hold the dirt under and around the rock from washing away. other words removing rocks = erosion problems that would most likely occure.

stirring up the mud and silt in the creek / river, can also be problematic, and causing fish deaths and like down stream of you.

 

[Texasmark]

Down here the local concrete magnet takes thousands of tons of rock and sand out of the Red River (separates TX from our OKIE neighbors to the North...grin) for use between Dallas and Oklahoma annually. They feed the thirsty appetite of the Texas Highway Dept. plus localities improving their freeways with aggregate to support the massive highway/roadway construction effort.

I too get a few loads of sand and gravel, periodically as the need arises, from the same river bed, from the same company. I have heard of TX. limiting 4 wheelers on certain small water systems, especially in parks, but not the big rivers proper.

Mark

 

[Firemanbuck]

I'd do a bit of poking around the DEP website. Technically, even though the creek runs through your property it's considered "waters of the State" and you can run into big fines very quickly if you go mucking about without permission. All it takes is to have a sediment plume created by your gravel recovery operation to be reported by your downstream neighbor.

 

[Rustyiron]

Unless you have nosey neighbors or are near the road, In Paw Paw WV, (yes I've been there) I wouldn't worry about it.
My friends have a camp on the Cacapon out rt. 9. Now I'd think twice if you're digging around in the Potomac.

 

[Komrade]

It's near a road (Rt. 9) and near a bridge, and actually on the Cacapon (not the Potomac).

I wouldn't want to do anything illegal, just don't know yet where to look it up, who to ask, or if it's even worth asking. E.g. I may need a permit, but it might be easy to get, or it might not be worth the effort/trouble (a truck of gravel does run for ~500 around here including delivery)

The guys digging in the "Red River" described above probably have all the permits they need.

It's a shame to leave the gravel on the shore, as it will get all washed further down during the next big rain. If I dug on the shore, I wouldn't be creating any sediment plume, but any time the river rises 5 feet here, the whole river is a sediment plume.

It's technically within "flood way" if I look at FEMA maps. Most of the property is in the flood plain.

 

[Komrade]

In Paw Paw WV, (yes I've been there) I wouldn't worry about it.

Pleased to know someone knows where Paw Paw, WV is, and actually been there.

 

[orezok]

Any blue line stream shown on a USGS map is considered Waters of the United States (including dry creek beds) and you will be messing around with the Corp of Engineers, state Fish and Game and other agencies if you don't pull the proper permits. Very big fines and possible jail time.

Proper permits cost thousands and take about a year.

 

[bja105]

I don't think asking the government will get you anywhere. Ask a government employee , the answer will be no. Get caught doing it without permission, big fines. Do it. Or don't do it, just don't talk about it.

And don't take my advise, I would find a wrong way to do it.

What I have personally experienced with my little creek, if I take out rock and gravel, I increase bank erosion. I stopped messing with the stone, and I stopped mowing near the creek banks, and my yard isn't shrinking as much as it was. I didn't log measurements or anything, it just seemed to make a difference.

 

[Fi-Q]

500$ per gravel load !!!??? A ten wheeler. ??? Is that washed 3/4 ??

Here, plain dirt is approx 80$ / truck
0 - 3/4 80$ / truck
Good washed net 3/4 150-200$ / truck
Good garden mix black earth : 200$ / truck

Note that a truck is a regular 10 wheeler.

I don't know about your state & country, but here gerting caught digging a creek or river bed is hughe trouble. Chepaer to get a load delivered,