Not an ordinary creek crossing

[StormVet]

I'm stumped about the best option to go with. Been reading several threads on creek crossing but none with my type of situation. I live on 65 beautiful acres. My homestead sits on 22 acres of it. 43 acres are on the back side of a creek with the name Bodan Creek. It's a major creek that feeds the neches river which is about. 5 miles from my house.
My wife and I inherited the place 28 years ago from her grandmother.
A little history on Bodan Creek. Several farmers have rented the place before we got it. So all they would do is bulldoze the crossing. It has a pretty good slope on one side but it's clay and very slick when wet. The other sorta sets in a bend. It keeps a steep slope because of how the water flows and is sandy mix and can stick a tractor if not careful. The banks on Bodan is roughly 12-15 ft deep depending on where you stand. It's about 20 ft wide at the crossing.
Thought about a ford but after the recent rains it's 3-4 ft deep now. I've had 4, 4x5 concrete coverts that the county gave me. They worked well but when the spring rains came they always washed out.
I use a Long 460 two wheel drive tractor. So a box blade is about it as far as dirt moving goes.
So.... What would you do?

 

[oosik]

Being really honest StormVet - your situation sounds like one where you might benefit from the review/advice of a highway engineer. Your situation does not sound like a small, little crossing. Its almost certain that you will need to secure some type(s) of permits for this venture, also. This would be particularly important if this crossing is going to be permanent and used year round. Pictures of this crossing site would surely result in much more specific recommendations. However, as I read your post - this is a fairly major crossing site.

 

[Ed of all trades]

You might be well off to buy a 40' flat bed trailer and put it across for a bridge. pour a foundation on each end and you are good to go.:2cents:

 

[Bison]

You might be well off to buy a 40' flat bed trailer and put it across for a bridge. pour a foundation on each end and you are good to go.:2cents:

X2, high boys make excellent bridges, and so do rail cars.

 

[StormVet]

What size of foundation would it take for a trailer that size

 

[Depmandog]

What? No stories about the Bodan Creek spook light? Sounds like that's right in your area?

 

[breadtrk]

Foundations 3ft or deeper in the ground depending on where you are, inches thick with plenty rebar. Set the 40ft trailer on that, build the earth up to it and be done for the next 40 years.

 

[Ken45101]

Foundations 3ft or deeper in the ground depending on where you are, inches thick with plenty rebar. Set the 40ft trailer on that, build the earth up to it and be done for the next 40 years.

How much does it flood?

A mile and a half down the road (and down the creek), a guy put in some nice piers, a truck flatbed trailer, and built up the approaches. First good gully washer we had, washed out the approaches and shifted the trailer half off the piers. The second gully washer washed the deck downstream a couple of hundred feet and buried 90% of it. Just the one corner is visible.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I would set the trailer up a couple feet above the creek bank and fasten it to the footer.

 

[square1]

First good gully washer we had, washed out the approaches and shifted the trailer half off the piers. The second gully washer washed the deck downstream a couple of hundred feet

This is what your up against being so close to the point where the creek empties into the river. Didn't take this pic to demonstrate the ability of water to move massive objects, but you can make out some very large, heavy abutments that have washed down steam from the the bridge location if you look closely. Pretty similar situation being just upstream of the point this "peaceful" creek empties into the river. My plan is to build a log bridge and secure it by cables to well established trees at each end with a couple other little design enhancements to maybe keep this one in place (already lost my first attempt ).