Open bottom culvert?

[RobA]

I was reading some culvert literature on the internet when I saw a reference to an "open bottom culvert". It was being touted as a way to disturb the creekbed as little as poossible, be "fish friendly" and lessen the chance of the culvert washing out. Has anyone every used an "open bottom" culvert". It basically looked like a round culvert cut in half lengthwise.

Would a culvert like this still support weight as well as a round culvert if properly surrounded by dirt?

 

[schmism]

id be worried about the bottom continueing to erode and the culvert sinking into an ever deaper hole.

else what you have is called a bridge.

 

[firemanpat2910]

I agrre sounds like a bridge. Every open bottom culvert I have seen started its life as a regular culvert and rusted out, then washed out and needed to be replaced.

 

[Willl]

And I'd bet they want more $$$$ for 'em too.

If it's a short run, couldn't you take a uncut culvert and fill the bottom half with gravel and get the same thing ?

 

[CTyler]

Never heard of them....Sounds like a great way to double profits.

 

[schmism]

btw how big of a culvert are you talking about... i usually dont have fish in my front ditch....

anything over about 3' usually goes to concreet box culvert (like real streams under roads) and those usually only go to about 12'. any larger than that (more water flow) and you now have a "river" and now you need a bridge....

so....

 

[dirtworksequip]

Open bottom culvert= bad idea.

 

[randy41]

a quick search over on google way reveals it to be quite common.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

id be worried about the bottom continueing to erode and the culvert sinking into an ever deaper hole.

I almost wish it would. I have more problems with the culvert in front of my place silting up, water going over the top, and the driveway washing out. Couldn't be because the (expletive deleted) road maintainer keeps pushing the top of the dirt/gravel road off into the ditch.

 

[KennethBrown]

btw how big of a culvert are you talking about... i usually dont have fish in my front ditch....

anything over about 3' usually goes to concreet box culvert (like real streams under roads) and those usually only go to about 12'. any larger than that (more water flow) and you now have a "river" and now you need a bridge....

so....

I don't know about that. I put in a 20 foot long 48" culvert last year in my creek.