Rebuilding Ditches: How (and whether or not) to keep/separate rip-rap

[rfc143]

Have 2000' gravel driveway built around 2000. The ditches were established and filled with 7" minus. Now they're filled with sediment from the hillsides, as well as with quite a bit of "hard pack" (local term for crushed rock with the fines left in). Have Kubota KX-040-4 with a good ditch bucket. Need to re-establish good drainage off the roadway and re-dig the ditches.

Need advice though on whether or not to try to separate/re-use the 7" minus. Don't have a proper mechanical screen; don't currently have a good way to transport/stockpile the material. I'm contemplating just digging everything out from the upslope side (that's where they're most filled in, and placing it on the down slope sides of the roadway.

Really could use some advice from those that have done this before.

 

[Hay Dude]

Upload pictures if you can. That will help a lot.

 

[scootr]

It sounds like he is talking about a V ditch filled with rock, now filled with runoff sediment? That would be hard to clean. They make skeleton ditch buckets but ?

 

[dodge man]

Sounds like you have a plan. Can you then go back a scoop up what you dig out with your tractor. I’m not sure I’d try and save it to separate it.

 

[rfc143]

It sounds like he is talking about a V ditch filled with rock, now filled with runoff sediment? That would be hard to clean. They make skeleton ditch buckets but ?

Yes, exactly (although I can't be sure of whether it was excavated "V" shape vs. "U" shape. I missed my opportunity to post photos; It started snowing when I wrote my first post and now it's pretty indistinct.

I can dig the stuff out easy enough with the excavator. The 7" minus, even if loosened up would tear up the FEL on my tractor. I think I might just have to dig it up, dump it across the driveway, and rebuild the ditches. I've seen some ditches on the secondary roads around here where they've placed "dams" of rip rap in the ditch every 25' or so. I might be able to "sift" out enough to do do that without too much trouble.

 

[scootr]

If the ditches are not seep (fast water flow) I would forgo the riprap in light of the fact that it will make future maintenance easier with the excavator.

 

[4570Man]

I hate ditches with riprap. It makes the ditches impossible to mow and when it eventually silts up it’s much harder to clean up.

 

[rfc143]

I hate ditches with riprap. It makes the ditches impossible to mow and when it eventually silts up it’s much harder to clean up.

You've just convinced me by way of reminding me of that down side. i don't dare venture into them with my flail mower. What's worse, I've pulled some of the rocks up with my RP snow blower more than once and it's instant shear pin replacement time.

I'm going to lose the rip rap and replace it with grass!

 

[ArlyA]

Its kind of funny, we live on one of the big lakes and when the Core brings in barge of rip-rap, its generally the size of small autos. Never think of it in being your country ditch.

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[dodge man]

I think of rip rap being bowling ball sized and down to the size of your fist. If you need rip rap it usually for erosion control and the velocity should keep it clean. I’ve hauled rip rap with my JD 2025r, a fairly small tractor and it didn’t tear it up, I was just care-full scooping it up.