Creek crossings

[mshunter77]

Our place has three creek crossing that are in need of repair. We used to just have gravel crossings that we could drive across. The first time it got logged they put in culverts and dirt. We since have had issues keeping them up. We will now be spending more time and money on the place so we are debating on the best plan of action. Redoing the culverts and just making figuring out a way to maintain them, taking them back to how they used to be with just a gravel bottom, or bridges. These are small spring feed creeks so they are not very big. They do get a lot of water drainage with big rains. Anybody have some similar scenarios? What has worked best for you? Any pics?

[stang67]

So do you need to remove the old culverts?

What equipment do you have to do the work or maintain the work? I’ve seen folks do good work with an angle blade on the back of a tractor, for pushing up water bars and maintaining atv trails. I don’t have any experience repairing or removing culverts, though. I can recommend a dozer guy from Vburg, if you need. Not sure how far he hauls.

[deltadukman]

If you don’t need to span an distance with height and just need some grip and stability in the wet spots, we’ve laid tracks of ww2 aircraft landing mats. They hook together and lay on the ground and provide some rigidity to cross some wet spring fed creeks.

http://aviationwarehouse.net/novelties-for-sale.html

[DuckBoat]

Any pictures of creek crossings? Are you trying to get trucks and tractors across or just atvs ?

[mshunter77]

Two will need to be used for trucks and tractors. The third is not a necessity just a luxury and could be for just ATVs. I have not done a close inspection personally to see if we need to remove the culverts or if they can be reused. Currently we have a small tractor with a bucket on the front and one guy says he has access to a dozer. First thing we have to do is get highway access put in to move in cabin and campers. Then we are going to tackle the creek crossings. I kind of like the idea of grading them back out and maybe using gravel and the mats someone mentioned.

[NyssaAquatica]

If you don’t need to span an distance with height and just need some grip and stability in the wet spots, we’ve laid tracks of ww2 aircraft landing mats. They hook together and lay on the ground and provide some rigidity to cross some wet spring fed creeks.

http://aviationwarehouse.net/novelties-for-sale.html

How sturdy are those things? If I placed them parallel over some deep ruts, would they hold anything weighing more than an ATV?

[DoublePslayer]

If you don’t need to span an distance with height and just need some grip and stability in the wet spots, we’ve laid tracks of ww2 aircraft landing mats. They hook together and lay on the ground and provide some rigidity to cross some wet spring fed creeks.

http://aviationwarehouse.net/novelties-for-sale.html

How sturdy are those things? If I placed them parallel over some deep ruts, would they hold anything weighing more than an ATV?

They held up B-29's on the beaches of the pacific during WW2, so probably pretty sturdy. Of course you probably would need to fill the ruts first. Just dump some sand in them.

[teul2]

We had a pier made out of those at Eagle Lake back in the day. They pretty tough, but a touch bouncy in places that weren't supported properly.

[hdforester]

Culverts always seem to be a pain for one reason or another. I prefer low water crossing whenever possible or practical. Put down a load of big rock covered with a few sacks of quickrete to smooth. Even better if you can get a concrete truck in there. My 2 cents.

[novacaine]

http://www.prestogeo.com/products/soil- ... b-geocells

Ive used a lot of these on WRP emergency spillways that receive large flows often.
Lay them down, zip tie together along the edges and backfill with native material.......
If you really want to hold up a fire truck........backfill them with 610 limestone.

[deltadukman]

If you don’t need to span an distance with height and just need some grip and stability in the wet spots, we’ve laid tracks of ww2 aircraft landing mats. They hook together and lay on the ground and provide some rigidity to cross some wet spring fed creeks.

http://aviationwarehouse.net/novelties-for-sale.html

How sturdy are those things? If I placed them parallel over some deep ruts, would they hold anything weighing more than an ATV?

How deep of a rut? We cross ours with 30-50 hp tractors and heavy sxs’s. We have a couple over some deep drains that we welded some drill stem pipe underneath for rigidity and they do fine and we cross with tractors as well. It may take a little engineering but they are pretty handy. They will also take a good bit of flex as well.

[mshunter77]

Culverts always seem to be a pain for one reason or another. I prefer low water crossing whenever possible or practical. Put down a load of big rock covered with a few sacks of quickrete to smooth. Even better if you can get a concrete truck in there. My 2 cents.

Hmmm did not think about the quickrete part. I agree culverts are a pain in the ass. When my grandfather was alive all three were low water crossings and we never had an issue. Not long after he died the timber was cut and the loggers put in culverts. 2 of the 3 did not last long at all. The third lasted a while with a little work here and there. Fast forward to a couple of year ago and logged again. New culverts this go round. Same two did not last long and the third did good until this year. Beavers speed up the demise this time.

[teul2]

http://www.prestogeo.com/products/soil-stabilization/geoweb-geocells

Ive used a lot of these on WRP emergency spillways that receive large flows often.
Lay them down, zip tie together along the edges and backfill with native material.......
If you really want to hold up a fire truck........backfill them with 610 limestone.

That stuff right there looks awesome.

[stang67]

http://www.prestogeo.com/products/soil-stabilization/geoweb-geocells

Ive used a lot of these on WRP emergency spillways that receive large flows often.
Lay them down, zip tie together along the edges and backfill with native material.......
If you really want to hold up a fire truck........backfill them with 610 limestone.

So this would be for a low water crossing, right?

[novacaine]

Yes, any crossing actually.
We used them for emergency spillways that needed to hold up to high velocities and traffic load.
Also used them as cattle creek crossings.
There is an NRCS detail on them somewhere. What part of the state will it be located?
Usually product salesmen will have good drawing/ install details on them.
My drawings and pics are from back prior to 2006........wont be able to find.