Making a ditch crossing

[ovrszd]

One of my farm boundary fences crosses a deep, narrow ditch. It's always a hassle keeping the watergap intact. Especially this year when we had a couple very large rains in very short time. So I decided I would install a culvert, fill the ditch and fence across it.

I used the FEL and cut off a nearby steep hill for the dirt. Took a lot of trips. I worked on it when I felt like it so it didn't stress me much. Took 3 weeks but now the fence spans the ditch plus I made it wide enough to drive across alongside the fence.

 

[ovrszd]

Forgot a couple pics.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Excellent job.

For a minute I thought you lived near me in western NC. Everywhere I go is straight down or straight up! Not a lot of flat land.

 

[kiotiken]

Wow. You're braver than me for driving down that bank. With an HST tractor, I hardly know the brakes are there, I'm guessing I'd be looking for them pretty quick driving down that! I'd be terrified I'd never get back out either.

Looks great, you put a lot of dirt in there. I'm hoping your culvert is big enough, waters amazing sometimes.

P.S, watch your step down there, I think your dog left you a land mine in the last pic!

 

[AaronS]

Wow that was a lot of work for a tractor! Great job!

 

[ovrszd]

Excellent job.

For a minute I thought you lived near me in western NC. Everywhere I go is straight down or straight up! Not a lot of flat land.

My farm is mostly hill ground. I'm accustomed to being on steep terrain with the tractor. You just get used to it. Wish I'd had your dozer in your Avatar pic though!!!! Gotta get me one of those.

 

[kevin37b]

Pretty steep banks . Any pucker factor ? How big is that pipe ?

 

[ovrszd]

Wow. You're braver than me for driving down that bank. With an HST tractor, I hardly know the brakes are there, I'm guessing I'd be looking for them pretty quick driving down that! I'd be terrified I'd never get back out either.

Looks great, you put a lot of dirt in there. I'm hoping your culvert is big enough, waters amazing sometimes.

P.S, watch your step down there, I think your dog left you a land mine in the last pic!

I used to have a smaller HST tractor. That thing scared the beJesus outta me on steep terrain. Almost impossible to exactly control your stops/starts. A gear drive with a hydraulic clutch and hydraulic brakes is MUCH safer.

My tractor has filled rear tires, plus weights, plus cast iron centers in the rear wheels and the BB weighs around 1300lbs. No worries. I drove down into that ditch carrying that culvert.

The culvert is 24". I added additional length after I got it in the hole. Ended up with 60'. The top of the fill is 20' wide. Guessing it's 18' high. I think I have enough freeboard that if the culvert can't keep up for a short period of time it'll pool the water against the fill until it can empty. Drains pasture land which will help a lot also.

Speaking of the dog. One day I was driving back there to haul more dirt. Willie goes everywhere I go. As we drove across a CRP field a coyote ran out into the neighbors grazed pasture. Willie was in hot pursuit. When he'd catch up the coyote would turn and nip at him, then try to run off. Each time it would run Willie would attack. After a couple rounds of that the coyote said "okay, I guess we are going to fight" and it layed on it's back all curled up. Willie is thinking, this is too easy. He piles on. Immediately all Willie wanted to do was get away. The coyote wasn't making a sound but Willie sure was. After a few seconds of yelping the coyote let him go. He hauled butt straight to me. Fight over. Coyote trotted away. I just got my phone camera going for the escape run back to the tractor.

 

[dave1949]

Nice crossing! You moved a lot of material building that up.

That Willie fights dirty. :laughing: When a canine lays on its back with its tail curled up it's usually a sign of submission like, okay you win. Usually the hostilities end at that point--at least between two dogs that's what I would expect.

 

[bucktaker]

Good Work
But I'd going to guess that you will need twice the capacity. Lay logs and any concrete rubble you can find on the inlet side to help prevent washout. Whats the plan when the culvert gets plugged?