My creek is clogged - What would you do?

[Pharm]

I've got a problem with lots of logs and debris clogging up our creek that runs down the middle of our property. This time of year this creek turns into a river with all the winter rains that we have had - with it sometimes flooding over it's banks after a prolonged heavy rain.



Usually I don't worry about this sort of thing too much since the water is still flowing thru it ... but the debris is about 75 yards downstream from a creek crossing I have to the other side of our property. The water flows but it backs the water up enough that the crossing is a lot deeper than it would be if it were not clogged up. Without the crossing I have to travel about 2 miles down the road to a bridge to get to the other side of our land.

Our crossing:



It's been this way for about a year. I keep hoping a flood will wash out the debris but so far no luck. Some things I've thought about doing:

-Winch some of the larger logs out of the way and letting the water flow thru better.

-Cutting the logs up when the water level is down and I can get to it.

-Burning the pile of debris when the water level is down (may be some environmental issues about that)

-Blowing it up like you would a beaver dam ... but I would rather not go to that trouble.

I'm leaning toward winching the larger logs out of the pile right now - but its pretty hard to get to with the water up as much as it is. Anything I need to consider that I haven't thought of?

[Johnp33]

I would definitely call the state or county, and ask what you can do, different locations have different rules. Hear the river has the right of way and you can not touch anything that is in the river, unless they give you permission.
Just a thought!

[dave1949]

Winching sounds reasonable if you can get close enough.

Something to consider, I notice the logs in the foreground of the picture were cut. You should talk to the person who cut and dropped them into the stream.

Looks like a nice stream. My brother used to live on a smaller creek that had a bend in it on his property, and he was forever pulling wood and junk out of it in late summer when it was dry enough to get into.

[tcartwri]

Blowing it up is the easiest, if you can find someone with their ticket. Backhoe would be next.

[Pharm]

Something to consider, I notice the logs in the foreground of the picture were cut. You should talk to the person who cut and dropped them into the stream.

yeah ... some of that was me

[rekees4300]

-Winch some of the larger logs out of the way and letting the water flow thru better.
Give it a try if your winch is powerful enough and problem logs can be reached.

-Cutting the logs up when the water level is down and I can get to it.
Yes, pull it apart with your tractor and/or winch, cut up the big logs with chainsaw, let water wash pieces away later.

-Burning the pile of debris when the water level is down (may be some environmental issues about that)
Unnecessary since the water will wash the debris away after cutting up

-Blowing it up like you would a beaver dam ... but I would rather not go to that trouble.
Too dangerous


The proper tool would be a trackhoe if you want to spend the money to save yourself a whole lot of manual labor.

[unbidden]

One of the trees in the pile looks like is was cut by a beaver. Here is an example of a beaver felled tree:

Beaver cut trees

[jerrybob]

Had a similar problem a couple years ago. I choose to cut logs out with chain saw when the creek was low. Probably should have asked the state folks first but knew that would have dragged things out a long time and more than likely cost me some money. We hauled out some good firewood.....small stuff floated away....fish were happy and so was I. Good luck.....be careful whichever way you go.

[Pharm]

One of the trees in the pile looks like is was cut by a beaver. Here is an example of a beaver felled tree:

Beaver cut trees

Yes - we do have some beaver. I had a beaver dam about 3 years ago much further downstream ... but they never have been much of a problem. We've had trappers in that have kept the population down - plus the creek/river floods so often that any work they've done usually disappears with the floods.

[dmccarty]

I would bet if you can pull out just the right logs, the rest of it will flood away.

My first reaction to your problem was to check on the local rules. But I might be tempted to pull out a few logs, if I could, to see what happens.

I would wait until it is warmer to do this chore.

Later,
Dan