I've seen a lot of farmers try many methods, and this one has worked the best. The wood I've seen has been 1x4 or 1x6 though. They stay clear of debris better than wire panels or gates.
How do I fence across a creek or water?
- Thread starter TxJack
- Start date
I've seen a lot of farmers try many methods, and this one has worked the best. The wood I've seen has been 1x4 or 1x6 though. They stay clear of debris better than wire panels or gates.
Knight9
Veteran Member
May not work on a creek with a current of any magnitude, but I saw these on TV and made a note of them for crossing a slough.
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nwngunner
Silver Member
I had the same issue how ever my creek is in a very steep ditch. Cant hardly climb down there with out climbing gear. How ever the cows can get into from up stream. What i done was take some big 4 or 6 inch earth anchors and drive them in to the ground. One on either side of the bank. Then i put turn forged turn buckels with 1/2 steel cable. Tightened it down to were i can hang from it and not pull it down. I am 350 pounds. I then took a HEAVY DUTY cattle pannel and cut it with a bolt cutter to match the contoure of the creek banks. Hung it from the cable.
I then took some gearage door springs 150 pounders. Went up stream and out @ 45s from the pannel. Sank some smaller earth anchors. This is to keep the cows from just pushing the pannel open. On the bottom of the pannel to help prevent debris from catching in the pannel i hung two 55gallon barrels that are just full of air. That helps lift the gate open in heavy rains and then when the water drops the springs pull it back shut.
This has worked well for me, nothing in the last 45years has worked to i built that rig. It is still standing, i check it every once in a while. Right now a tree has fallen on it and the pannel is kind of stuck in the sand bottom. But as i figure it the water can still pass though it and i go down and clean it out so it continues to flow.
I then took some gearage door springs 150 pounders. Went up stream and out @ 45s from the pannel. Sank some smaller earth anchors. This is to keep the cows from just pushing the pannel open. On the bottom of the pannel to help prevent debris from catching in the pannel i hung two 55gallon barrels that are just full of air. That helps lift the gate open in heavy rains and then when the water drops the springs pull it back shut.
This has worked well for me, nothing in the last 45years has worked to i built that rig. It is still standing, i check it every once in a while. Right now a tree has fallen on it and the pannel is kind of stuck in the sand bottom. But as i figure it the water can still pass though it and i go down and clean it out so it continues to flow.
We have been testing numerous designs over the years and have finally found one that works with no maintenance and no problems now since putting into use two years ago. Debris has no affect on this design and cattle won't get out. We had started playing around with this after installing cattle crossings and watering spots along our creeks to help prevent erosion. We have used one electrified high tensile wire that spans the creek above the flood plane. From that wire we hung numerous straight wires seperated by spacers, which creates an electrified curtain. When debris floates down the creek it just pushes the wires out of the way. After the debris passes it goes back to normal. The main problem we found was creating long straight wires. We also installed a device that isolates the crossing when the water rises and keeps power to the rest of the fences. As the water rises and grounds out the crossing, it isolates the crossing, then when the water recedes it goes back on. I am in the process of trying to start a side business creating a kit for these crossings if anyone is interested. I don't know the demand for these, but it seems to be a constant maintenance problem with us farmers and causes a lot of unnecessay work to keep creek crossings cleaned out and keeping them up each time a big rain comes and washes them out.
oosik
Super Star Member
I thought I'd tried everything til I read this thread. Anyhow, I've found a method that works FAIRLY well but still requires cleaning out a certain amount of debris. It a modification of what MustangSallysDad has done.
Very heavy duty well casings pounded in on each side of the creek. In my case, a 20' farm gate hung at the top of the gate on the well casing on each side. So rather than swinging horizontally the gate swings vertically. Additional upstream posts ensure the gate will only swing downstream. A chunk of aluminum paneling(1.5' x 20') installed across the bottom of the 20' gate cause the gate to swing open and pass MOST of the debris during spring heavy runoff.
I do check and clean the gate, sometimes 2 to 3 time per week, during spring runoff. The real advantage is while this system does require some maintenance - it is strong and has never been damaged by flood waters or debris. Installed in 1994.
Very heavy duty well casings pounded in on each side of the creek. In my case, a 20' farm gate hung at the top of the gate on the well casing on each side. So rather than swinging horizontally the gate swings vertically. Additional upstream posts ensure the gate will only swing downstream. A chunk of aluminum paneling(1.5' x 20') installed across the bottom of the 20' gate cause the gate to swing open and pass MOST of the debris during spring heavy runoff.
I do check and clean the gate, sometimes 2 to 3 time per week, during spring runoff. The real advantage is while this system does require some maintenance - it is strong and has never been damaged by flood waters or debris. Installed in 1994.