Leach Field Dilemma!

[JonDIY]

I understand that it is a bad idea to run a heavy vehicle over a leach field. Unfortunately, I have a large dead tree that has to be removed that will require the use of a heavy truck/crane and the only way to get to the tree is over part of my 40-year-old leach field. Because of the weakened state of the tree, it would be too dangerous to climb the tree to cut it down. The soil in this area is very sandy. Any suggestions about protecting the leach field from damage would be greatly appreciated!

 

[LMychajluk]

Plywood?

Or, if you want to get fancy, Megadeck - 7 x 14 Mat

 

[wagne223]

I understand that it is a bad idea to run a heavy vehicle over a leach field. Unfortunately, I have a large dead tree that has to be removed that will require the use of a heavy truck/crane and the only way to get to the tree is over part of my 40-year-old leach field. Because of the weakened state of the tree, it would be too dangerous to climb the tree to cut it down. The soil in this area is very sandy. Any suggestions about protecting the leach field from damage would be greatly appreciated!

If you have to drive over the area, I would recommend placing those large mats down the cranes often use.

Down here we call them swamp mats. Since everything is sand, most heavy equipment and crane business have them.

Maybe you can rent something similar.

Could still cause compaction but maybe it will be minimal.

These are examples:
Temporary Road & Ground Mats | Stevenson Road Mat Services

 

[wagne223]

Plywood?

Or, if you want to get fancy, Megadeck - 7 x 14 Mat

We were replying at the same time.

Those are exactly what I was referring to, and obviously they can be rented!

 

[CalG]

Tree services in this area come with a 2 foot stack of plywood on the crane bed. That along with the timber cribbing for the outriggers.

There is always something that needs protected.

 

[bdog]

I don’t drive over my septic tank but I drive heavy stuff over my leach field all the time. It is in a field that I plow and plant each year with my 15,000 lb tractor and I have driven a full size backhoe and bulldozer over it.

 

[oosik]

There are two concerns when driving heavy equipment on septic systems. Soil compaction and physical damage. Using the decking material should prevent both conditions.

 

[wagne223]

I don’t drive over my septic tank but I drive heavy stuff over my leach field all the time. It is in a field that I plow and plant each year with my 15,000 lb tractor and I have driven a full size backhoe and bulldozer over it.

I'm sure a lot of people do just like you, and depending on several factors the compactation may or may not affect you.

Also unless physically damaged, you wont notice the effects right away.
It is years down the road when you have 100 year rainfall one season and you have a bunch of people over for a get together.

 

[JonDIY]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I greatly appreciate your help!

 

[GLyford]

It gets fun when you carefully keep vehicles off your leachfield only to be told 1-1/2 decades later that the "as built" is wrong and the field runs parallel to the house, not perpendicular out from it like they showed. Had cement trucks and dump trucks on it without knowing...and now I have an added run that goes where the as built showed it in the first place. I think one of our later projects finally has us all caught up on the documentation.

The as built also had the driveway wrong (front vs. end of house), but the tank and distribution box was where they said. Sigh.