How do I fence across a creek or water?

[TxJack]

I'm about to put in a barbwire fence. The problem is that there is a creek that runs through the property. Any advice on the best way to fence across something like that? The creek isn't huge, but it does have a lite flow and when has no problem rising with heavy rains which brings on a "battling ram" of debris. I would like to run cattle on this land so I don't want them being able to escape via the creek, but also not put up something that the next flooding will take with it.

 

[MMagis]

Creeks can be difficult. I’ve seen a lot of different ways people have attempted to close the gap, but none are maintenance free. Recently I saw one way that looked promising, over an ankle deep creek. The fence spanned across the creek at normal level (it didn’t drop over the banks), and then old tires were hung from the fence using a single piece of wire, down to the water. The tires were enough to keep the cattle in, but would move when the water rose and debris built up. Now, you couldn’t hang tires off of barb wire, but if you could run a long piece of pipe across the banks, that would support the tires. Of course, certain cattle have a way of finding things like that, but it’s an idea. Another idea would be a cheap gate across the creek. The debris would still build up, but being able to open the gate would make it easier to clean up. Just a couple ideas, our creek isn’t large enough that we ever had to worry about high water and debris.

 

[two_bit_score]

I've seen cattle panels used on seperate posts from the main fence posts. You still have to keep a watch on it and clean it out.

 

[nickel plate]

I'm about to put in a barbwire fence. The problem is that there is a creek that runs through the property. Any advice on the best way to fence across something like that? The creek isn't huge, but it does have a lite summer flow yet has no problem rising with heavy rains which brings on a "battling ram" of debris. I would like to run cattle on this land so I don't want them being able to escape via the creek, but also not put up something that the next flooding will take with it.

I hunt a large cattle ranch (carefully) and have seen similar of what you are describing but have only seen it in the late summer when the creek flow is steady but low. It has two sections of either aluminum or galvanized corrugated steel which swing from the top barbed wire strand and lay up against the bottom barbed wire strand that lets the corrugated pieces swing downstream during the flow but holds back any cattle proding during low water by the bottom strand being upstream from the corrugated panels.

 

[mustangsallysdad]

I'm about to put in a barbwire fence. The problem is that there is a creek that runs through the property. Any advice on the best way to fence across something like that? The creek isn't huge, but it does have a lite flow and when has no problem rising with heavy rains which brings on a "battling ram" of debris. I would like to run cattle on this land so I don't want them being able to escape via the creek, but also not put up something that the next flooding will take with it.

Put a post on each side of the stream as close as possible and string your barbed wire...drill a hole in the bottom of each post and run a length of galvanized cable through it fairly close to the ground...build a fence panel out of pressure treated furring strips and hang them from the spanning cable with eye hooks...it presents a fairly heavy obstacle but will swing up and out of the way if the stream rises...I use this method on 2 streams on my property and have had no maintenance issues as it is self cleaning. I also left a couple of feet of slack on one side of the post with a clamped eye in it in case I ever need to take up some slack with a come-a-long. You can place a couple of short posts on the upstream side to keep the cattle from pushing it open (only swings one way).

 

[Red Beast]

we have tended to huge heavier guage wire, eg power line cable for the fence in that part, and have a post, or log, laying horizontally under the fence in the creek. The log/post swings and 'floats' downstream with flow.
Nothing to get you out of checking every crossing after big rain though.
RB

 

[jbooth]

Poor mans way in KS.: Set good solid posts on both sides of creek. Put standard wire gate across the creek. If wide might need some of those stiffeners that I see on a lot of the fences. We just used light wood posts to keep the wire strands seperated. Tie one end of the gate with bailer wire(lightwire) tie the other end with number 9 (heavy) wire. Purpose was for the light wire to break and let the entire gate swing downstream dumping the debris. Worked sometimes and all that had to be done was close the gate and wait for the next flood. Other times the whole works would be gone. Can't beat mother nature, if she wants your fence, it's gone.

 

[crusty 1]

The way we did it was a sturdy post each side of the creek and wire lines with tires tyed to them to the water. Tirers would ride the current and fall as needed.:thumbsupave

 

[two_bit_score]

Here's an interesting forum that has some suggestions on the subject:
Cattle Forum & Cattle Discussion Boards at Cattle Today

 

[RPW]

A swinging gate (panel). Basically an "H" brace on each side of the creek. A steel cable stretched tight between. This is only a couple of feet high (depends on estimated water flow. Regular barb wire above gate. Hang a swinging gate from the steel cable. As the creek water accumulates debris the swinging gate will pivot to allow the debris to flow past but is low enough to prevent cattle from going under the fence.

 

[Ford850]

Put a post on each side of the stream as close as possible and string your barbed wire...drill a hole in the bottom of each post and run a length of galvanized cable through it fairly close to the ground...build a fence panel out of pressure treated furring strips and hang them from the spanning cable with eye hooks...it presents a fairly heavy obstacle but will swing up and out of the way if the stream rises...I use this method on 2 streams on my property and have had no maintenance issues as it is self cleaning. I also left a couple of feet of slack on one side of the post with a clamped eye in it in case I ever need to take up some slack with a come-a-long. You can place a couple of short posts on the upstream side to keep the cattle from pushing it open (only swings one way).

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]

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.

Agriculture equipment, farm magazines, farm equipment, farm inventions, farm machinery, agriculture machinery

 

[nwngunner]

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.

 

[fire43]

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]

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.