Best roadside ditching technique?

[wasabi]

Could sure use some TBN braintrust input. I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I don't find it in the archives.

We have several former logging trails that we are slowly upgrading to woodland roads...adding fill, spreading and packing it down and then adding gravel where needed. The goal is to make the roads as firm and dry as possible (wet climate) and then seed them to help hold the soil. In higher traffic areas we will forgoe seed and concentrate the gravel.

One of the truisms of mountain woodland roads is to get the water off the road. We have been chipping away at that by putting in culverts and swales and now face the need for ditches on the upside of the road to better facilitate drainage. I've had some luck making ditches by approaching this task kind of crabwise with a trencher (articulated power-trak tractor with multiple attachments), but I literally have miles of such ditches to build and maintain, so am wondering if there isn't a more efficient approach.

We have a power snow blade that can be angled and tilted forward and back. I'm thinking about rigging a plow blade to the side of an angled blade to scoop the dirt and rocks up out of the ditch up onto the road whilst the blade spreads it out. Would this work? Other, perhaps better ideas?

Thanks for any insights,

Sabi

 

[MossRoad]

Wasabi,
Is the road wide enough for you to get cross ways on it so that you can use your FEL bucket to scoop the ditches while you are on the road? I seem to recall that your roads were kind of narrow.

 

[stmiller2]

Sabi,

I can't offer any advice about ditching techniques, but you might want to talk to the folks at the USDA's NRCS (Natural Resource and Conservation Service) office in the county in which your property is located. They will layout berms, waterways, ditches, etc. to best move the water. What's more -- their services are free.

 

[BB_TX]

Have you considered a rear bucket scoop. Should be just what you need. Go to tractor supply and type bucket scoop in the search box.

 

[wasabi]

Yes, Mr. MR, our roads are fairly narrow which is one of the main reasons I opted for a Power-Trac with its superior manueverability /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. I could use the FEL or backhoe for the ditching, but would like to find a way to drive and smooth the road, albeit slowly, whilst digging the trench.

Never heard of a rear bucket scoop, BB TX. I'll check it out.

Thanks for the input, guys. I'll let you know what I decide.

Sabi

 

[tbuff]

wasabi,

Without knowing more detail my $.02 is that you should maybe consider renting either a small dozer (CAT D3 or 4) with a 6 way blade you can angle and cut with along the edge while on the move. If you have literally miles of road, this may save your machine and attachments a lot of abuse

 

[wasabi]

Thanks for the heads up, Steve.

I previously talked with the Corp and the Forest Service but haven't yet talked with these guys or the county extension agents. Both are now on my short list.

Free and knowledgeable are good attributes, neh? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

Sabi

 

[wasabi]

One of the main reasons I bought the tractor and gear I did was to be able to tackle projects such as this myself. I've no averson to hiring talent and muscle where appropriate, but am looking to chew this piece myself. I've got enough horsepower to not unduly strain it....I just need to learn to use the right implements for each job. ...

so many tractor projects, so many lessons.....guess I better take another course in bliss management /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Sabi

 

[MossRoad]

I see. So you want some kind of offset plow type device to carve the ditch while you drive parallel to it?

 

[EddieWalker]

The right tool for the job is a motor grader. Quick, clean and perfect rusults. In my area he charges $45 an hour plus delivery. He can do miles in a day and it's perfect.

After seeing what a grader can do compared to all my implements, it's cheap money to get it done right.