Dirt Moving building me a berm

[rmilho]

my neighbors are looking at me like Noah's neighbors probably looked at him. not that i've had any rainwater to contribute to the soil erosion that has been occurring for the last few years, but i thought if i built it...it would rain. i am forming a small berm to divert water that has been causing erosion near my house (when it used to rain). the great thing about it being so dry is the ease of which it is to move the clay(powder) with the FEL and then lightly water it after packing it down. don't think i'll even worry about topsoil/grass until it rains and see how it works. The great thing about owning a tractor is i can take my time since i own the equipment needed to move/modify the berm. (that's what i told my wife) this is a pic after the first evening working it. bout an hour...however, with wheelbarrow and shovel and location of my dumped clay; would have taken about 5 hrs for just this section.

 

[baryon]

I love my BX25 for just that reason: it saves me a ton of back aches. Besides that, it's so versatile. I don't have any trouble finding new projects for it. Good luck with your berm. BTW, I wish we could send some of our rain your way. We've broken records with the wettest August since records were maintained! We've had such tremendous storms, with simply unbelievable flooding, that there are damaged roads and bridges closed everywhere here in southern New Jersey.

 

[arsenix2001]

Just a suggestion as i have installed many swales/berms over the years. How much rain do you get runoff wise? That berm you have looks like it could take a small creek flow. For the purpose of athestics you could severely reduce your slope angle. A 6 inch rise over 4 feet is usually more than addequate. I would akso get some grass in just to stabilize the area. Now on the other hand if you get a TON of water flow or just arent concerned with the look of the hill the by all means ignore everything I just said.

 

[rmilho]

@ aresenix: yes...a neighbor and i were discussing the same thing. I am uncertain how high the water level would become in a large rain. it is an eyesore at this time but i did let my neighbors know that once i see how it performs after a decent rainfall, i will modify it. (either decrease height of it...and at that time cover it with some topsoil and sod it).
i am glad you think it looks like it will divert a substantial amount of water...there is a large volume of it that takes this path. the clay was spread (dried) small layers at a time; packed; watered; and then repeated over and over. i ran a couple of hoses after this pic down the right side of it and it performed just as planned. once water gets to the end, it continues to spread out instead of taking a hard left into my yard and forming a creek.
i love the fact that if it is too high after seeing a good rain, my BX is avail (another excuse to do some more dirt work). this forum is great for feedback and i need all the help i can get. thank goodness for digital pics and internet.

 

[Jeff F.]

I see in the first pic that there is a long piece of wood that resembles a shovel handle in the pile of dirt. What is that for??:laughing:

 

[TripleR]

Living in the hills, erosion is a never ending fight. I am sure you have thought about it, but preventing erosion in one area is going to cause it in another and depending on how you divert it, it may be even worse in that area.

 

[rmilho]

@jeff: I didnt touch a shovel. My 8y/o son was playing in it. I bought a $14000 shovel. Lol

@tripleR: u r right. The path I have diverted it to at this point allows the watershed to spread out (at the end of the berm) instead of forming a 2 foot wide, fast-flowing creek if it went left. And, yes...this yard will b a lifelong project

 

[TripleR]

@jeff: I didnt touch a shovel. My 8y/o son was playing in it. I bought a $14000 shovel. Lol

@tripleR: u r right. The path I have diverted it to at this point allows the watershed to spread out (at the end of the berm) instead of forming a 2 foot wide, fast-flowing creek if it went left. And, yes...this yard will b a lifelong project

We have a couple of areas in our yard we have been fighting since we built our house. They may stay fixed for a few years, but then an unusually heavy downfall will come along and wash it all away.

We had a really bad spring this year and wash out several dump truck loads of rock around our farm. So far this year, I have used about eight dump truck loads of 2" rock, one of 6" rock and an unknown amount of dirt dug from around our farm in addition to five dump truck loads of dirt and I am no where near finished.

We just about had our three sided firing range finished and it is pretty well gone too.

 

[ChuckinNH]

I see in the first pic that there is a long piece of wood that resembles a shovel handle in the pile of dirt. What is that for??:laughing:

That was my first thought too, but I haven't finished my morning coffee yet. Nice looking project.

 

[ChuckinNH]

We have a couple of areas in our yard we have been fighting since we built our house. They may stay fixed for a few years, but then an unusually heavy downfall will come along and wash it all away.

We had a really bad spring this year and wash out several dump truck loads of rock around our farm. So far this year, I have used about eight dump truck loads of 2" rock, one of 6" rock and an unknown amount of dirt dug from around our farm in addition to five dump truck loads of dirt and I am no where near finished.

We just about had our three sided firing range finished and it is pretty well gone too.

Sorry to hear about so much work, and money being erroded away by the rain! I had been kind of following your progress on the range, and it hurts to see that project take a step backwards! I drive 25 miles one way to shoot so I really can appreciate having your own range.

I've had some trouble with my trails in the woods this year, but so far have found rocks small enough to move, and large enough to stay put if I'm careful how I put them in. Most of the native rock around here is rounded, and smooth from the glaciers so they don't always "lock" in like you would like them to. I have covered preforated PVC pipe in a couple of places with larger rock, and so far that has kept the errosion down in those areas some.