Creek advice

[GrantMO]

Since a lot of you guys have had experience with earthmoving I wanted to ask some advice on a project I may do this summer. I'm planning to fix a side of the creek that borders our property. It has washed away and cut in on a bend for 100 feet. This is creek that runs 10 feet lower than the top edge of our land but can come up during heavy rains in the spring. It looks like a 10 foot shelf exists about 8 feet down from the top edge where the ground was eaten away or slid down. The water in the creek is about 15 feet across and it's about 30-35 feet bank to bank. I'm going to try to get a picture of it to scan and attach later.
Okay, my question is how can I shore this up economically and without too much heavy equipment? I'm already going to pull the fence in and redo that as some of it is hanging out in space as it is. Suggestions I've had have been to get concrete slabs from construction friends and dump them in there and maybe pour some quikcrete in the cracks. Has anyone had experience with doing that or another way? Thanks.

Grant

 

[Thomas]

Grant,
I would think medium size dozer should do the job,and should this creek have rocks I would also use them for banking.

If there earth construction going on near by,maybe you could cut a deal of some sort for hard coarse fill.

I'm not sure of your laws,but if anyone puts equipment in the running water than they need a permit around here....you might want to check.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Rch]

GrantMO, Here in WI, creeks are sacred ground watched over by the Church of the DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources). It can be a mortal sin to mess with them and the punishment is in the here and now, not later. Farmers get fined big time if spread manure or fertilizers get washed in by an untimely thunderstorm causing a fish/wildlife kill. Look for dispensation before proceeding.

RCH

 

[cowboydoc]

Grant,
I had the same thing and fixed it all with my skidsteer. I basically took the bend out and dug another creek with the skidder with a straight shot through my property. I used the dirt from the new one to fill in the old one. I don't have any problem at all now. I did call DNR and they had no problem with it.

 

[DennisY]

RCH,
Same thing in Maine with State Dept. only we call it Dept. of Environmental Protection

 

[GrantMO]

That's good advice about state regulations concerning waterways. I hadn't thought of that before but I'll check into it. Thanks. Richard and Ernie, I'm going to post a picture or two tomorrow and see what you think. Anyone else too, I appreciate everyone's advice.

Grant

 

[GrantMO]

Oops, I said Ernie above and meant Thomas. Getting old I guess.

Grant

 

[gordon]

Creeks are a hot issue, whenever you get close to a creek DNR needs to be contacted and the proper permits and red tape need to be taken care of to cover your rear. Just in case you get the job done and then DNR finds out about it, guess what---you have to remove everything that you have put in and bring it back to a natural site. Plus a nice fine. Now with the above disclaimer said I'll put my two cents in.

Anything that you plan to put down has to be for the highest water possible if not the water will run over it and erode behind what you have put down be it concrete slabs, rip rap or whatever. So take that into account first. Plan everything around the high water level and go from there. In the end mother nature always will win, you can slow her down for a time, but in the end she will win.
Post a picture of the creek and then I could go into more detailed ideas.
Gordon

 

[TomG]

It might be good to get some expert advice. I seem to recall that many small waterways meander naturally. If a meander is contained in one place, there's a good chance that a new one develops downstream, or an existing one gets bigger.

It would be good to know if a repair is likely to move the problem to somebody downstream who might be real unhappy.

 

[GrantMO]

Here is the view looking north.