Culvert cleanout

[mjncad]

After almost 9-years in our place and the recent heavy rains we've had; I decided to muck out the ditch in front of our house today after I helped a friend muck out his ditch.

Anyway, I have about a 16" diameter CMP (Corrugated Metal Pipe) culvert that is about 20' long running under a concrete apron connecting our driveway to the public road. What I couldn't do with the tractor, I dug out by hand and I discovered about 4" - 6" of dirt covering the metal headwall floors at each end of the pipe. After removing this dirt, I noticed about 4" of dirt in the pipe.

Any suggestions on whether I should somehow clean the pipe out or not. Using a garden hose is not practical due to low pressure and volume. Or should I just put weed fabric down, rock the ditch and the headwall floor to the level of the dirt in the pipe and just call it good.

 

[plowking]

I had a similar problem with my culvert. The fire dept. or the highway dept. borrowed a unused fire truck and flushed out the culverts with water. I need to do it again. I have a friend who has a high pressure jetter for plumbing problems,I'll use that . You could call a roto rooter and see what they charge to clean culverts. plowking

 

[3RRL]

After asking that same question here about 2 years ago, I got the local fire truck to blow out my culvert. Another thing I learned was to add some rip rap to keep as much debris from entering, but the biggest thing is that if there is enough room left for water to flow through, it will pretty much keep itself clean once the flow starts.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Had the same problem. Used a hoe to to get out as much as possible and with both ends clean, the rain eventually took care of the rest.

 

[LBrown59]

Here the state will clean out my 150 foot 15'' culvert.

After almost 9-years in our place and the recent heavy rains we've had; I decided to muck out the ditch in front of our house today after I helped a friend muck out his ditch.

Anyway, I have about a 16" diameter CMP (Corrugated Metal Pipe) culvert that is about 20' long running under a concrete apron connecting our driveway to the public road. What I couldn't do with the tractor, I dug out by hand and I discovered about 4" - 6" of dirt covering the metal headwall floors at each end of the pipe. After removing this dirt, I noticed about 4" of dirt in the pipe.

Any suggestions on whether I should somehow clean the pipe out or not. Using a garden hose is not practical due to low pressure and volume. Or should I just put weed fabric down, rock the ditch and the headwall floor to the level of the dirt in the pipe and just call it good.

 

[mjncad]

All:

Thanks for the prompt replies with good suggestions. There is a fire station a mile from the house. I'll contact them next week after I get some prior obligations taken care of.

Matt

 

[mjncad]

An update on the culvert cleanout. I called the fire department, and they told me that our water department prevents them from using water for anything but fire fighting. The fire department did give me the name of the water department's head plant engineer who suggested I call the county. That makes sense since the county owns the ditch.

I contacted the county and they ran high pressure water through the culvert 2 - 3 days after I emailed them.

 

[DarinRay]

Like was kinda mentioned earlier....Keep the exit area clean....dig a hole below the culvert drain and keep it lower so the water doesn't slow before leaving pipe. All the sediment will fill the hole in for you later. I had a 24" filled almost 3/4 full and was told by the highway dept to dig below grade of pipe and it will clean itself out. Well I was doubtful but she is clean now.

Darin

 

[Taylortractornut]

Dad showed me a trick they use when building roads and sediment clogged drains. Take a cable and poke it throught the jam to the other end of the culvert with a pole. Then chain a tire a good bit bigger than you culvert and hook to the chain. then tie to the drawbar. It will pull into the culvert and expand and pull all the trash and mud out. I have a tire for all sizes for work around the lake,.

 

[PILOON]

I have seen our municipal road dept clean out drains.

They use a pole just a bit longer than the drain pipe and pull it (well push) with the extable boom of the back-hoe.

Once the pipe opens up water flow does the rest of the job.

A good pit or well on the upstream side of the pipe is a must to gather sedement before it clogs the drain.

Now if only the city would maintain those pits we'd no longer have flooded roadbeds.
Seems that they only perform 'breakdown maintainance' so the common concensus is the squeeky wheel gets oiled.