Erosion control?

[Chris2]

So I need some opinions for erosion control around my new shop, gutter or rocks. Its a fairly large roof and its tall, 40x50x16, to tall with to much ground slope to safely use a ladder to get to the top to maintain the gutter. I could build a really long pressure washer wand for that though.
Limestone would cost more but if it would work I would go that route. I'm thinking build a border about 15' away from the base of the shop the full 50' length using 2x6 with 4x4 in the ground to screw it to. Like a short retaining wall. Fill it with driveway sized limestone. That would also eliminate having to mow on a slope, the last 20 of the shop dirt pad is to steep to mow with a riding mower. My main entrance door is also on that side so that would stop tracking in of all the red fill dirt. First 3 pics are showing the height of the dirt pad I'm trying to keep from washing away.
The last pic is just to show off my new building. Gonna be spending a LOT of time out there.
Thanks.

 

[jim44]

My choice would be gutters with downspouts going into drain lines running out past the building pad. I have a driveway leading away from the door with a fairly shallow slope, and the water finds the low areas and washes away all the binding material and I'm left with just the loose limestone. No problem at all on the gutter sides.

You can hire some young fellows to do the gutter maintenance for you a couple times a year. Really the only work mine have needed is due to ice damage, and you probably won't have too much problem with that.

 

[Chris2]

Well that's about the 30ith vote for gutters over rocks.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm with Jim. You definitely need a gutter on that side. Then you'll still have to figure out a way to hold the dirt up against the building until a good solid sod base can be established. I'm not a fan of retaining walls because it's just one more thing to trim around. If it's too steep to mow on a rider you'll struggle trying to keep crushed limestone up against it too. I'd probably try establishing a sod base for a couple years and diligently replacing dirt as it erodes. After a few years of that you'll know whether you are gaining or losing. Then you can take more drastic measures with a retaining wall of some kind. It's all irrelevant until you put up a gutter.

 

[pmsmechanic]

So what about just filling in the washed out parts with rock with some dirt thrown over. Eventually the grass will grow through and stabilize everything and you don't have the issue of cleaning gutters.

A couple of rows of old brick buried in the soil under the drip line will break up the water enough to prevent further erosion. Plant a hedge along the back side and it'll automatically get watered, prevent erosion and be a home for birds. Make the hedge several rows wide and you don't ever have to worry about mowing that slope. Just my thoughts.

 

[ovrszd]

Rocking the drip line would be an improvement. I'm not sure about burying rock under dirt. A hedge will also help.

I guess you have to decide what the primary purpose is?? For me it would be to keep dirt up against the edge of my concrete so no evacuation of dirt could occur under my concrete. If that isn't an issue for you the drip line and hedge will work fine.

 

[Rustyiron]

Its a fairly large roof and its tall, 40x50x16, to tall with to much ground slope to safely use a ladder to get to the top to maintain the gutter.

With that low roof pitch, you could just climb up the ladder on the door (gable) side and take care of the gutters from the roof.

 

[jfh28]

gutters with a metal gutter guard......downspouts connected to an underground drainage pipe that discharges to grade away from the building........anything else and you are going to be fighting this for the rest of your life........Jack