How should I fix my yard where we ran power and water out to the barn?

[iplumb]

How would you guys go about fixing the damage I caused to my yard after running power and water out to the barn with a trencher. Thinking about my 50” tiller. But it was just a little trench. I tried my York Rake but the soil is clay and it’s been raining allot lately. Obviously no Harley rake. And I know it’s gonna settle during the winter. Can’t add photos?...

 

[newbury]

Throw down some perennial rye seed quick if it's warm enough to still germinate in your area.
That should slow down erosion.

A manual iron rake was what my closed trench to the house required last year,

 

[iplumb]

Sry, I’m trying to figure out the best way to level all the ground back out. It rained while we were in the middle of it so it turned into a mess.

 

[KYErik]

I would recommend a basic rear blade- angle it so that you can just make one pass down the side of the trench. If you can't straddle the trench, turn the blade around backwards and carefully push the material in. You will have to do some leveling in the spring after everything settles. Like newbury said- throw on some annual ryegrass seed ASAP if erosion is likely.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Years ago I just filled and tamped the trench a little above level. Then put 1/2" of composted soil, rye seed, then another 1/2" compost/potting soil over it. Then straw. Then I scattered grass seed around so it blended in.
Although it was higher at first after settling and mowing over time you'd never know where it was. About 250ft.
Very important first take pictures, measure to a few points. Years from now it makes it easy when you have to dig.
An excavator friend is all the time saying a customer says no need to call utility co., they've lived there 50 years and know where everything is. He digs then water or sparks fly off of his bucket because it's not where they remember it was.

 

[WranglerX]

When I had trench work done (about 100ft for 2in water line) operator filled trench with FEL and backhoe, "wheel rolled" trench (used tractor wheel to compact) and the back dragged it with FEL... Several years now with absolutely no sinking/settling.... Have to mention it was in graveled parking area, but once done top cover could be anything once heavy work is done....

Dale

 

[oosik]

A "little tench" - - little in what way or ways??

If its been raining a lot - stay away from the trench. Spread bales of straw down the trench to curb erosion and wait for it to dry out a bit.

When its dry use an angled rear blade to fill and smooth things out.

I hand dug a trench for a summer time water line. About 8" wide by 24" deep. I filled it back in with the rear blade and compacted it by driving back/forth with the rear tire of my M6040 centered on the ditch. Worked great - rear tire is 15" wide - a year later I only had about 1"of settlement in the trench.

 

[plowhog]

An excavator friend is all the time saying a customer says no need to call utility co., they've lived there 50 years and know where everything is. He digs then water or sparks fly off of his bucket because it's not where they remember it was.

This just happened at my neighbor's property. The prior owner owned a landscaping company, so he did a lot of work "on his own" with no permits, etc.

The caution tape was in the trenches with power and water lines. But unfortunately the tape was resting on the conduit, not backfilled to 6" above the conduit before placement. So the excavator pulled up the conduit, wires, and tape all in the same pass.

I recently trenched from one building to another. I mounded up extra soil on top of the trench, then ran over it with the tractor tire to compact it. Did this a few more times adding more dirt. It's stayed level now for most of a year ....

 

[/pine]

How would you guys go about fixing the damage I caused to my yard after running power and water out to the barn with a trencher. Thinking about my 50 tiller. But it was just a little trench. I tried my York Rake but the soil is clay and it痴 been raining allot lately. Obviously no Harley rake. And I know it痴 gonna settle during the winter. Can稚 add photos?...

What type of "damage" are you talking about?...is there a depression where the trench was dug? is there piles of fill that did not get compacted back into the trench?

Depressions or holes are best filled with a mix of sand, topsoil and grass seed...rake flat and repeat as necessary over time...

 

[rgr33]

I overfilled my trench about 2 inches with a hoe and a rake, then scattered perennial rye seed, and finished by rolling the seed in. Then a little more loose dirt on top.
Six years later, it is still fine.