Keeping culverts clear and clean

[beowulf]

I have four culverts on the property. Two of them I have installed - actually I replaced two older original culverts (one that clogged up and one that washed out). They are all fine right now but I see that there is some dirt and such building up in two of them - a 15 inch one and an 18 inch one and both about 20 feet long. I estimate the build up on the bottoms are about 10-20 percent. I don't want it to get worse. What I have done in terms of preventing problems in advance, at least somewhat, is to pile up large rocks/boulders a bit away from the intake side to catch some of the dirt and debris first - much easier to clean stuff out there than in a culvert. It is almost all just dirt that collects in the culverts. Anyway, not having any really good ideas, after the next rain I am thinking of fishing a rope through (using long pvc pipes joined together) and once that is done, attaching a rake like device (think grapling hook like) and weighting that down and dragging it out and repeating to loosen things up. Plus, I can get into both ends a bit with shovels and such to also loosen things up.

It is not a big deal now, and the culverts have been in place for at least ten years, so the problem is gradual. Anyway, whenever I have a dumb idea, I post here seeking better ideas. And I remind my wife that sometimes my dumb ideas have worked. She doesn't remember those as well as those that didn't work quite so well. Suggestions?

 

[bcp]

I've had good luck making sure there is good outflow so water velocity is high in the pipe.

In my driveway culvert outflow now, I have a piece of 8 inch pvc pipe, cut in half lengthways, to speed the water away about 12 feet. If this plugs it just overflows and is easy to clean. I had a large hole below the outflow before, but it needed digging out every several years.

Bruce

 

[i7win7]

how do they install the cable

 

[beowulf]

how do they install the cable

i7win7, thanks - something to try when water is flowing. I will try to find a tire the right size.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

That is a BIG turd!

 

[LouNY]

We used to be able to have the fire Volunteer Fire company come out and flush out culverts, haven't checked in quite a while.

 

[ponytug]

@i7win7 Wow! What a video. To try that, I would have to be really certain that I wouldn't pull the whole culvert out.

@beowulf I have a couple of culverts, and I try to make sure that the water velocity is as fast as possible in the culvert. For me that means digging out the area downstream of the culvert to ensure that the water exiting the culvert has a vertical drop. I also clean out the uphill sections to maximize the water velocity into the culvert. With current storm, I was just out taking a couple of cubic yards out of the various driveway ditches, and below the culvert. Between the ground squirrels and gravity, there is always earth dropping into the water channels.

All the best,

Peter

 

[jaxs]

I doubt dragging something through culverts will help. Jabbing into collected dirt while water is flowing might flush some out.

 

[beowulf]

@i7win7 Wow! What a video. To try that, I would have to be really certain that I wouldn't pull the whole culvert out.

@beowulf I have a couple of culverts, and I try to make sure that the water velocity is as fast as possible in the culvert. For me that means digging out the area downstream of the culvert to ensure that the water exiting the culvert has a vertical drop. I also clean out the uphill sections to maximize the water velocity into the culvert. With current storm, I was just out taking a couple of cubic yards out of the various driveway ditches, and below the culvert. Between the ground squirrels and gravity, there is always earth dropping into the water channels.

All the best,

Peter

Ponytug, good advice. One of the culverts does have a steep dropoff and the other one can be made to have one as well. Also, I think between loosening up the dirt at both ends and perhaps dragging something through there (not necessarily a tire) and also having some rain with enhanced velocity I should be able to stay on top of it.

 

[MF243RedTop]

The dragging tire method works when the ditch has water in it...
Also if you have access to a 2 inch trash pump .. I have filled two 55 gallon drums full of water in back of truck.. pull up to culvert. Have a 2inch cap screwed into end of discharge hose with at least a 1" hole drilled through it..
Blast away the dirt inside.. dirty and messy but works... And that pump will empty those barrels quick.. hang on it'll be like a fire hose!!!

If you have a water source close enough that you could draw from even better or larger tanks or totes you could fill with water.