My creek is clogged - What would you do?

[DKCDKC]

I'll go with Gunny. Rig up a grappling hook on a long chain or cable - some rental places actually carry such things - toss it out to snag trees laying across the flow and use your tractor to remove. One or two out will clear the jam. I have a similar but slightly smaller stream and I use a 25 foot chain and a length of cable both. I usually do it in the spring when it's warmer. You're in Tennessee and I can't imaging you have any more rigid rules than we do in Virginia. The conservation folks here encourage removal of barriers because - in floods - they cause more erosion of the banks.

Some years back I wanted to build a dam across the stream. At the advice of an engineer friend, I applied to the Army Corps of Engineers, they could barely find my creek on their maps and told me to do whatever I wanted. I kept their letter in case of future challenge. Local folks had no rules on dams, so I put it in and it still stands... Although it has silted up some.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Winch cable(chain), a boat anchor and start pulling little by little at it with tractor,let it float away. If you got a dip net would catch those plastic bottles...

 

[tow653]

Call the Robertsons from Duck Dynasty,they like blowing things up!

 

[tractchores]

I think a BH or excavator would be ideal, but if those aren't available a chain or cable on a few of the bigger logs to just break them lose would work. You can also cut them from a boat or something. Be VERY careful if you venture in the stream in its swollen state, log jams + strong current are a death trap. I think pulling straight out will be most effective if stuff is wedged in there, getting a big log or two on the bottom would probably dislodge the rest.

 

[Depmandog]

Well, I am not going say it couldn't be done with a cable and grapple...and I might even give it a try because I am as stubborn and cheap as the next guy. That said, a trackhoe with a thumb would make short work of this and would be my tool of choice.

I know of dozens of demo companies right now that are slow for work. And around here, most of the dirt boys are sidelined because the ground is frozen. What I am saying - you can get this done for cheap right now.

If you want to be adventuresome, you can rent the trackhoe for a day and have some fun yourself!

This is the last one we rented. It was a nice one

 

[hosspuller]

Pull an easy to grab log with a chain & tractor. Wait a day. The water is a powerful force. Pull another log. Wait a day again.

Repeat as needed. There'a a game that's sold by Parker Brothers. You have the full sized version.

 

[MossRoad]

Anything I need to consider that I haven't thought of?

Just remember that moving water is incredibly powerful. If the flow of water is, say 3 miles per hour in a 20' wide section and you somehow manage to block off 10' of it with a log, the speed will double in the new 10' wide stream instantly. The force of the water, however, will not double. It will quadruple. I'd say if you're going to start pulling logs, wait for the lowest, slowest water flow just to be safe.

 

[cqaigy2]

Just remember that moving water is incredibly powerful. If the flow of water is, say 3 miles per hour in a 20' wide section and you somehow manage to block off 10' of it with a log, the speed will double in the new 10' wide stream instantly. The force of the water, however, will not double. It will quadruple. I'd say if you're going to start pulling logs, wait for the lowest, slowest water flow just to be safe.

That's a good point, hate to think your hooked up and have to jump off the tractor while it's getting pulled into the creek.

 

[Pilot]

The debris and the water it holds back is a serious threat to your road crossing.

in 1964 there was a huge flood in Oregon, Washington and northern California. Lots of bridges were washed out when logs piled up against the support and captured smaller logs and debris making a dam and with all that water, the bridges gave way. After that, loggers were required to clear debris out of streams. Later, fisheries people said, "Those logs make fish habitat, you gotta leave them in the streams!" and loggers had to leave any tree that could possibly fall into a stream. So now we are set up for losing lots of bridges in the next 1964 flood.

I would be very careful about any work on it while the water is high. Moss is right. If you must do it while the water is high, I suggest starting with small logs on the upstream side. You don't want it all to give way at once. Best to wait until the water is low.

 

[Pharm]

Thanks for the input.

I think a trackhoe would work - but I worry about it's ability to get to the area it needs to clear. It's on a pretty high creek bank and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to get too close with heavy equipment.

I'm not too worried about flooding after clearing the debris. This creek is far from roads ... almost 2 miles downstream and the next property to me is over half a mile - and it's my cousin. Plus there are some more debris areas further downstream. This one is the only one causing a problem.

I'm definitely leaning toward the winch and cable solution - but I'm afraid to use my tractor. My Massey Ferguson is pretty heavy and probably could do the job - but I don't want to get in a situation where I'm being pulled instead of pulling - at least until it can see what I have under the smaller debris.

I'm probably going to try to use a come-a-long with a cable and winch a log from a large tree on the bank. I'll post again when it's done and let you know what worked. I'm definitely waiting until the water's lower and warmer. Maybe I'll get lucky and the floods will get it done - procrastination does work for me sometimes. :thumbsup:

 

[npalen]

Whatever you do, just be sure to drink upstream from the herd.

 

[plowindeeper]

I notice that you are from TN if your are under the TVA jurisdiction and your stream is big enough. You might get them to dredge it for you for free. Talk with your NRCS office or FSA. Your county extension officer might can help to. They will clean it all out and everyone else's down stream that will let them.

 

[chucko]

Call those swamp logger boys that are on discovery channel

 

[grsthegreat]

back in the 1980's, when i worked on a large cattle operation in Montana, we would head to BigR supply store and pick up a crate of ditching dynamite and primacord. creak would be flowing again with little effort.

those days are long gone.

 

[Ken45101]

If you are going to use a cable (or chain) with a big tractor, be extremely wary of the cable snapping and flying at you, that's lethal. Even with a winch, they recommend that you put a section of old carpet on the cable to dampen it if it breaks.

 

[Pharm]

If you are going to use a cable (or chain) with a big tractor, be extremely wary of the cable snapping and flying at you, that's lethal. Even with a winch, they recommend that you put a section of old carpet on the cable to dampen it if it breaks.

Good point!

 

[dmccarty]

...

I'm probably going to try to use a come-a-long with a cable and winch a log from a large tree on the bank. I'll post again when it's done and let you know what worked. I'm definitely waiting until the water's lower and warmer. Maybe I'll get lucky and the floods will get it done - procrastination does work for me sometimes. :thumbsup:

I think I would be using my come along and cable as well to see what happens. This is going to be like a game of pick up sticks in reverse. If you can find the right logs, and you can move them, I think the jam will come apart at least enough to let the next heavy rain finished the job. When I worked on a farm as a kid we had a small Cat bulldozer with a winch. We pulled many a larger tree up/down ridges without a problem. Trees far larger than what I see in the stream. From the photos, the trees you cut that are in the stream don't look too big. If you can pull them so that the water can help move/float them I don't think it will take much humph. Just humph in the right direction.

The boss also would run the bull dozer in one of his creeks to clear it and make easier access. I wonder if that would get him in trouble today...

Later,
Dan

 

[rkeith]

Blowing it up is the easiest, if you can find someone with their ticket. Backhoe would be next.

Two or three sticks of dynomite will solve that problem! ...just like removing a stump! :thumbsup:

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Just remember that moving water is incredibly powerful. If the flow of water is, say 3 miles per hour in a 20' wide section and you somehow manage to block off 10' of it with a log, the speed will double in the new 10' wide stream instantly. The force of the water, however, will not double. It will quadruple. I'd say if you're going to start pulling logs, wait for the lowest, slowest water flow just to be safe.

Actually fluid resistance goes up with the cube of velocity, so if you double the velocity you increase the force 8x. This works for wind speed too, which is why 100 mph winds are twice as damaging as 80 mph winds.

 

[MossRoad]

Actually fluid resistance goes up with the cube of velocity, so if you double the velocity you increase the force 8x. This works for wind speed too, which is why 100 mph winds are twice as damaging as 80 mph winds.

That gives him twice as much reason to use caution than I tought! :laughing: