Author Topic: Erosion Control (Read 2172 times)

keith44 · « **on:** November 07, 2011, 11:04:23 AM »

I have three converging washouts in my woods that are over 6 feet deep, and about 8 feet across at the top. I want to stop the erosion, and make the woods easier to navigate, both on foot and four wheeler. The problem area is very hilly, and just moving dirt to fill in the places would only be temporary since the run off would remove the dirt in short order.

Any thoughts? I am considering a snow fence and moving some tree debris into the washout.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2011, 11:42:28 AM »

Maybe talk to a local construction company, or find someone that does flat-work...Those guys are always tearing out old concrete for a remodel and they are usually looking for a place to dump th waste. If you can find someone, then see if they wouldn't mind dumping waste concrete for a short period in a central location on your property. You could then get a bobcat back there and move the concrete around and put it where you need/want it to be. Reinforce the banks and channel the flow of water and control the errosion.

What do you think?

keith44 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 07, 2011, 12:56:14 PM »

I think great minds think alike, but I am just in enough of a remote location that no one wants to do that at this time, and where I need them to dump it (to keep the wife from killing me) they would need to cross over our septic tank.

Thanks for the reply, but that just won't work in this situation

GeneRector · « **Reply #3 on:** November 07, 2011, 01:59:02 PM »

Howdy! You might call the county agent or the road commissioner for your area and see if they can tell you how best to stop the erosion. Good Luck!
Always,
Gene

keith44 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 07, 2011, 02:37:23 PM »

Thanks Gene, hadn't thought of that.

BUGEYE · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2011, 01:02:33 AM »

I had a big washout (not as big as yours) one time and stacked bales of straw in the shape of an earthen dam and it filled in and smoothed out in just 2 years.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2011, 01:14:11 AM »

Keith,

I am a registered professional Civil Engineer in multiple States with 30-years of experience. Drainage and Erosion and Sediment control is part of what I do for a Day Job living. If you do not control the watershed by routing the water from where the erosion originates to a lower elevation through some control mechanism(s), dumping debris in the water's path is not really solving the problem and may exacerbate the situation and even accelerate additional erosion.

An HDPE pipe (or pipes) sounds like a partial economic solution. Channeling the water into a pipe and helping the water go from higher elevation through the conveyance to a lower elevation, where the water wants to go anyway but without all of the sediment transport, could be beneficial to decrease your erosion. The Forest Service as well as the Soil and Conservation Service have boo coo details to support rural construction. Determining which details would be of benefit to your situation is probably the way to go.

I would not mind helping you if you could PM me with your e-mail address where we can take this off-line and go from there. Topographic maps, aerial photos, site photos, soil maps, a more thorough understanding of the situation, etc., would be beneficial since my making a pro-bono site visit is probably not going to work.

Members helping Members on GBO is what this is about...

keith44 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 08, 2011, 04:58:02 AM »

Wow L.O. That's a great offer! Thanks in advance. PM will be sent soon

Keith

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #8 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:39:18 AM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on November 08, 2011, 01:14:11 AM

Members helping Members on GBO is what this is about...

Probably one of the coolest posts that I ever read.

Gaz-52 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2011, 12:54:37 AM »

Quote from: BUGEYE on November 08, 2011, 01:02:33 AM

I had a big washout (not as big as yours) one time and stacked bales of straw in the shape of an earthen dam and it filled in and smoothed out in just 2 years.

I can back you up on this one . Hay bales positioned across the gully or washout act as a "silt trap" by slowing the flow of water and reducing the erosion. Grass seed can be sowed into the silt and once established will permanently stabilize the washout . (A temporary fence to exclude livestock and vehicles is a big plus as well).
Gaz.

keith44 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 18, 2011, 10:10:39 AM »

recent events have come together to get me to re-thinking the direction I want this project to take.

The rains and being out stalking for muzzleloading season have allowed me to follow the path the water takes as it runs through and off of my property. There are two places that with just a little work could become small ponds.

They would have to be kept small, less than 1/4 acre, but the overflow of the first could feed the second, and the overflow of the second would then proceed unimpeded off of the property.

Thinking...

Blue Duck · « **Reply #11 on:** December 18, 2011, 12:07:22 PM »

Pretty good place to hang out. Im glad Im part of it.

keith44 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 18, 2011, 12:32:05 PM »

Hello Blue Duck, I kinda like it here too

Land_Owner · « **Reply #13 on:** December 19, 2011, 03:56:40 AM »

Quote from: keith44 on December 18, 2011, 10:10:39 AM

the overflow of the first could feed the second, and the overflow of the second would then proceed unimpeded off of the property.

Excellent! I like where your thinking is going.

To prevent further erosion, the use of a pond "control structure" and piped conveyance from higher to lower elevation, plus energy dissipation (rip rap/ditch lining stone) of the now Point Source runoff from the end of the pipe will be beneficial to preclude further soil and sediment transport. I remain available for information and support via PM.

I hope your hunting is going well! Good luck.

keith44 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 19, 2011, 04:25:29 AM »

Well I passed an iffy shot on a decent 8 point about 3 weeks ago, and haven't seen anything since.

I've been trying to take pictures that show enough to talk about but when I look at the pictures even knowing what it shows it's just not much help..

How's your season been?

Bugflipper · « **Reply #15 on:** December 19, 2011, 04:26:05 AM »

I stayed clear of this one because Land_Owner obviously has better advise than any of us could come up with. Once you get it all straightened out though I would suggest you look into crown vetch for planting. It is invasive so you need to mow around it. I've seen you post different threads on wildlife and vetch is eaten by about everything we hunt to eat. It also has a good root system that will thwart erosion. And stays at a manageable height so it's not to much of an eyesore.

keith44 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 19, 2011, 04:28:57 AM »

what is the difference between crown vetch, and what my gardening books call hairy vetch??

Thanks bugflipper

Bugflipper · « **Reply #17 on:** December 22, 2011, 03:17:42 AM »

I don't know a whole lot about harry vetch. It is grown in the winter here as a cover crop for nitrogen fixation. At least where I live it is an annual only. My speculation of seeing it growing in hay fields alone, is that it grows moderately fast and produces tonnage for a bumper spring harvest and will boost early spring clover growth. Which in turn boosts overall early summer hay yield.

Crown vetch is a spreading plant that when the stems touch the ground a rhizome turns into a root. I don't remember the proper term but it spreads like crab grass. After about a year it will establish well then start to fill in after. It is also a nitrogen fixer so it can be planted in marginal soil and thrive after a couple of years. It gets about a foot or so high so it's not to much of an eyesore. It is a perennial.

I planted it on the part that didn't wash out and allowed it to spread to the part that did. At the same time I seeded kentucky 31 bluegrass to keep all the dirt where I wanted after grading until the crown vetch established. Later I filled in the 3 trenches that formed over the year, higher than the rest of the hill. And the vetch covered it over as well without seeding.

keith44 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 22, 2011, 05:43:49 AM »

definitely worth looking at

bilmac · « **Reply #19 on:** December 22, 2011, 06:08:28 AM »

I would hesitate to use any bluegrass. Hardly anything will eat it, even the grasshoppers pass on it. Vetches are a good cover, they will improve the soil over time. I would just leave them alone, they will probably thin out over the years and fill in with your native grasses.