Civil engineers, best way to shore up an eroded creek bank

[Texashiker]

I have a shallow creek that approaches a creek back, then makes an almost 90 degree turn.

The creek is only about 3 - 4 inches deep, and about 15 feet wide. During times of heavy rain the creek can overflow its banks.

At the 90 degree turn, run off has caused some erosion. I would estimate the area needs to be built up 4 - 5 feet. The bank has eroded and not collapsed.

I thought about using cross ties with cross tie uprights. Then use galvanized 1/2 inch steel plates with galvanized 3/4 inch grade 2 hardened bolts to build a wall on the edge of the creek. Once the wall is complete, backfill with soil and gravel.

The cross ties are not going to last "forever", but I do want something that will last 20, 30 or 40 years.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Line the edge with rocks. Last forever

 

[TechBoyJK]

how long is the actual creek on your property? why not just dig it out deeper?

 

[alkemyst]

5,000 tons of concrete will probably be the most durable fix.

 

[Texashiker]

how long is the actual creek on your property? why not just dig it out deeper?

Middle of the creek is the property line, which is probably 300+ yards long. The area that needs to be shored up is only about 20 - 30 feet.

As for digging the creek deeper, negative. Its a sand bottom creek. As soon as you dig a hole, it fills in with more sand.

 

[lxskllr]

Concrete rubble. You should be able to get it free, especially if you get local construction traffic.

 

[olds]

You're in Texas but in Kommiefornia, you'd need a permit.

 

[amish]

do you have to worry about DNR?

 

[Texashiker]

do you have to worry about DNR?

What is DNR?

 

[NetWareHead]

riprap works very well

 

[amish]

What is DNR?

department of natural resources. In MI they are a real pain and get really upset when items are placed in waterways, bodies of water, and wetlands.

 

[Imp]

Not a professional opinion (I'm not even licensed, so eff you!)... Armor stone looks pretty common. Expensive to haul in though.

I think I've seen gabion walls used for erosion protection too - sounds fancy but it's just crushed stone in steel-wire baskets. No idea how they put it together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabion

In the field, I've seen cheap-ass, rusted corrugated steel supported by piles. Look like shit, but works and is probably the cheapest.

Edit: just saw the "DNR" post. Ya, my province's governments (Fed and "State") are complete nazis when it comes to fish and fish habitat. Long story short, don't touch the water. You'd need erosion and sediment control so you don't kill/harm fish, fish studies to see if there are any endangered species, etc.

 

[Texashiker]

department of natural resources. In MI they are a real pain and get really upset when items are placed in waterways, bodies of water, and wetlands.

Not that I know of. I was hoping to keep the barrier on the land, and not in the actual waterway.

I thought about building the retaining wall, then dropping some granite blocks below the wall on the waterline.

I think I've seen gabion walls used for erosion protection too - sounds fancy but it's just crushed stone in steel-wire baskets. No idea how they put it together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabion

Something like that is what I am thinking about.

 

[BoomerD]

Line the edge with rocks. Last forever

Not always "forever" but rip-rap is definitely the way to go. Broken concrete works pretty well. (NO asphalt)
When I worked for the local irrigation district, we "collected" broken concrete chunks for use in repairing canals.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rip...wG6qTiAKGtoD4AQ&ved=0CCYQsAQ&biw=1567&bih=699

Obviously, the larger pieces stay in place MUCH better than the smaller ones.

 

[bonkers325]

I have a shallow creek that approaches a creek back, then makes an almost 90 degree turn.

The creek is only about 3 - 4 inches deep, and about 15 feet wide. During times of heavy rain the creek can overflow its banks.

At the 90 degree turn, run off has caused some erosion. I would estimate the area needs to be built up 4 - 5 feet. The bank has eroded and not collapsed.

I thought about using cross ties with cross tie uprights. Then use galvanized 1/2 inch steel plates with galvanized 3/4 inch grade 2 hardened bolts to build a wall on the edge of the creek. Once the wall is complete, backfill with soil and gravel.

The cross ties are not going to last "forever", but I do want something that will last 20, 30 or 40 years.

got pictures? if the problem is runoff, you need to deal with the runoff. building the embankment back up wont solve your problems.

 

[Texashiker]

got pictures? if the problem is runoff, you need to deal with the runoff. building the embankment back up wont solve your problems.

Part of the problem is runoff, and I am working on that.

The county built up the road going to the property (dirt road), which diverted some of the runoff from its natural flow. Instead of running along the property line, next to a small hill, and into the creek a couple of hundred yards down, the runoff was diverted across the property.

I need to build up some soil next to the road where it enters the property and divert the runoff back to its natural course.

The dirt road dead ends into the property. So its a matter of building up the soil at the every end of the road.

 

[D1gger]

This extremely accurate drawing depicts a project we recently completed to protect a local fish bearing stream.

 

[GasX]

rip rap is good. Take a look at Vetiver grass. It is amazing at stopping erosion

 

[bonkers325]

Part of the problem is runoff, and I am working on that.

The county built up the road going to the property (dirt road), which diverted some of the runoff from its natural flow. Instead of running along the property line, next to a small hill, and into the creek a couple of hundred yards down, the runoff was diverted across the property.

I need to build up some soil next to the road where it enters the property and divert the runoff back to its natural course.

The dirt road dead ends into the property. So its a matter of building up the soil at the every end of the road.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uPKxQehR9MY/SuGlB8Nuo_I/AAAAAAAABq4/x7WujyzOpxk/s320/french_drain.png
something like this may be better if its a small amount of runoff.

iis the problem at the 90 degree bend due to the creek undercutting the soil, or because of runoff? once you solve the run-off issue, you don't need to build a wall, just replace the bank with crushed stone or riprap.

 

[Texashiker]

iis the problem at the 90 degree bend due to the creek undercutting the soil, or because of runoff? once you solve the run-off issue, you don't need to build a wall, just replace the bank with crushed stone or riprap.

I think its a little bit of both.

Once the runoff issue is fixed, that will help a lot.

This is land that has been in the family for 60+ years. During that time the bank has been slowly eroding from the creek. Dad told me the creek bank used to be further out then what it is now.

I would like to protect the creek bank so we stop losing property.

I would rather deal with problem now when I am 44 years old, then wait another 20 years.

 

[bonkers325]

I think its a little bit of both.

Once the runoff issue is fixed, that will help a lot.

This is land that has been in the family for 60+ years. During that time the bank has been slowly eroding from the creek. Dad told me the creek bank used to be further out then what it is now.

I would like to protect the creek bank so we stop losing property.

do what D1gger said and use rip-rap to stop the creek from undercutting the bank, install a decent drainage solution to stop the roadway runoff (french drain, culvert, etc.). i completely did not understand why you need to build up 4-5 feet, or why you needed to use galvanized cross ties to build what sounds like a retaining wall. do you want the bank to be 4-5 feet higher than the creek? if you are using that wall and backfilling against it, you need to embed the wall deeper into the soil so that it doesnt overturn and fill your creek with debris.

 

[Texashiker]

do what D1gger said and use rip-rap to stop the creek from undercutting the bank, install a decent drainage solution to stop the roadway runoff (french drain, culvert, etc.). i completely did not understand why you need to build up 4-5 feet, or why you needed to use galvanized cross ties to build what sounds like a retaining wall. do you want the bank to be 4-5 feet higher than the creek? if you are using that wall and backfilling against it, you need to embed the wall deeper into the soil so that it doesnt overturn and fill your creek with debris.

There is a section of bank that has eroded 4 - 5 feet feet down, and maybe a 20 foot wide area. Its on a wooded section of the property that is rarely visited.

Part of the erosion was probably going on before the road was raised. Nobody goes to that section of the land, plus its wooded, so nobody said anything about it.

I would like to put a barn close to the eroded area and make it where its useable land.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Line the edge with rocks. Last forever

Ever seen the Grand Canyon?

 

[bonkers325]

There is a section of bank that has eroded 4 - 5 feet feet down, and maybe a 20 foot wide area. Its on a wooded section of the property that is rarely visited.

Part of the erosion was probably going on before the road was raised. Nobody goes to that section of the land, plus its wooded, so nobody said anything about it.

I would like to put a barn close to the eroded area and make it where its useable land.

backfill it with a 2:1 slope (10 ft horizontal : 5 ft height) to maintain slope stability, then level after 10feet. install some sort of erosion netting over the soil and plant some grass over it so eventually the roots of the grass will weave into the erosion netting and gives you permanent erosion protection. you'll want to compact the soil too if you're going to be building something near there in the future.

 

[lxskllr]

Serious tip... If you don't know what you're doing, get help. Water is insidious, and hard to control. If you fuck the project up, you could make things worse on yourself, and bring down (justified)hate from the government. Work in small chunks, and watch the results over time. Your "fix" may have unintended consequences.