Driveway/Spillway

[kerley]

We have a natural flowing creek on our property that has to be crossed to get to the house. We built a pond that the creek fills. We have a dam and roadway across the dam. When we have exceptional rain the pond over flows into our pasture and road, some time the road is washed out and has to be repaired with more dirt.
My thoughts are to repair the road then gravel and overlay the gravel with concrete forming a spillway.

My question is.
What size gravel should I install,1" to 2" or larger. Also installing concrete mesh wire and some #4 rebar
Should I wait till the gravel is some what compacted before adding the comcrete

All advice will be appreciated, I am tired of messing with this driveway.

~Tom

 

[Kingfisher]

How long is the " road?" 2' rocks are pretty big.

 

[hillrancher]

Run an 12 ton load over it and see how deep the tracks are use rock 3/4 the depth of track. Smaller rock on top to grade for concrete.

 

[kerley]

How long is the " road?" 2' rocks are pretty big.

Kingfisher,
My driveway or road from the paved county road to my house is three thousand feet. Clay grevel works well for all except where the pond overflows on the road. From the point of overflow to the house I will use gravel and in time concrete.
~Tom.

 

[Jogeephus]

Kerley, have you considered using Terra Firm? People are beginning to use this around here for the woods roads when the cost of concrete can't be justified. I have not tried it but those that have say its easy to install, relatively cheap, and most importantly it keeps the gravel from getting mashed down into the mud and holds the integrity of the road like geofabric. Am told that Fort Benning is using it too and it will hold up tanks and such so it must be pretty strong.

http://www.terrafirmenterprises.com/app ... eways.html

 

[dun]

Kerley, have you considered using Terra Firm? People are beginning to use this around here for the woods roads when the cost of concrete can't be justified. I have not tried it but those that have say its easy to install, relatively cheap, and most importantly it keeps the gravel from getting mashed down into the mud and holds the integrity of the road like geofabric. Am told that Fort Benning is using it too and it will hold up tanks and such so it must be pretty strong.

http://www.terrafirmenterprises.com/app ... eways.html

I wonder how well it hold up to blading off snow a couple of times a year

 

[upfrombottom]

Is a culvert out of the question?

 

[kerley]

Is a culvert out of the question?

Pal, you just hit a very sore spot with me. I live in Alabama, [Land of no construction rules outside city limits] The utilities are water lines on one side and gas lines on the other with phone lines installed right down the center of the driveway. The problem is really the phone lines as they can't tell me how deep there burried, if I cut them I am liable for repairs. I called DIG and they can find all lines but can only tell me how deep they should be. I found out the expensive way when I tried to install a culvert four years ago. The county did install a concrete culvert where my road intersects with the county road but it does no good as the culvert is higher than the ditch on both ends, but that does not effect me as it drains on my neighbors property.
~Tom

 

[dun]

Is a culvert out of the question?

Pal, you just hit a very sore spot with me. I live in Alabama, [Land of no construction rules outside city limits] The utilities are water lines on one side and gas lines on the other with phone lines installed right down the center of the driveway. The problem is really the phone lines as they can't tell me how deep there burried, if I cut them I am liable for repairs. I called DIG and they can find all lines but can only tell me how deep they should be. I found out the expensive way when I tried to install a culvert four years ago. The county did install a concrete culvert where my road intersects with the county road but it does no good as the culvert is higher than the ditch on both ends, but that does not effect me as it drains on my neighbors property.
~Tom

After it's marked you just have to hand dig to find it. It's done that way here all the time.

 

[kerley]

Is a culvert out of the question?

Pal, you just hit a very sore spot with me. I live in Alabama, [Land of no construction rules outside city limits] The utilities are water lines on one side and gas lines on the other with phone lines installed right down the center of the driveway. The problem is really the phone lines as they can't tell me how deep there burried, if I cut them I am liable for repairs. I called DIG and they can find all lines but can only tell me how deep they should be. I found out the expensive way when I tried to install a culvert four years ago. The county did install a concrete culvert where my road intersects with the county road but it does no good as the culvert is higher than the ditch on both ends, but that does not effect me as it drains on my neighbors property.
~Tom

After it's marked you just have to hand dig to find it. It's done that way here all the time.

Dunn, you are correct. Where I went wrong the first dig was assuming that the origional installer [Bell South] burried the cable as deep as the Dig folks said was necessary. On another note...The main water supply pipe to my house is installed at grade level. The code books call for minimun of 12 to 16 inch debth below grade. When I complained to the builder he said "It don't freeze in Alabama". So how long do you deal with complete liars, thieves or idiots.
~Tom

 

[dun]

Where I went wrong the first dig was assuming

Yup, that would have been the first mistake

 

[upfrombottom]

I called them to locate the services along the side of the road on my place so I could put up a new fence. I knew they were on my side because there were phone pedestals there. After they were marked I was told that they were only accurate to 2ft either side of the line or flags. I had just took a backhoe and cleared out the old fence from the previous owners and it had been right on top of all those lines. I wound up hand digging every post for 3000ft. down the side of the road. Every time I hit a root or rock I would cringe.

 

[jedstivers]

I called them to locate the services along the side of the road on my place so I could put up a new fence. I knew they were on my side because there were phone pedestals there. After they were marked I was told that they were only accurate to 2ft either side of the line or flags. I had just took a backhoe and cleared out the old fence from the previous owners and it had been right on top of all those lines. I wound up hand digging every post for 3000ft. down the side of the road. Every time I hit a root or rock I would cringe.

I'm in AR an never heard the 2 foot thing, we've always been told if the mark is not on it then it's not your fault. I know if the ArkUp guys miss it they loose their jobs.

 

[upfrombottom]

It was accually the water guys that told me that, ARKUp only located the phone, the gas and water was located by their own people and all were right where I wanted to be. The phone line was crooked as a snake.

 

[Jogeephus]

Kerley, have you considered using Terra Firm? People are beginning to use this around here for the woods roads when the cost of concrete can't be justified. I have not tried it but those that have say its easy to install, relatively cheap, and most importantly it keeps the gravel from getting mashed down into the mud and holds the integrity of the road like geofabric. Am told that Fort Benning is using it too and it will hold up tanks and such so it must be pretty strong.

http://www.terrafirmenterprises.com/app ... eways.html

I wonder how well it hold up to blading off snow a couple of times a year

I'm sure if you adjust your blade just right you could make a big mess of it. If you are unable to do this I have a few guys I can lend you who can show you how to screw it up royally. Pretty sure they could do the same to a wet dream as well. No. I'm positive they could. Afterall, they have shown their proficiency by tearing a tractor in half. Twice. :???:

 

[kenny thomas]

That sounds like a tractor story that needs to be told.

 

[Jogeephus]

That sounds like a tractor story that needs to be told.

Better yet, FORGOTTEN. :nod:

 

[Orerancher]

Darn, I was really hopin to hear that story!

 

[Angus Cowman]

I called them to locate the services along the side of the road on my place so I could put up a new fence. I knew they were on my side because there were phone pedestals there. After they were marked I was told that they were only accurate to 2ft either side of the line or flags. I had just took a backhoe and cleared out the old fence from the previous owners and it had been right on top of all those lines. I wound up hand digging every post for 3000ft. down the side of the road. Every time I hit a root or rock I would cringe.

I'm in AR an never heard the 2 foot thing, we've always been told if the mark is not on it then it's not your fault. I know if the ArkUp guys miss it they loose their jobs.

Any Locates on regular telephone they always have had 2ft either side of the mark anywhere I have ever dealt with them
on FiBer and Toll cable it is within 6"

 

[novatech]

We have a natural flowing creek on our property that has to be crossed to get to the house. We built a pond that the creek fills. We have a dam and roadway across the dam. When we have exceptional rain the pond over flows into our pasture and road, some time the road is washed out and has to be repaired with more dirt.
My thoughts are to repair the road then gravel and overlay the gravel with concrete forming a spillway.

My question is.
What size gravel should I install,1" to 2" or larger. Also installing concrete mesh wire and some #4 rebar
Should I wait till the gravel is some what compacted before adding the comcrete

All advice will be appreciated, I am tired of messing with this driveway.

~Tom

The rock used may depend on the flow across it.the larger the rock the less chance of washing out. The rock should not be screened. It needs to bind together. With the larger rock you will not be able to get it as smooth but it will not sink as deep and will not wash as bad. Yes the rock should be compacted. I would rent the compactor and do it all at the same time. Fact is why not skip the gravel and put more steel in the concrete?
As far as the concrete I would use only the rebar and use the mesh for a hog trap. Concrete has tremendous strength under compression an no strength under tension. Steel is the only thing that holds concrete together. When you poor the concrete I would go down into the pond a ways and down the exit side some to help prevent undermining.
The only other thing you might consider is the level of the pond. If you set the maximum level you want with the gravel then when you poor the concrete you will be raising the maximum level.