swing gaps and high water

[rc]

My ingenious swing gap over the origin of the cold water river in Hudsonville MS has served well until very high water came down. I took a cable, threaded through pvc pipe with tin lag bolted, and stretched it across the stream then secured it on each side to a tree or cross tie. This works very well, I guess I just did not have it secure enough. As the stream rises, the tin just swings out with the current then goes down when the water does. We just got too much rain too fast and it blew it out. Long story short 8 hiefers escaped. They must have walked the river bed (this ain't much of a river at this point) for about 4 miles before coming up in a pasture. My nieghbor told me where they were, at least 7 of them, and we rode Paso Fino horses to find them. On a borrowed 4 wheeler, two german shepards and one magnificant paso gelding we took em on home. Moral I guess is stretch tighter and higher and keep the Paso's and 4 wheelers handy (along with the dogs and good neighbors).

 

[sidney411]

Thats pretty much how we build ours but we use cattle panels instead of tin. Trees and debris get stuck on accasion when it comes a gully washer, but we've never had one torn completely down. We use 1/4 cable doubled across the gap attached to poles on each side sunk in concrete. These poles are not attached to the regular fence, just in case they do get ripped out, the whole fence doesn't go with it.

 

[dun]

I don;t think you can build a water gap that's 100% washout proof. We had one that was in an erosion dith that never had more then a foot or two of water through it and the calbe was a good 20 feet above the normal high water line. Had a tree wash down in a once in 50 years gulley washer and took it out.

dun

 

[Scotty]

I build mine to hold cattle and wash away easy. Easy wash for easy fix. If it holds the cattle it is doing its job. I tie the deep end to break away and the shallows to hold. most of the time all I have to do is clear some leaves and debree away and retie.


Scotty

 

[rc]

I like the idea of a breakaway. That's pretty much what happened although it was not intentional. All the pvc, tin and cable is still attached to one side so when it stops raining I will do it that way. This board is usually my first computor stop of the day. Lots to learn right here! Thanks

 

[Wewild]

Cable or telephone poles and worn out cattle panels. Still have to work on them from time to time.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Anyone got any pictures? I am a visual learner :cboy:

 

[Campground Cattle]

Never lost one use three cables strung like a fence (telephone pole guy wire) with tin hung from the top cable. Cable is secured to large trees on each side of the creeks. I have had the creeks look like the Trinity River and hold. But theres tomorrow.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

We use old cattle panels. Last one washed out 2 years ago. Every now and then need to rmove debris, but not often. They are held in place butted up against/tied to concrete pillars at the bridge and old electric company poles at the other spot. They are sunk 4 feet in the ground and not attached to the fence line for same reasons as sidney posted.

Katherine

 

[jerry27150]

i just use one electric wire, if it washes out i just throw another across. even when it is gone it takes cattle a while to miss it

 

[rc]

Just thinking here but I wonder if it would work using 2 cables strung across the ditch with cattle panels attached firmly at the bottom cable a foot or so from the bottom of the ditch and attatched with breakaways at the top so that if debri such as logs come down the panels would break away at the top but remain at the bottom. After the water receeds put the top back in place.

 

[MooresCreekFarm]

We have a couple of what we call "water gates" on our place. Had them attached to trees along the bank. High water undercut a couple of the trees and they fell over. Started using 7" steel casing set 3' in the ground and filled with cement, set about 20' back from the bank. Put a 5/8" steel cable across and tied wire panels to the cable with sheet iron hanging just above the water level. When the water comes up now, the sheet iron catches the current and raises the gate and lets trash wash under then goes back down when the water goes down. A turnbuckle on one side lets you adjust the tension on the cable.

 

[Chuckie]

I would like to see some pictures of swing gates when any of you have time to take a camera out there. We have had the same problem with cattle getting out of a spring fed ditch. It is deep and sandy and the cattle love the cool water, and I am sure they will miss it this summer. One of the problems we had where when some kids cut the fence on the other side to ride their four wheelers in it. Of course the cattle went straight to it.

 

[sidney411]

There's nothing you can do to stop hooligan's from cutting fences, if they are determined to cut them. We have had problems with horseback hog hunters coming through and cutting fences. We usually don't find it till the cattle are out then we have to go find them.

 

[Craig-TX]

The terrain has a lot to do with it. If you're spanning a deep gully where the cable is high enough that all the limbs and crud washing down will have room to float underneath you have a good chance of only minor repairs. If you're spanning a flatter crossing where the crud will snag your cable there is nothing that will hold unless you're building the eighth wonder of the world. It's amazing how powerful water is when a creek gets on a tear.

Craig-TX

 

[Craig-TX]

There's nothing you can do to stop hooligan's from cutting fences, if they are determined to cut them. We have had problems with horseback hog hunters coming through and cutting fences. We usually don't find it till the cattle are out then we have to go find them.

Not sure I could resist shooting something besides hogs for that.

Craig-TX

 

[preston39]

Just thinking here but I wonder if it would work using 2 cables strung across the ditch with cattle panels attached firmly at the bottom cable a foot or so from the bottom of the ditch and attatched with breakaways at the top so that if debri such as logs come down the panels would break away at the top but remain at the bottom. After the water receeds put the top back in place.

===================
rc,

we have two water gates over a creek with breakaways and two weights on each which hang down in the constant water...... at the bottom.... so the gate wings out...allowing any drift to go through and the gates go back in place after the water recedes. Why put the beakaways at the top and then the maintenance to re attach the gates?

 

[sidney411]

Craig, it would be a whole nother issue IF I actually seen them doing it or knew who was doing it. I have been known to shoot more then hogs coming through our place. SSS. OK, I'll practice the 3rd S before I get in any more trouble ;-)

 

[Bernard]

The terrain has a lot to do with it. If you're spanning a deep gully where the cable is high enough that all the limbs and crud washing down will have room to float underneath you have a good chance of only minor repairs. If you're spanning a flatter crossing where the crud will snag your cable there is nothing that will hold unless you're building the eighth wonder of the world. It's amazing how powerful water is when a creek gets on a tear.

Craig-TX

Exactly. If you have the "right place", a well engineered, substantial swing-gate type of affair is just the ticket; works well and needs little maintenance, and eventually pays for itself. Other areas, water and "whatever" are going to cover anything you throw up, so you just know ahead of time it's going downstream. Don't over-invest here. Make that type water gap "just substantial enough" to hold back cattle when it's dry, then get out there and patch it back as soon as you can.

 

[rc]

I'm thinking maybe a boat trailer comealong attatched to the cable on one side with the cable ran high over the water and tin just touching the flow line in normal conditions. Leave enough slack in the cable to tighten it and raise the gap when water conditions demand and lower it back as water receeds. I could do this from my side of the ditch without getting my feet wet. The winch says it's rated at 1600 lbs. I wonder if that would hold it?