My husband and I are looking at some land. Our first project would be to build a culvert so we could drive over the ditch and actually drive onto the land! We want to do the culvert ourselves, but don't know where to start. Any advice or info anyone can give us would be appreciated. Thanks, Carol

-- carol (chamberscarol@hotmail.com), December 21, 2001

Answers

metal corrugated culvert works best. Don't skimp on something that important.

Go to your county yard and ask them if they have any used culverts for sale. A lot of times they replace culverts that are still in good shape and they store them til someone like you comes along.

-- bruce (rural@inebraska.com), December 21, 2001.

First step is to check with your county, some places they would supply part or all of the metal drain pipe. Some places you can install a colvert only after obtaining a permit. If you put in one two small and cause water damage to another persons property you can be held liable. The County or state here according to wheather a state or county road will be glad to give you the infro you need. It will be different according to the amount of water you are going to have in your ditch. Call them, It is a job you can do but I.m just too old and rather pay for a backhoe. Best of luck

-- David (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), December 21, 2001.

Depending upon your particular state/county, you can look forward to plenty of red tape and governmental buck passing. Someone will claim something needs to be done and signed off by someone else, everyone will want something, but none of them will know who they want it from and none of them will claim that it is in their jurisdiction do sign anything off. This is because a culvert is in the waterway and is considered water diversion.

Or you can buy a railroad flatcar or a flatbead trailer and use it for a bridge. It's a lot less maintainence than culverts anyway.

-- Just Duckie (Duck@spazmail.com), December 21, 2001.

That MAY be true in some parts of the country Ducky but in most cases the county understands its just a way to get to your property and the culvert is just going in a ditch, not a waterway per se.

Aroud here they'll do it for next to nothing. Good advice above for cheap culverts.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), December 21, 2001.

How wide across is the ditch? How deep would it be from the road surface to the bottom of the culvert? Is the ditch for drainage? How much water flows through it? What part of the country are you in?

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), December 22, 2001.

I use to drive a back road here fairly often. There was a large, deep ditch beside the road, with houses, here and there, across from this ditch and the road. I noticed that on one property, they had used bags of concrete to make a "bridge". The bags were formed in an arch, so the water could pass through the middle. When the bags got good and wet, they would harden up, just like regular concrete. Now, I don't know how many bags were used or if that's all that were used, the weight limit or any of the other logistics of this method, as I just noticed it while driving, but thought it was a really neat way to build a bridge. Anyone else seen anything like this?

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), December 22, 2001.

I recently put in a drivway & had to get a driveway permit. After I applied, someone came out and determined I didn't need one on the edge of the raod (which I would have gotten for free from the county, but install myself). Instead I have to put one about 200' from the property line which I did have to pay for.

Check with the county. Here is Washington County, In, they are real helpful with no red tape.

Rudy

-- Rudy (rbakker@wcrtc.net), December 22, 2001.

correct me if I'm wrong Rudy, but that doesn't sound like they helped you.

I've found if you're far enough out in the country, it's best to avoid getting any government agencies involved in what you're doing. In a case like this if it wasn't a major construction project, I'd do it quick and discret and make it look like it had been there for years. Many times government agencies don't pay attention until you yourself draw their attention, which usually leads to a bunch of hassles.

Carol, it you give some details I'm sure someone here can help you. Putting a culvert in a ditch could mean anything from a few hours project to a major construction undertaking.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), December 22, 2001.

Our True Value and HWI hardware stores carry corrugated heavy duty black plastic culvert pipes in all lengths and sizes. We have no zoning so there is no headache about who or what permits are required. Unless you live where the yuppies are "amuck", just put the thing in and be quiet about doing it.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), December 22, 2001.

I am a couple of counties down the road from Annie, same thing no zoning, etc. If I need a culvert put in the county will do it, no charge. I do have to buy the culvert. That is for access from the county road.

I have found the best prices from contractors who put in septic systems.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), December 22, 2001.

I know someone that cut out the bottom of 5 gallon buckets,puts them together,one inside of the other,placed it in the ground, the seams going the correct way,a culvert is made.You need a free supply for this. This is used in the woods,too. Just an idea for a culvert. I wouldn't want it down by a road. I had to get a permit to put a driveway in. Town crew came,installed a culvert,for $268. All done their way. Not cheap,but if it ever rust out or plugs up,washes out,etc,it's their problem with no cost to me. I live on a hill so expect problems some day.I had to put another culvert in about 50 feet from this one in my driveway.This one I got from the town when they was replacing one.Wasn't even rusted through. Ray Chesterville,Me

-- Ray Chesterville,Me (thecfarm@midmaine.com), December 22, 2001.

I've seen old tires banded together to make culverts, using that metal strapping used to bundle lumber with. Just make sure you oversize it. I forget the physics of why, but it has something to do with how the water flows over the insides of the tires and the turbulence it creates.

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), December 24, 2001.