How To Keep Your Dirt Roads From Washing Away

[@johnritchie3889]

Retired civil engineer here. When you force the water to change direction, it has to lose energy making the turn. As you point out, the more obtuse angles absorb less kinetic energy. The more acute angles absorb more energy, which leads to more erosion. My opinion is that most civil engineering is intuitive if you spent your childhood floating sticks down the roadside ditches during downpours.

[@paulamoore1221]

I floated my share of sticks and learned a lot. That came in handy when I worked on a Forest Service trail crew.

[@guyfuller1369]

Never boring watching a feller exercising good stewardship of a stunning natural landscape. Thanks!

[@ellerybice3787]

Stunning🤷🏼‍♂️. Not! Nice scenery, though pretty typical of a forest

[@lucasdog1]

The most in depth, informative video I've ever seen on this subject!

[@littlerayofsunshine69]

We used to have bars cut in our driveway at about a 45⁰ angle going down a pretty steep hill. We'd regravel it with crush run every couple years because frequent heavy rains would wash it off into the creek. We got tired of buying gravel just for it to end up in the creek. I dug the bars a bit deeper, made them 90⁰ to the roadway and we put a heavy load of #4 gravel down it. Yeah, we have to go in a couple times a year with the tractor to scrape out the sediment, but them being 90⁰ to the road makes it a lot easier to scrape. Yeah, sometimes it jumps the bars during really heavy rains if they haven't been scraped, but we haven't lost any gravel to the creek, the bigger rock hasn't sunk into the clay, and it tends to stay in place better. In the 15 years since doing this, we haven't had to put a load of gravel on that hill.

[@JaniLaaksonen91]

I actually enjoyed watching this and would like to see the results when the rains come. If theres a pause in the rain, go film how the water flows in ones that work and the ones that might not work. I'm 33 now but can still remember how in kindergarten our favourite activity was to dig trenches to guide the rain water off the yard to the ditches.

[@jayski9410]

My parents used to live on rural forested land in upstate New York so I've done my share of dirt road repairs. The damage on the end of your culverts looks like what I used to have to deal with at the end of every winter. The snow plows hit them accidentally and not just the ends. Sometimes they'd scrape hard enough to uncover them and we'd have to dig them down deeper. But I heard of a trick that the forest service used to use to divert water across the roads. They used to cut the treads off old tires and bury them on edge at the same angle as a good water bar, leaving only an inch or so above the surface of the road. That way they're easy to drive over but are just high enough to direct the water. And the only maintenance is scraping sediment away from the uphill side. Or occasionally re-burying them because the snow plows can accidentally pull these out and damage them like the culverts

[@brotherkith]

Water bars as you call them are what we do in Ireland too. We call them grips and cut them on an angle too.

[@RJJ6129]

Tromple sounds good to me!

[@MartinStockel]

We use our John Deere JD 450B with a tilting blade to make our water bars or repair repairing bars that need it. We also make the bars at a slight angle, works great and easier to drive our truck over the bars. I sure enjoy seeing a landowner taking care of his property.

[@Maryland_Kulak]

I found your video fascinating because I have a mile long road on my mountain in West Virginia I’m about to maintain.

[@Shawn-s8o]

You need a get yourself a McLeod . For that light soil and debris move the longer handle is much easier on the back plus you can use it as a hand tamp to put a little more security on your higher side erosion mole. Totally enjoyed the video from someone who works in landscaping and has to do erosion control on some of the projects that we . I remember on one project we had severe rain and it was a new hillside scraped out lot and it kept eroding out into the street and causing havoc for The neighbors so the contractor was getting in trouble with the county. First we started with waddles to direct the water it did help but we were in an El nino year and it was serious rain. So we regret it the slope on a sunny day laid down a lot of bisque Queen Moore wattles. It on my own I directed my crew let's dig some of these water bars I did not know the name of it then I was just building channels to redirect the water back into the hillside instead of going over the hillside and eroding soft soil down into the neighbors and frustrating them with the contractor. And then I remember the contractor saying what are you doing that for and I basically said I'm doing everything I can to direct the water into the channel we have to direct the water from eroding your property he just gave me a stupid look and let me continue. I would love to say it was 100% effective but this was a rush job because we were going to have torrential rain that night. Did it help yes it did was there some erosion yes there was but a lot less than it had been in the previous rain systems that came in on us on that project. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@creeharry9950]

I've got some timberland with dirt roads, which I have to clean up also. Also, I talk about the same as you do. No big deal, people around here understand. Have a good one, Wilson.

[@johnk.3593]

Those darn bears piling up sticks in your bars.

[@misterdubity3073]

The reason some people, like me, watch this whole thing is: there is some wisdom behind the knowledge and of course the comedy. I'm now wondering what is the ideal angle for a water bar relative to perpendicular (for a given slope). And if the water bar should be straight or curved.

[@Sal-e1b]

Thanks much...Old mule packer here, and hauled trailers up many a FS road in need of some TLC on the way to the TH. Brought back memories. Thanks again

[@EriebyCycle]

I actually enjoyed that quite a bit

[@lukeblackford1677]

I didn’t know anything about this. Thank you for explaining it. This info will be invaluable as I fantasize about owning timber property in the PNW.

[@tobymacelroy1026]

at about 7:40, i think the two words you're searching for is CROSS SLOPE. there's the longitudinal slope - the angle the road is going up or down across the terrain, and there's the cross slope - the angle the road tilts to one side or the other. the cross slope is the primary way to drain water off of any road or path. a road with a crown has two cross slopes - one to each side of the road. the stupidest water bar at 11:40 has virtually no cross slope which obviously allows sediment to settle out while the runoff barely flows off the edge

[@johnpauloregan4593]

Never boring Michael. 👍

[@Token_Civilian]

On trail crew, on the inlet sides of culverts, we dig settling pools to catch sediment and debris before it gets to the culvert pipe. It's relatively easy to scoop out the settling pool vs cleaning out a clogged culvert pipe. Functionally there isn't much different between a road water bar and a hiking trail water bar. If you need to spice up your vids in the boring spots, splice in a clip of that giant spruce (I think it was a spruce) hitting the ground. Heck, it could become the channel meme. Hope that helps. ;-)

[@Lazarus-aap]

How far in front of a culvert would you dig that pool? Not worried about the water wanting to flow underneath the culvert?

[@nick4506]

For my land, I got to cut my own road. Going up ridges and flat across valleys has made a road that's great to drive without water bars. Even as a fresh-cut soft road, it's taken no maintenance. The soil isn't super erosive, but I think that's pretty good. There is indeed a trade-off, It's relatively twisty and as it sits running anything longer then a 26-ft trailer takes some careful driveing. I may do some more clearing to make it easy if the regular need for running big trailers comes up but for now its staying as it is.

[@westwindcharters9146]

Thank you for sharing. In my world, you are grammatically correct all the time........

[@wildweeds]

I have a half mile of steep road to maintain and although I have a few spots where I've diverted water, I need to make more and do a better job with the ones I already have. Great pointers!

[@ericglaude4953]

Hi Michael, this was the younger generation should learn as a life skill. I’ve done this kind of stuff all my life and enjoy the challenges that nature throws at me. It is amazing the power of water and the hydraulic forces that shape the land and sometimes work against you and sometimes for you. I’ll watch this kind of stuff all day, thanks for the video and I always enjoy seeing you on the ranch. 🤠

[@TheFedster18]

This is the second time I watched this video. I also recommended to friends.

[@stephendickinson9929]

I enjoyed your video. I'm happy for you leveling up your redundancy skill.

[@trumpzilla4193]

Dang I must be the most boring guy in the world! Loved it! Winderdome Resort BC

[@wednesdar452]

Still too dry on the Central Cali Coast to address ours yet. It would just turn to moon dust. Need to get at least one good soaking so that the material removed stays put. I like to go check them during storms so that I can actually see what the water's up to.

[@eldoradowoodcrafthobbies3888]

Not boring personally I love doing anything to do with nature.

[@scanadaze]

Perfect timing for me. I needed the help and the information. Thanks.

[@YeahGroovyBaby]

Mr. Humpty Dumpty Wilson, thank you very much for this very interesting video about water bars and humps 😎

[@whirving]

Well its winter here and frozen so I don't have to panic about my driveway even though I can feel it creeping in watching this...what am I doing? Anyway, good to see other's methods, its no small thing this whole drainage thing. I have about a 1/4 mile driveway on a steep south facing slope that is capped with mining tailings. The rain has gotten more intense over the years and my regular drainage has just failed under the load. Now I'm down to the sub material in the thinner spots due to material transport and that material is probably 12" minus lol. So its not moving unleass I use yellow iron. This will be expensive no matter what.

[@Mrbfgray]

Appreciate the staged rolling rocks bit, lol. 0:30

[@arthurquintana1345]

I am looking to move into the mountains and having to make my own roads. This was great information

[@birddogfarms6981]

Informative!

[@Delgwah]

Thank you, again

[@markchester7584]

A little less jawing would mean more time to sort the less problematic area. You’re right = quadruple repetition.

[@nhmountains5683]

Nice job. Great information Michael.

[@andrewpeck340]

We appreciate you wilson

[@CFAinNoVA]

Nice video. Thank you.

[@davidhrutfiord2537]

Maybe adding a tree fall somewhere in the video would help your ratings.

[@user-tv5dt3nm9y]

Bruce Lee once said, "Be like water." He was speaking about another topic, but if you look at your surface and look for signs of what the water "wants" to do, then you can identify the problems.

[@N4HHE]

I want to keep my sediment! But I don’t want it in bad places!

[@JamesLeatherman]

Actually, the first video of your I ever watched was a waterbar video. I guess I have some longstanding interest in the subject.

[@eamonnmckeown6770]

I'm watching this far because it's raining in DC and that's no fun delivering food on a gas scooter. I detect a hint of irony. If I make it out West next year I'll have to give the PNW a look see. ' digging ditches wearing britches .... ' - an old Pogues lyric.

[@THX1138-ss6nv]

I just watched a video about the National Forest Service not rehiring seasonal help next year. I'm assuming they're responsible for much of this labor. It worries me what will happen with unmaintained roads compounded with increased rainfall.

[@Sputnik2020]

Nice

[@Syncop8rNZ]

Those water bars are inexpensive, but they hold sedimental value.

[@TomTammyOffGridHomestead]

Cool license plate. " Who removed the dirt from boss's ditch? (Quote from a 1967 movie)"

[@robbobcat7286]

Cool hand luke

[@TomTammyOffGridHomestead]

@@robbobcat7286 a true classic. Lesson from the movie, got to keep in mind that friends can/will betray you.

[@TomTammyOffGridHomestead]

@@robbobcat7286 what we have here is a failure to communicate. This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.

[@Maryland_Kulak]

Such a sad movie.

[@springhollerfarm8668]

You are being Post 10 today.

[@pettere8429]

You could try to shift the stupid waterbar to a more obtuse angle everytime you clean it out.

[@chaswarren7239]

I've walked and driven over so many of what I now know are water bars!

[@KombuchaPants]

Is a water bar like a turnout?

[@timezone4907]

Just wondering how many miles of forestry road do you maintain with all your forest properties?

[@story1234]

What could’ve damage that pipe at the end? Cows?

[@gdot9046]

Amazing how that hate gives you 100 percent shade in a completely sunny are. Share what hat it is?

[@ericarachel55]

it beats politics!

[@MrSomethingdark]

How about bringing a load of rocks on your truck if you don't have any and put them in the channel you dug across the road?

[@darrenoftheNorth]

More like things to know that autta be drilled home repetitively . Thats why i stuck around. Cya

[@Lad733]

Drink every time he says water bar😂

[@HubertofLiege]

Two foresters walk into a water bar…..

[@HubertofLiege]

Hey, this water bar is straight! It’s a straight water bar. Yeah, we like good water bars, that AREN’T STRAIGHT! 😮

[@terrybanks3877]

If you look at the worst water bar it used to be on more of an angle!

[@nicholasricci9760]

Try a rubber water bar

[@pfsmith01]

My wife thinks you should do a more in depth video about water bars...

[@Maryland_Kulak]

How come we can’t have nice things?

[@timmyfields6159]

Waylon Wire has you beat on boring. He gave us 30 mins of mowing and weed eating. And had an impressive view count.

[@stannelson2582]

Drinking game. Drink every time you hear water bar!

[@scottperine8027]

Are you completely sure that the bears aren’t responsible for this situation 🐻🐻🐻???

[@johnekhaos]

Took a drink each time water bar was mentioned. Not a good idea.

[@marktullis1175]

Toughs roads build tough you tubers😂

[@Nickrioblanco1]

The dummies that "fix" the roads at the lease we hunt make the water bars make them perpendicular exactly like your worst one. Their solution (which doesn't work) is to make the hump bigger. Stupidity has no limits.

[@monokheros5373]

PROVIDING you have biomass in / on the ground at a water bar it is not a problem... the water will soak fairly quickly PROVIDING you have RAW SEDIMENT at a Water Bar this needs addressed as it will only fill the hollow and over flow the bar

[@twc9000]

I think "trumple' is a word. One candidate trumpled the other.

[@paulamoore1221]

A McLoed hoe works well for this task

[@kenbrown2808]

tromple is definitely a word. I've been using it for years. and I bet a bear reoriented that worst water bar in the universe. bears are why we can't have nice things.

[@carolewarner101]

Defo the most boring! But perhaps the most useful...

[@timmyfields6159]

I hope we don’t have a limited supply of words to use during our lifetime . If so, brother your account is getting VERY low🤣

[@rochrich1223]

A bear, a rancher and a pine tree walk into a water bar....

[@joebudde3302]

This is informative, but, it's too long, cut at least a third of it off.

[@OutbackCottageOz]

Bury some tasty Snacks 🥨 in areas where you need additional digging and the Bear Army 🐻 🪖⛏️🪓⚠️ will Assist!