For many local farmers, having a creek run through their property is an advantage.  Creeks can provide access to water for pasture livestock, a boundary between fields, or recreation for the family.  Sometimes, creeks can be a source of headache for farmers, as was the case with this project at the Takes farm located east of Cascade, Iowa, on Bellevue-Cascade Road.

Each day when it was time for chores, local farmer John Takes would fill his feed wagon and cross the county highway into his cattle pasture.  Once inside the fence, John would have to maneuver his tractor and wagon down and then back up the steep sides of the small creek to access his herd.  On its best days this caused his equipment to bottom-out, creating a dirty mess that was hard on his machinery, and on the worst days in times of high water, the pasture was nearly inaccessible.

To remedy this problem, John called Terry and Gravel Grading and Excavating to help him devise a solution.  Terry recommended installing a new creek crossing, complete with prefabricated slatted concrete slabs to aid in traction for equipment and three ag-tile culverts that would allow the creek to maintain its flow below the new structure without compromising its stability.

To begin, the crew of Gravel Grading & Excavating waited for a dry spell, so the creek would be low enough to work around.  Then drawing on their extensive experience and laser grading equipment, they determined the optimal location of the path across the creek, as well as the appropriate height for the new crossing so as high water events would not breach the new lane.

The guys then moved in with graders, skid steers, and excavators, to begin the process of moving dirt to prepare for the installation of the culverts.  A bed was prepared for the pipes to lay upon, and once again the laser levels were used to determine the proper degree of slope for maximum water drainage.  Once this was prepared, the plastic piping could be installed and backfilled with dirt and rock for stabilization.  An extra measure was taken for erosion control by pouring concrete walls on each side of the new road to prevent washouts in heavy rain events.

The crew then went about pouring a final layer of concrete to top off the new crossing, placing concrete slats on both sides, and regrading and dumping new gravel along the newly-established path for the finishing touches.  

Shortly after the conclusion of the creek crossing, a storm passed through, testing the effectiveness of Gravel Grading & Excavating's work.  As expected the crew was able to move the earth for our customer John, and the culverts worked just as planned, allowing the creek to maintain its flow through the pasture while allowing John to access and feed his cattle.

Thank you to the Takes family for choosing Gravel Grading and Excavating for this project, and be sure to give us a call for any of your dirt work needs.

Farmers in this area can tell you, no matter the season, there's always work to be done.  Though summer may be overlooked as a time to just sit back and watch the corn grow, this time of year our friends in the ag sector keep busy with spraying and side-dressing crops, cutting and baling hay, tending livestock, and prepping machinery for the impending harvest season.  Summer is also a time where farmers survey their fields for ways to improve efficiency and production and to implement erosion control measures.

Reconstructing waterways is one way to satisfy these needs. By clearing (cutting down and removing) and grubbing out (removing roots and stumps left behind) freely-growing trees and shrubs along fence lines and waterways, farmers can gain acres for additional planting which increases their production.  Or, as in the case of our clients pictured below, they needed additional erosion-control measures put in place to reduce field runoff after the heavy summer rains.  

In these photos from a crop farm near Monticello, IA, you can see how trees and shrubs had grown up along the creek near this field.  Not only did these growths get in the way of farm machinery, but the steep banks on the sides of the creek meant the landowner was losing precious dirt and topsoil when rainwater drained off the field.

To help aid water drainage, Gravel Grading & Excavating came in to alleviate the problem.  Using dozers and excavators, we started with clearing and grubbing the existing creek banks.  All trees and shrubs were removed and hauled away using our dump wagon.  We then laid back the banks at a better grade to allow for maximum water retention and less loss of soil for our farmer.  Our last step of this project was to lay down grass mat and seed to encourage quick regrowth of natural grasses and ground cover.

Are plant growth or soil erosion something you struggle with on your farm? Let the experts at Gravel Grading & Excavating help reconstruct your waterways and move the earth for you!