Help with ditch behind backyard

[bird_222]

We have a ditch behind our backyard that has a small creek that runs in the bottom of it. It is eroding our backyard (as well as some other houses' backyards). I am looking for help with this. As I am guessing this would be an expensive fix, I am wondering if there is any government help for something like this? Who would I call to get an estimate of fixing this problem (a civil engineering company maybe)? If this is not the proper group for this, could you please direct me to a more appropriate group. Any help/advice you can offer would be appreciated?

TIA

[DanG]

Contact your local Corps of Engineers. Have as many facts as possible for the call. Ask them if they have any information on issues on that creek. Ask who would or could be responsible parties involved. Is it a known flood plane? Who owns the creek and the shores? Ask them who you might contact for design and construction information.

FEMA does not participate until the house goes into the river, reference people losing houses to the Cimarron River in Oklahoma.

[HeyBub]

You bought a house with an erosion problem and you want the government to fix it? Do I have that about right?

I realize this is similar to government action to ameliorate beach erosion in some area via dredges and bulldozers, but still there's something vaguely unsettling about your quest...

[EXT]

Who owns the property that the creek runs through. It may be their responsibility. If you own it, it is your responsibility. Corrective measures may be controlled by local authorities.

[jmeehan]

There is almost certain a local authority that has at least some control over what you may do. Check there first. They likely can offer some suggestions and may be able to offer some financial help.

[Doug Brown]

How the heck can you expect any sort of a realy answer? You don't tell us where you live!

[Norminn]

Is it a drainage ditch or a natural waterway? How much ground is eroding? How large a boundary on the water? If it is a drainage ditch, start with your township authority. If it is just a matter of bare soil washing away, plant something. Local extension service can probably recomment plants or other treatment as well as direct you to the proper authority if it is more than your yard you want to take care of.

[Red Green]

[e-mail] wrote in news:6521f7eb-417d-4be6-bf77- [e-mail]:

Anyone who has ever lived in VT knows about Act 250. Some control? You can't do shit about anything without some comittee approval, yours or not. Anything with water/wildlife...prepare for battle!

[dnoyeB]

i got one two but I a trying to use mine to water my lawn.

Anyway, you might check with your local departent of environmental quality. Start with the city, but around here in Michigan its typically the county or State.

When you start essing with natural water you can get into trouble.

CL

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Is this on your property? I certainly hope the government does not help. Sorry, but I don't want to pay taxes to fix your yard erosion problem. I'll chip in a bit if you reciprocate and pay my January oil bill.

OTOH, you may not be able to do anything without approvals from the town, wetland commission, corps of engineers, DEP, EPA, and more. I'd start with the town and/or a local civil engineering firm familiar with the area and the politics of it all.

[trader4]

=46rom the description, "a ditch with a creek at the bottom of it", it's totally unclear what this even is, let alone how to proceed. I don't know about the rest of you, but I've never seen a ditch with a creek in it.

[Banty]

Yeah, not quite enough info.

Who owns it, and most of all, where the water comes from. If it's a storm drain letout or otherwise involving drainage from a street, the town or munincipality should probably be involved. If it's related to construction upstream, that can be pursued.

If it's native drainage due to the landscape, he can get together with neighbors to see if there is a mutual solution. Try that first (after eliminating the above possibilities). If the nieghbors balk at doing anything, hire an engineer and start getting estimates.

Banty

[Banty]

Well, the erosion problem may be due to government action or inaction. He didnt' give that much info.

I had an erosion ditch get started in my front yard due to street drainage starting to jump the curb and it was running diagonally across my front yard. The storm drain just uphill from my property had totally silted and was blocked. The town fixed it by coming in and replacing it. (Peeved my uphill neighbor as he thought he'd forever have the trees that had grown since the drain had been installed, but oh well. I guess he didn't know what the dotted line on his property map was....)

It's not so drastic as you say. Of course we dont' know enough of this guy's specific situation to say how he'd be affected. But *of course* local agencies don't let anyone divert water anywhere suits them and how they envision their property. That's a good thing! Try being downhill from a jerk (read above). Doesn't mean the water can't be diverted in many cases, or dealt with in other ways. I've seen twice this dealt with by shaping the banks of the stream to stabilize it, and either planting along the stream, or doing a gravel ditch and planting to disguise it.

Banty

[David L. Martel]

Trader,

The Grand Canyon is a ditch with a creek in it.

Dave M.

[HeyBub]

He lives in Memphis (or around there).

[trader4]

Then, why don't they call it the Grand Ditch?

[HeyBub]

Name already take by OP.