Introduction

The installation of a stream crossing as a conservation practice can

improve connectivity on a farm by providing long-term stable access
for people, livestock, farm equipment, and vehicles. Properly designed
and installed crossings help reduce soil erosion and improve water
quality by decreasing sediment and animal waste loading into streams.
The types of stream crossings covered in this guide include rock ford
crossings, geocell ford crossings, concrete ford crossings, and culvert
crossings.

Much of the information discussed within also applies to watering

ramps. Watering ramps are similar in design and structure to ford
stream crossings except that they only span one side of a waterbody.
Rock Ford Crossing Ramps can provide stable and improved access for livestock watering
on creeks or ponds, while also improving water quality.

This document is designed specifically to assist landowners interested

in self-installation of stream crossings and watering ramps. It utilizes
easy-to-follow photographs and diagrams to highlight common
installation techniques as well as specific requirements for those who
are participating in one of the Natural Resources Conservation
Services’ (NRCS) Farm Bill programs. This guide is not intended as a
substitution for the more detailed NRCS Construction Specifications
document, which should also be reviewed during project planning
(http://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/treemenuFS.aspx).

Planning

NRCS is available to provide technical assistance to landowners in

planning and installing stream crossings. Assistance regularly
includes: site selection, design, specifications, recommended materials
Culvert Crossing and quantities, pre-construction meetings, daily inspections, and final
inspections. Financial assistance is also available through NRCS on a
competitive basis. NRCS may also recommend or require other best
management practices to accompany stream crossings in order to
protect other natural resources.

There are many factors to consider when determining the design and
location of the stream crossing. The design of the crossing should be
determined by NRCS staff (rock ford, geocell ford, concrete ford, or
culvert pipe), and will be based on local site conditions. Concerning
location, the ideal crossing should be installed perpendicular to the
direction of the stream flow. They should be located in areas where
streambeds are stable, and where erosion and flooding impacts can be
minimized. Areas to avoid include: abrupt changes in channel slope,
Watering Ramp
turbulent water or overfalls, confluences with tributaries, wetland
areas, shady areas in the stream buffer, or where bridges and culverts
are immediately upstream. All installed crossings should still provide
normal passage of water, fish, and other animals during all seasons.

Stream Crossing Installation Guide – Page 1 of 4

Ford Crossings

The width of a ford crossing will depend on

the intended use. Livestock crossings must
be at least six feet wide and multi-use
crossing should be between 10 and 20 feet
wide (See Figure 1). The length of the
crossing should span over the entire natural
channel. The final surface in the bottom of
the stream shall be the same elevation or
slightly lower than the original stream bottom
to allow for natural stream flow.

Approaches should be stable and blend with

existing site conditions where possible. They
should not exceed a gradual 5:1 slope. All
surface runoff should be diverted around the
approaches. Side slopes next to stream
crossings should be no steeper than a 2:1
slope and be stabilized with vegetation,
geotextile, rock, or a combination of material.

Site preparation. Once you have decided on

a location for the specific type of ford
crossing, you can prepare the site. The
clearing and grubbing should be kept to a
minimum to prevent erosion. The foundation
should be cleared of all trees, brush, stumps,
roots, sod, and other debris. All waste
materials should be deposited in a
designated area outside the natural flood
zone.

Foundation Excavation. Excavation should be

accomplished to the depths, widths, and
lengths required by the design. Depending
on width of stream, excavation may be
limited to one side of the stream at a time in
order to divert the stream using a pipe or
ditch. The stream may also be temporarily
impounded during construction, but care
should be taken to minimize erosion and
sedimentation.

Trenches for anchoring geotextile fabrics should be excavated along the ends of both approaches (terminal
anchors), as well as along the length of both sides of the crossing (side anchors). Dimensions of the trenches
should be at least 12 inches deep by six inches wide. Figure 2 (below) displays the locations that may be
recommended for geotextile anchor trenches.

Geotextile Fabric Installation. Geotextile fabric meeting the minimum requirements (see construction specifications) is
recommended for installation on the entire crossing surface area. The fabric should be placed in each trench and
the trench should be filled with rock to anchor it in place. The proper folding of the fabric during trenching, as well as
the overlapping of separate fabric rolls, are required to ensure that the stream flows cannot uproot a fabric edge.
This is more important for the side anchors than the terminal anchors. The method used to lay fabric length(s) on
side trenches can vary depending on whether you are using one separate length of fabric (Figure 3) or multiple
lengths of fabric that need to be overlapped (Figure 4).

Stream Crossing Installation Guide – Page 2 of 4

Whenever fabric is being laid back over a
backfilled trench, it must extend at least six
inches beyond the trench. When two or more
separate fabric layers are used, they must
overlap each other by at least 18 inches. When
overlapping these fabric sheets, make sure the
top sheet runs in the same direction as the
stream flow (See Figures 3 and 4). Construction
equipment should never be operated directly on
the geotextile surface.

Anchoring pins should be of sufficient size to

hold geotextile until the crossing has "hardened"
after construction. Commercially available
anchoring pins or large nails may not be large
enough to hold the geotextile. Sharpened,
fabricated pins using No. 3 reinforcing steel or
material of equivalent size and durability have
often been effective. Anchoring pins should be
placed at three foot centers through the fabric at:
all excavated trenches, all overlapped fabric
sheets, and across the width of the channel.

Surface Materials.

For rock ford crossings, after the geotextile

material is anchored and pinned it should be
covered with at least six inches of appropriately-
sized rock. If larger rock sizes are required due
to the flows of the stream, it may require a layer
of smaller surfacing stone to fill voids and create
a more uniform surface layer. Crossings
specifically for livestock may require a two-to-
four inch hoof contact zone made of Graded
Aggregate Base (GAB) over the surfacing stone
(See Figure 5).

For geocell crossings, the geocell mats must be

installed according to manufacturer's
recommendations. This includes installing the
mats on a geotextile-lined excavated surface
(six inches deep). Generally, the geocell mats
will be filled with GA-DOT No.4 coarse
aggregate and then overfilled by at least two
inches when thoroughly compacted.

Concrete crossings should have a minimum

compressive strength of 3,000 psi at 28 days.
Concrete ford crossings need a minimum
thickness of five inches with minimum
reinforcement of six-inch by six-inch, six-gauge
welded wire fabric. The concrete slab should
be poured on a four-inch thick rock base, unless
the foundation is otherwise acceptable. Toe
trenches (6-inches wide x 18-inches deep) are
also used for concrete crossings, although they
only extend halfway up the approaches.

Stream Crossing Installation Guide – Page 3 of 4

Culvert Crossings

Assistance with culvert pipe calculations and

designs are available through NRCS. The
pipe’s diameter should be sized to handle at a
minimum the bankfull flow, and the pipe’s
length of the culvert should extend the width of
the crossing including the side slopes. It is
highly recommended that the culvert pipe be
placed on or below grade with the existing
stream bottom to accommodate passage of
aquatic species. Acceptable culvert materials
include concrete, corrugated metal,
corrugated plastic, or high quality steel.

Culverts should be placed on a firm

foundation, but should not be laid directly on
rock; there must be a soil bed or gravel
cushion of at least six inches between the pipe
and rock (Figure 6). Joints of pipe need to be
sealed in accordance with the manufacturer’s
specifications. The outlet end of culverts
should terminate on natural rock streambeds
or a designed protective outlet structure.

Backfill should be placed around the pipes and thoroughly compacted every nine inches. The recommended fill
depth on top of the culvert pipe is equal to one-half the diameter of the culvert (no less than 24 inches). The fill
should be built up over the culvert such that any stream overflow will cross the road at a point away from the culvert
to protect the structure from erosion. The top of the compacted fill should be covered with geotextile fabric, and
then with six inches of GAB. Riprap or a concrete headwall may be needed on the side slopes to prevent erosion.

Watering Ramps

Watering Ramps are identical in design to a stream crossing, except that they are only located on one side of the
waterbody. These ramps serve as a conservation practice because they limit cattle access to surface waters to a
designated location instead of giving them full access. Similar to crossings, ramps can be constructed of rock,
concrete, or geocell. Care should be taken to ensure that all excavation, trenching, fabric placement, and layering
of surface materials follow the same guidelines as described above.

Operation, Maintenance, and Other Considerations

Before disturbing any land near a stream, investigate if permits should be obtained from the State, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and the Army Corps of Engineers. After construction is completed, it is recommended that all
disturbed areas should be vegetated as soon as practical. Each side of the crossing should be fenced so that cattle
will be restricted to the protective crossing surface. Electrified hanging chains along the crossing have proven an
effective way to keep livestock from escaping by traveling upstream or downstream. Ford crossings with free
access by cattle should have minimal shade to reduce cattle loafing time in the stream.

An operation and maintenance plan should be developed and implemented for the life of the practice. The plan
normally recommends inspecting the stream crossing and associated fencing after each major storm event, with
repairs made as needed. During high flows, sediment and deposition may occur on approaches to fords. Excessive
soil or debris deposition should be removed periodically to maintain proper operation of the stream crossing.

Project Information: Funds for this project were provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and administered by
the Two Rivers RC&D Council.
Non-Discrimination Statement: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Stream Crossing Installation Guide – Page 4 of 4