A creek is a shallow trench filled with small stones and boulders of various sizes.
It not only gives your home a lively appeal but also adds to the decoration of your property.
There are regulations on how to do it, including how wide you can build it.
So, Can You Widen a Creek On Your Property?
Yes. You can widen your creek to increase its water volume. You should observe certain regulations when dealing with such an intricate extension. And you better stick to them, or authorities will soon be on your back.
How Can You Widen Creeks On Your Property?
You can turn the flow into a spectacular creek if you are lucky to have a low spot on your property with flowing water.
With appropriate tools and skills, you can create a creek bed to crown your property with a small but natural marvel.
During rainy seasons, excess water flows to the creek and can be channeled downstream through percolation points. The point is to avert an overwhelming pool of water in your property.
In this section, we will tell you how to do it.
What You Need
- At least two garden hoses
- Steel rake
- Wheelbarrow
- Utility knife
- Shovel
- Tamping tool
You Will Also Need the Following Materials Need for The Job:
- A durable landscape fabric (Invest in a 30-year fabric)
- Landscape paint
- Boulders and stones (with varying sizes; from 2-18 inches)
- Landscape fabric staples
- River rocks (varying sizes)
Creek Widening Guide
With all materials and tools at your disposal, it is time to hit the ground running.
Use the following set of instructions to widen your creek:
1. Mark The Creek Path
From the original size, you need to figure out how wide you want to extend your creek.
On this, stick to creek regulations as stipulated by the authorities. More on this later.
Creek widening is an extensive job. You, therefore, need to curve a path for more rocks and boulders. The goal is to create a natural look while maintaining an efficient water flow.
For this reason, you should not include sharp bends or obstacles in the way of water. Anything that might hamper water flow in the creek is a no here.
Curve out a natural slope and contours of the ground. Aim at creating a natural flow by making a smooth extension.
You can modify the size as needed to suit your preferences, provided it is within the regulations.
2. Dig The Trench
You have marked the new extension. It is now time to work and start digging.
Start by removing all the grass and other plants on the marked path.
Depending on the actual depth of the existing creek path, you can excavate to that depth. 12-18 inches is a conventional depth for most creeks. There are regulations on depth as well.
Primarily, the excavation depth depends on the water flow’s nature and your desired needs. The excavation should slope the sides to create an open trench.
Use a shovel to remove soil from the site onto a wheelbarrow.
You can then take the soil to a suitable dumping site.
One thing to keep in mind during digging is to follow a natural downslope from top to bottom.
Water flows following gravity. It would help if you kept that in mind.
Again, the slopping should be gentle and not sharp. Finally, tamp the bottom layer by repeatedly stepping on it.
3. Cover The Excavated Trench with Landscape Fabric
30-year landscape fabric is the recommended material for this purpose.
Do not apply weed barriers or plastics, as they wear out fast.
Your creek should be able to stay intact for more than three decades without renovating it.
Therefore, stick to the high-quality, commercial-grade fabric.
Water levels change depending on the weather. For this reason, you should cover the path 12 inches beyond the trench.
The aim is to accommodate a possible upsurge in water levels in the future. You can trim the excess fabric later on.
4. Carefully Put Boulders in The Trench
Boulders are stones measuring more than 10 inches in diameter.
They help create a random and equally natural look. It is a good idea to carefully arrange them along the edges of the extended creek path to guarantee an impressive look.
Creeks mimic natural rivers almost every step of the way.
If you have been to a natural river, you must have realized that boulders are outside the river bend. You want to create a creek that resembles a natural river.
Set them firmly on the trench by adding soil beneath it.
5. Add Medium-Size Stones
Smaller rocks of about 2-5 inches crown your creek with a more natural appeal.
Depending on your desired look, add these rocks around the already-set boulders.
And just like boulders, the random placement of these rocks gives your creek a more natural impression.
Mix small and small rocks in a random placement
6. Add River Rocks
You can place other special stones before filling the extended creek path with river rocks.
There are special features that you can add before river rocks.
You can also use gravel in place of river rocks. ¾ – 1inch diameter gravel is suitable for this step.
Ensure that the river rock or gravel layer is thick enough to cover the landscape fabric utterly.
To help you spread the rocks evenly, use a rake. You might need to spread some on the already existing creek bed.
7. Trim The Landscape Fabric
The final step is the trim the fabric along the creek sides. Use a utility knife to cut even edges on the fabric. Make sure that the fabric extends under the boulders. It should not, however, be visible.
How Deep Can You Adjust Your Creek?
The depth of the extension should match the depth of the existing creek path.
As mentioned, it should not be more than 18 inches deep.
Experts recommend maintaining an even depth with deeper sides and the middle of the creek. You can also choose to dig a depth of your desire, provided you operate within creek regulations.
Is It Legal to Redirect Your Creek?
How far you can redirect your creek depends on several factors.
For instance, if there is a close neighborhood, authorities will forbid you from redirecting your creek in that direction.
During wet seasons creeks can get flooded and you risk incurring property damage from water. Regulations are meant to ensure homeowners’ safety and nature’s stability.
Creeks are sometimes considered more like dams.
They interfere with the smooth flow of natural resources.
In places where water is scarce, authorities may forbid you from constructing a creek.
So, before embarking on a creek widening job, consult with authorities to ascertain whether, it is allowed on your property or not.
Final Words
A creek is a beautiful creation if done in an ideal location and the right manner.
As hinted in this article, you can widen your creek depending on the regulations.
Appropriate creek widening tips will help you adhere to regulations and give you the exact results you need.
Hopefully, this article has acquainted you with timely creek extension ideas to complete your next project without a hitch.
Sources
https://www.thespruce.com/build-dry-creek-beds-for-landscape-drainage-2132745