Lesson 6: Special Features in Your Landscape
Dry Creek Beds
Dry creek beds can be extremely useful in providing drainage during unusually heavy rains and to eliminate ponding that can occur near the home that poses a threat to the basement. Dry creek beds can be used for drainage away from homes that have insufficient slopes, thus sending water away from the foundation. They can also be used to minimize washing and erosion on slopes and banks. Further, the wonderful thing about dry creek beds is that they can be extremely attractive and provide an interesting and unusual landscape feature to your yard.
CREATING YOUR CREEK BED
Complete a site inventory to determine the areas that are a problem and that need drainage and/or erosion control. Know your elevations, because you want to make sure that everything drains away from the house. You will need a level or transit during construction.
Mark out the course you want your creek bed to take. Be imaginative; create meandering edges and varying widths. You can use rope, hoses or marking paint to mark out the edges.
Your next task is to remove the existing soils for your bed. Dry creek beds are normally wider than deep. Under normal circumstances we have always used the rule of thumb that they must be two to three times as wide as deep.
If you desire, lay weed barrier fabric end to end and side to side once the soil has been removed. Overlap all edges.
You can begin laying your rock at this time. Use larger rocks or boulders along the edges and at turns. In our bed we used rip-rap (6” to 18”). Larger boulders are nice, but require a little more effort moving into place. In the center use smaller rock (3/4” to 3”) which allows for some flow of water. Much of the water that accumulates will simply soak through to the bottom of your creek bed.
Consider plantings in and around your creek bed. A bed without plants is extremely boring. It is normal in nature for plants to hang over a creek or even pop up in drier areas. Select plants that can handle occasional water for short periods of time.
Note: You can plant either before or after laying the rocks. If you are putting in plants after laying the rock, you will need to move rocks around as you figure out your plant arrangements. Also, attempt to make the placement of the rocks and plantings look as natural as possible.
You can install a small bridge over your creek bed. This can be used to create interest, create movement and also to be functional.
Dry creek beds themselves are quite attractive. However, if you desire you can use the soil removed to create the creek bed to make the height for a waterfall. If desired, you can also install a pond at one end or other of your creek bed.
click here to see a photo of a dry creek bed
Here is another option for a dry creek bed
Here is a diagram of a dry creek bed. Your web browser may shrink this file after loading it. If it does look for a little icon on the lower left of your screen. Click that to get the diagram back to full size.
