Planning and Selecting A Stream Crossing

Stream crossings are often necessary to complete a logging operation.  Because stream crossings have direct contact with the stream, care should be taken while installing or removing stream crossings so that there is as little impact as possible to the streambed and water quality.
The first thing you should decide when planning your road system and stream crossings is whether or not you actually need to cross any stream.  Here are some questions to ask yourself before you decide that a stream crossing is necessary:

• Is there access from the backside of the tract?
• Can I purchase a temporary easement or work out a deal with an adjacent landowner?
• Can I go around the head of the stream?
• Is the timber on the other side valuable enough to warrant crossing the stream?

Factors to Consider When Planning a Crossing

Once you have decided that a stream crossing is necessary, several important factors will help you determine the appropriate crossing to install.  These factors are:

• Permanent or temporary crossing
• Truck or skidder crossing
• Wet or dry season
• Stream bank layout / stability
• Size of the watershed / stream width / depth
• Impacts to water quality

Dirt crossings are not recommended and should never used.

Taking these considerations into account before installing a crossing can help you stay productive while minimizing the impact to water quality.

Selecting an Ideal Stream Location

When choosing crossing locations, you should look for the following:

• Narrow stream sections
• Straight (not in a curve)
• Flat ground
• Low flow
• Stable banks
• Good access to tract

Think about how you would evaluate the stream on the left for the above listed factors and then think about how you would cross it.