# I want to bury a creek



## TAHomeRepairs (Jun 18, 2012)

You should get a canoe


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## ArtisanRemod (Dec 25, 2012)

JZazula said:


> So...does any one know what I would need to bring down to the municipal building? I'm guessing my address won't be enough.


Naturally you would bring your plot plan if you have it, if not it should be on file with the town somewhere. My guess is if you show a few pics, you'd save everyone's time.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Build a little bridge and call it a day. :thumbsup:


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

Greg from K/W said:


> You would get in big crap in ontario if you tried that. Your not allowed to touch the flow of a creak of any kind or change its structure. I would not be surprised if it was the same for your area. If it goes through your property here its a water way and can not prevent people from traversing it but if they are on shore you can stop them from trespassing. Water ways here are public no matter what size.


I am sure glad that I don't live in Ontario.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

ever try that in N.j.?:no:


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## goneelkn (Jan 9, 2010)

I would bet anything that the WI DNR would have to be involved in that. Ever deal with them?? Good luck.


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Depends on the county. If this is Milwaukee, no way will they let you touch it.

Actually, they aren't going to let you touch it anywhere. I'd be shocked if they did.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

I'm thinking no way they will let you cover that area, it would require a *huge* pipe.

Do you have a plan B?


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## JZazula (Apr 16, 2013)

Plan B is just to keep doing what I am doing now, trying to keep it trimmed in the late spring and summer so my yard doesn't look like it has an old dried up creek. The really cool thing is according to the weather reports we are expected to get 3.5" of rain by friday so I actually might have a small river back there. 

Thanks for the advice everyone.


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## goneelkn (Jan 9, 2010)

Trot lines!


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Rubber duck races:cheesygri


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Go white water rafting.


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## GCTony (Oct 26, 2012)

JZazula said:


> Plan B is just to keep doing what I am doing now, trying to keep it trimmed in the late spring and summer so my yard doesn't look like it has an old dried up creek. The really cool thing is according to the weather reports we are expected to get 3.5" of rain by friday so I actually might have a small river back there.
> 
> Thanks for the advice everyone.


Around here (we're in the Chesapeake Bay Water Shed)

If it's a nautural creek and not man made:The Army Corp of Engineers is in control. The area around the creek is likely considered wetlands. The first thing the corps will ask you is for a wetland delination study that will cost you thousands to have one done by independent engineers. Legally, you are not permitted to trim the weeds. They act as water filters and provide habitat that helps keep the water clean.

Maybe check with your code office to see if they will give you contact info for a local Corp officer. 

If it's a man made dranage ditch that is seasonal, you have a much better change of making modifications since the local county zoning and enviornmental people control that.


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## TAHomeRepairs (Jun 18, 2012)

Looked too straight and consistent for natural waterway.


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## Doctor Handyman (Mar 13, 2012)

TAHomeRepairs said:


> Looked too straight and consistent for natural waterway.


I agree. 

I think they are called swales and are graded at the time the subdivision was built.

But what do I know? We don't get enough water in Southern California to warrant these.


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## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

We would call that a ditch


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Landscape it in your design, a lot of people would pay big bucks to have a stream in their backyard


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

Greg from K/W said:


> If it goes through your property here its a water way and can not prevent people from traversing it but if they are on shore you can stop them from trespassing. Water ways here are public no matter what size.


This was accurate until the beginning of this year when the navigable waters protection act was changed to the navigation protection act. The old laws only apply to 130 odd lakes and waterways. The changes aren't huge but it does mean that landowners can put obstructions across waterways and it would need to go to court for it to be removed.

It's not only the Americans who are having their civil liberties chipped away at bit by bit, it's just been happening here for so long that we're more used to it


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I don't think you'll e able to do anything with that amount of water. Even if you could, it wouldn't e worth the cost for what you actually gain


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

If you do anything that raises the level of the water in the "Creek"/"Swale"/"Canal"/"river", etc., you will be liable for the results even with a municipal approval because you changed the drainage characteristics of waterway from the condition of the originally platted/developed site.

You could also have problems with your neighbors that have already written off the little bit of land and built fences that can prevent kids from wandering and drowning.


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Heck, see if you can dig a pond... Make the most of it!


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## joee134 (Dec 2, 2011)

I'd teach the children to swim AND but a fence in front of it. It looks pretty dangerous as shown.


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## CarpenterSFO (Dec 12, 2012)

joee134 said:


> I'd teach the children to swim AND but a fence in front of it. It looks pretty dangerous as shown.


For a 2-year old, there is some danger there.


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## AustinDB (Sep 11, 2006)

you're a carpenter huh with 7 posts-all in this thread about stopping up a body of water-priceless 

the cost involved to perform the engineering and construction of concrete encased system to allow water flow through there would be ridiculous-$20-30k maybe?? If you have a septic field in the back yard, that would prohibit the 18k pound backhoe from getting to the culvert.


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

Buy a beaver?


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## Rio (Oct 13, 2009)

As pointed out, depending on how much upstream watershed there is a pipe, if allowed, could end up having to be really big. You mentioned 3.5" of rain and an ensuing river in the next few days; do you want to be responsible for plugging a 'river' with an inadequately sized pipe?

Also looking at the photos in order to put a pipe in you'd have to do some sort of wall or slope on three sides to be able to bury it. 

I'm with the 'embrace the creek' crowd.


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## ArtisanRemod (Dec 25, 2012)

The advice given that this problem could be fixed for between 10 and 20k is wildly speculative. Sell the house


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

i just don't build/buy in a drainage way.


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## Needles (May 18, 2012)

It would be cheaper to put a fence up like your neighbors did. With a little one running around it would be best anyway.


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## chewy (May 23, 2010)

I personally wouldn't advise you to bury any waterway due to liquefaction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Christchurch_earthquake






I cant find the video that I want but silt and water is just oozing out of the ground like a squeezed sponge in the middle of a suburban park.


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