# River Rock Dry Creek on Slope



## artinall (Aug 14, 2007)

About 20% slope. Planning to lay a narrow drain that will exit from our buried drain tile running underneath the yard from a downspout higher up. Pulled the above-ground tile (that was sitting on the exposed dirt ramp, at the base of this, on ground which is to be seeded with grass) and the removal has definitely caused erosion in the past couple weeks. Enough you could turn your ankle.

*Planning on weed screen material but do I need*:
plastic pool liner under the black screen? Or will the Colorado flippers slow the rush of the flow enough to prevent much water erosion?

And what about a planting a border on the outers of the rock, that is slightly trenched. Mulch going on both sides beyond there. Should there be plastic flex landscape border between the mulch and rock (spiked?)? That might end up creating bigger voids among the rock and the border - with the rock mostly 4" to 5" flippers. But which could help the water from straying out.

So: to plastic for leakage or not, and, to border the rock or not?

THX in advance. - Art.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

artinall said:


> ..should there be plastic flex landscape border between the mulch and rock (spiked?)? That might end up creating bigger voids among the rock and the border - with the rock mostly 4" to 5" flippers. But which could help the water from straying out.
> 
> So: to plastic for leakage or not, and, to border the rock or not?
> 
> THX in advance. - Art...


How deep are you planning on making the rock? How long is the run?

2-3 layers with some water bars built in should do it.

Yes on the border as it will add delineation between the rock & mulch & help keep each in it's place.


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## artinall (Aug 14, 2007)

griz said:


> How deep are you planning on making the rock? How long is the run?
> 
> 2-3 layers with some water bars built in should do it.
> 
> Yes on the border as it will add delineation between the rock & mulch & help keep each in it's place.


Not too deep. Less than couple inches. Bout a 10 ft run.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

don't know what "flippers" are but to prevent erosion you will need more than one layer of rock.

the idea of a stone/rock drainage bed is to gently slow the flow down by creating a gentle bubbler effect.....

may want to consider a couple of small water bars to help accomplish this. depends on how much flow you anticipate. water bars are pretty cheap insurance...


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## artinall (Aug 14, 2007)

I'm assuming water bars aren't some sort of entertainment establishment?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

artinall said:


> I'm assuming water bars aren't some sort of entertainment establishment?


:laughing::no:

no, actually a "bump" edge to edge across your rock bed.

think miniature dam to help slow the force of the flow.


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## artinall (Aug 14, 2007)

griz said:


> :laughing::no:
> 
> no, actually a "bump" edge to edge across your rock bed.
> 
> think miniature dam to help slow the force of the flow.


 Got it. :thumbsup:


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