| Forest Road Deactivation Practices | |
| in the Pacific Northwest |
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| 16 - Fords | Description, Approval Requirements |
A ford is an erosion-resistant depression constructed in the road bed to maintain natural surface drainage patterns, while allowing vehicle traffic. Minimize water velocities while the water passes over the road. You can achieve this by shaping the ford wide and level to create a shallow water road profile should dip into and out of the stream, creating a depression big enough to prevent water from breaching the channel and flowing down the road.
Figure 13: Ford
In BC, fords require approvals from the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Forests, and the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. They usually require a site-specific design to evaluate sedimentation and landslide initiation potential.
NOTE: Fords are not appropriate for fish streams.
Figure 14: Ford (Cross-Section)
To prevent sedimentation, erosion-resistant road surface material has to be placed at both approaches. If dirt is tracked up to and beyond the high water mark of the stream, the armoured surface has to be cleaned or extended. Otherwise, traffic may have to be stopped temporarily through a voluntary shutdown to ensure a high standard of water quality. Have your water manager's tool kit available in case of excessive sedimentation during the ford installation.
Figure 15: Ford (Road Profile)
| 16 - Fords |
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