18 - Cross-Ditching Practices in Pullback / Forest Road Deactivation Practices in the Pacific Northwest

Forest Road Deactivation Practices
in the Pacific Northwest

18 - Cross-Ditching Practices in Pullback	Sequence of Activities, Armoured Swales

Description

Cross-ditches in pullback are used to restore natural hillslope drainage patterns to their natural (pre-construction) locations. They are placed in natural depressions, gully channels, and swales which have evidence of seepage flow above the road.

Figure 17: Cross-Ditch in Pullback
diagram: cross-ditch in pullback

Suggested Sequence of Activities

To locate native ground and establish a stable area for the pullback, you must decompact, remove and outslope the road surface on the far side of the cross-ditch.
Remove the ballast from the cross-ditch location, and excavate a bench to position the machine for further reach downslope. Place as much pullback as possible on the woods side bench.
Clear the outlet of debris and fill material. Place as much material as possible on the woods side of the cross-ditch. Place remainder on the camp side of the cross-ditch.
Excavate the cross-ditch from outlet to inlet. Place as much material on woods side of cross-ditch to fill bench to top of cutslope.
Decompact, remove and outslope the road surface on the camp side prior to finishing cross-ditch pullback.
Blend slopes of pullback into existing slopes above and below the road, in and out of the gully.