I have s section of woods with a small river going through it. I want to make a horse trail access to the river that will not erode. I would need to dig away the bank at some place as the lowest point is still like 4' above the water. Has anyone done anything like this before?
I've got a number of trails that cross small drainage ditches and lead to a creek (county drain). I've also got a wood chipper that I'm using to chip a lot of the brush, deadfall and branches from felled trees on our property. I've been spreading the wood chips on the trails as they cross the wet areas with good success. Water still moves but it's cut down on the erosion and mud. Or you might try gravel leading to it or a combination of both. How's the river bottom? Soft? I'd make sure you have good footing for the horses so you don't "suck off a shoe" in the river.
I have seen "flow-over" crossings used to cross streams that were too far below grade to drive across the gravel bottom. What they did was make a crossing out of dirt and gravel with dual, small diameter culvert pipes in it. Then they coated the crossing with concrete such that the water could flow over the crossing during periods of heavy runoff. Those crossings were kind of expensive, but so was replacing the conventional crossings after high water flows washed them out.
The wood chips sound like a good idea! I needed something that the horses could walk on and that sounds like the perfect solution. Why didn't I think of that?
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I have seen "flow-over" crossings used to cross streams that were too far below grade to drive across the gravel bottom. What they did was make a crossing out of dirt and gravel with dual, small diameter culvert pipes in it. Then they coated the crossing with concrete such that the water could flow over the crossing during periods of heavy runoff. Those crossings were kind of expensive, but so was replacing the conventional crossings after high water flows washed them out. 