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[[File:Space check dams in a channel so the crest of the downstream dam is at the elevation of the toe of the upstream dam.jpg |right|thumb|900 px|alt=This image shows space check dams in a channel so the crest of the downstream dam is at the elevation of the toe of the upstream dam|<font size=3>Space check dams in a channel so the crest of the downstream dam is at the elevation of the toe of the upstream dam.</font size>]]

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Check Dams (Ditch Checks, Ditch Dikes)

Definition

Check dams, also called ditch checks, dikes, wattles, etc., are temporary or permanent linear structures placed perpendicular to concentrated flows such as in drainage ditches, channels, and swales to reduce flow velocities and prevent channel down-cutting. Some sediment trapping may occur during low flows. Check dam materials may include rock, fiber logs (e.g., wattles), triangular sediment dikes, sand bags, and other materials or prefabricated systems. Straw/hay bales and silt fences should not be used for check dam applications, as they are not intended for concentrated flow areas.

Purpose and Function

Check dams are not intended as a replacement for proper ditch/channel stabilization (e.g., erosion blanket or turf mat over seed, use of rip-rap, etc.). Check dams help reduce ditch and channel velocities, prevent erosion, and trap small amounts of sediment by intercepting flow along a ditch or channel. The disruption in flow direction and speed creates low velocity areas on the upgradient side of the check dam, causing deposition of heavier sediment particles and resulting in reduced scour potential (i.e., lateral and vertical erosion). Under low-flow conditions, water ponds behind the structure and then slowly drains through, infiltrates, or evaporates. Under high-flow conditions, water flows over and/or through the structure. The main function of a check dam is to decrease velocity, not to collect sediment, although sediment capture and increased infiltration is an added benefit. Check dams are not a suitable substitute for major perimeter sediment trapping measures, and can be easily washed away by high ditch/channel flows if they are not designed or installed properly.

Applicability

Check dams may be used in ditches or channels to reduce erosion and trap sediment. Check dams are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. They are not approved for use in regulated waterbodies (i.e., Waters-of-the-State) without permit coverage from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. MPCA water quality certification requirements also apply.

Site Applicability

Check dams are used to regulate flow velocities, reduce scour erosion, and trap small quantities of sediment along higher-risk ditches and channels that have slopes greater than 10 percent and soil types conducive to erosion (i.e., sandy/silty soils). They are appropriate for both temporary and permanent ditches and swales. While most flatter and shorter channels (i.e., slope < 3%, length < 200 feet) generally do not need check dams if they are stabilized immediately after construction (i.e., with sod, or seed and the appropriate rolled erosion control product), longer and steeper ditches can benefit from check dam installations. When evaluating the use of check dams for a particular site, consider the following:

  • When carefully located and constructed, check dams may function as permanent installations.
  • Rock from a temporary check dam can be spread into a ditch and used as a channel lining when the check dam is no longer necessary.
  • Removal may be costly for some types of check dams.
  • Check dams are suitable only for a limited drainage area (generally 10 acres or less).
  • Check dams are intended for use in small open channels, not streams or rivers.
  • Hydraulic capacity of the channel can be reduced when check dams are in place.
  • Check dams may create turbulence downstream, causing erosion of the channel banks.
  • Ponded water may kill grass in grass-lined channels.
  • Check dams may be an obstruction to construction equipment.

Permit Applicability

Check dams are part of the overall stabilization system for a ditch or channel, and their use is driven by site conditions – specifically, channel slope, length, soil type, and flow velocities. Section IV.B.4 of the 2013 MPCA Construction Stormwater General Permit states that the permittee(s) “must stabilize the normal wetted perimeter of any temporary or permanent drainage ditch or swale that drains water from any portion of the construction site, or diverts water around the site, within 200 lineal feet from the property edge, or from the point of discharge into any surface water. Stabilization of the last 200 lineal feet must be completed within 24 hours after connecting to a surface water or property edge.”

In addition, the permittee(s) must “complete stabilization of the remaining portions of any temporary or permanent ditches or swales within 14 calendar days after connecting to a surface water or property edge and construction in that portion of the ditch has temporarily or permanently ceased.” Check dams should be used in conjunction with seed, mulch, blankets, mats, and/or other stabilization measures to help meet these requirements.

Effectiveness

Check dams are moderately effective in trapping sediment, and highly effective in preventing downcutting in a ditch or channel when used with appropriate rolled erosion control products installed over seed. They generally provide relatively fair-to-good removal of coarse and medium-sized sediment from runoff; however, most fine silt and clay particles will pass through the voids on these structures. Their primary benefit lies in preventing erosion prior to seed germination and growth in vegetated ditches and channels. Table 7 summarizes expected performance for an array of typical water quantity and quality target constituents for check dams.

Expected performance for check dams
Link to this table

Water Quantity
Flow attenuation Secondary design benefit
Runoff volume reduction Secondary design benefit
Water Quantity
Pollution prevention
Erosion prevention (i.e., for channel banks) Primary design benefit
Sediment control Secondary design benefit
Nutrient loading Secondary design benefit
Pollutant removal
Total suspended solids Secondary design benefit
Total phosphorus Secondary design benefit
Heavy metals Secondary design benefit
Floatables Secondary design benefit
Oil and grease Secondary design benefit


Planning Considerations

Check dams are rarely effective in steep channels (i.e., more than 10% slope), and are easily dislodged by high ditch/channel flow velocities if they are not designed, sized, and installed properly. Common causes of failure include:

  • Failure to account for high intensity rain storms
  • Use of rock that is too small for flow velocities/volumes present
  • Failure to secure temporary dike products against heavy flows
  • Use of fiber log stakes that are too short – or that are spaced too far apart
  • Presence of woody or other debris in storm flows, causing structural damage to check dams

Planning guidelines and material selection for check dams are driven by site considerations (e.g., ditch/channel slope, length, flow velocities, soils) and the longevity desired. In general, ditch/channel slope should not exceed 10 percent (otherwise, a drop structure should be considered), the drainage area should not exceed 10 acres, and flow velocities should not exceed 12 feet per second for a 10-year, 24-hour storm frequency.

When installing drainage ditches or channels, plan to stabilize them immediately after construction, as required. Un-vegetated/unarmored ditches and channels erode quickly on contact with flowing water – especially when they are long and steep. Include check dams as part of the ditch erosion prevention and sediment control system when ditches are longer than 200 feet and steeper than 3 percent. Wide, flat swales (i.e., < 1% slope, > 4 foot width) can also benefit from check dam installations when used as temporary linear sediment traps during the construction phase.

Design and Construction

Check dam types vary by composition and installation approach. Fiber logs, filled bags, and other check dams can include items made of straw, wood fiber, compost, wood slash, soil, sand, aggregate, riprap, and specialty products. These specific material compositions of various check dams largely determine its longevity once installed in the field. Spacing of the check dams within the ditch or channel will vary in accordance with slope and soil type (see Table 8 for example spacing).Some check dam types, like decomposable fiber logs, typically do not require removal since they can be left in the ditch or channel to deteriorate and add organic matter to further support vegetation establishment. Where appropriate, rock check dams can be spread out along ditch bottoms after the channel is vegetated as long as disturbance from equipment to do is minimized or stabilized o immediately afterwards. Manufactured sediment dikes and rock bag check dams must be removed after stabilization, prior to closing out the project permit.

General installation guidelines for all check dams include the following:

  • Select a check dam type to meet longevity and other design objectives.
  • Complete final grading of the ditch and rock/debris removal prior to check dam installation.
  • Channel protection and stabilization (i.e., with turf reinforcement mats, Type 3 or 4 erosion control blankets, seed, etc.) should be achieved prior to installation of check dams.
  • Install check dams immediately after ditch/channel stabilization (i.e., seeding and mulching or installation of rolled erosion control products).
  • Install check dams all the way across the ditch or channel, perpendicular to the flow.
  • Configure check dams so the sides extend up the bank slopes, with the overflow in the middle.
  • The ends of each dam should be installed up bank slopes so that the bottom of the dam is 6 inches higher than the top of the center; this practice prevents water from running around the ends and causing additional erosion.
  • Overflow dips in the middle of the check dam should be 8-12 inches lower than the sides.
  • Ensure culvert entrances below check dams are not subject to damage or blockage from displaced stones.
  • Protect the channel downstream of the lowest check dam from erosion, since water will flow over and around the dam.
  • Ensure that the channel is stable above the most upstream check dam.
  • If check dams are to be removed, vegetate and stabilize the footprint area immediately after removal. Seeding, mulching, or matting are appropriate stabilization practices.
  • The maximum height of check dams varies by material (see Table 8 for examples).
  • The spacing between ditch checks should be such that the bottom of the upstream check should be at the same elevation as the top of the downstream check.
  • General check dam spacing can be calculated by dividing the height of the structure by the slope percentage (i.e., represented in the decimal form, for example, 5% = 0.05, etc.).

Example check dam types spacing slope applications and longevity
Link to this table

Check Dam Type Spacing for Various Ditch Slopes (feet)1 Slope Applications Longevity
Up to 2% 3-5% 6-9% 10-15%
Mixed size rock (2 ft height) 100 67-40 33-22 20-13 Up to 15% > 2 years
Rock bags (16 inch height) 75 50-30 25-17 15-10 Up to 15% Up to 1 year
Rock bags (10 inch height) 42 28-17 14-9 8-6 Up to 15% Up to 1 year
Triangular sediment dike (10 inch height) 42 28-17 14-9 8-6 Up to 15% 1 to 2 years
Fiber log – wood / mulch (10 inch) 42 28-17 14-9 8-6 Up to 15% 1 to 2 years
Fiber log – straw (10 inch) 42 28-17 14-9 NA Up to 10% Up to 6 months

1 Note: reduce spacing intervals for highly erodible soils.


This image shows space check dams in a channel so the crest of the downstream dam is at the elevation of the toe of the upstream dam
Space check dams in a channel so the crest of the downstream dam is at the elevation of the toe of the upstream dam.