Ditch and trench digging are tasks often entrusted to excavation companies.
So, who better than our experts in earthworks and excavation to share a wealth of information about digging ditches? This will be very useful if you plan to dig a ditch or are considering hiring a company to do it for you.
Get your shovels ready, let’s go!
WHAT IS A DITCH?
A ditch is a long depression dug into the ground. Every ditch exists because of human intervention.
THE ROLE OF A DITCH
Ditches serve to properly drain surface water, especially during rainstorms and snowmelt. They also act as sedimentation and water storage basins. They capture soil particles and reduce the risk of these particles ending up in rivers and lakes. They can even contribute to filtering runoff water.
THE 3 TYPES OF DITCHES
THE SHARED DITCH
A shared ditch serves as a boundary between two adjacent properties.
THE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ROAD DITCH
The public or private road ditch is exclusively used to drain a public or private road, such as a street, bike path, or railway.
THE DRAINAGE DITCH
The drainage ditch is used solely for drainage and irrigation of agricultural land.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE DIGGING A DITCH
Digging a ditch likely requires more planning than you might think. Here are some elements to pay attention to if you have such a project.
DITCH DESIGN
The design of a ditch has a significant impact on its ability to resist erosion and fulfill its role for a long period, without requiring maintenance. For superior performance and durability, it is recommended to:
- Minimize the ditch depth (the depth between the infrastructure line and the bottom of the ditch should be between 0.30 and 0.60 m).
- Design the side slopes of ditches while respecting as much as possible the angle of repose of the existing soil and vegetation development. Ideally, the slope should be gentler than 2:1.
- Design the ditch to have a bottom width between 0.60 and 1.80 m to promote water infiltration and filtration.
WHEN CAN YOU DIG A DITCH?
Ditch digging is generally done between the end of the thawing period and when conditions no longer permit it.
However, it is preferable to carry out excavation work in dry weather to limit sediment transport.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO DIG A DITCH
To dig a ditch, you first need a mechanical excavator. This heavy equipment allows the operator to dig the ground and move the excavated earth.
To avoid damaging asphalt, it is advisable to use a wheeled or protected track excavator when working near roads. Additionally, the hydraulic excavator’s bucket should be relatively small to allow the driver to see the bottom of the ditch properly.
To quickly intervene in case of leaks or spills of hydrocarbons or other harmful substances, it is recommended to keep an emergency spill kit on site in case of accidental spills.
It can also be useful to have a laser level to ensure the correct slope and maintain the proper orientation of the ditch. Markers and high-visibility paint can also help the operator dig in the right place.
TRUST YOUR WORK TO EXCAVATION CHANTHIER
DO YOU NEED A PERMIT TO DIG A DITCH?
Before starting to dig a ditch, you have to check if it is necessary to obtain an authorization certificate from the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Fight against Climate Change.
A municipal inspector can guide you through the steps.
BEWARE OF UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURES
Many public infrastructures, such as gas and potable water distribution networks, are buried. Even during residential excavation work, it is essential to check if any are present where you plan to dig a ditch. For this, you can use a service like Info-Excavation. This way, you might avoid causing damage that would require sewer or aqueduct repairs!
SOME TIPS TO MAKE DITCH DIGGING EASIER
- Digging a ditch from the bottom of the slope upwards (from downstream to upstream) makes it easier to give it the correct slope. Not to mention, this will prevent water flow from complicating the work.
- If your ditch needs to change direction, it is better to create a curve rather than a right angle. Right angles tend to erode quickly.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT DIGGING AN EXISTING DITCH
The maintenance of a drainage network should not be neglected. In this sense, ditch cleaning should be done periodically.
Debris that has accumulated must be removed, and sometimes you may need to dig an existing ditch to restore its effectiveness.
WHEN SHOULD YOU DIG AN EXISTING DITCH?
Intervention to dig an existing ditch should be planned after observing one of the following:
- An obstruction to the free flow of water;
- An accumulation of more than 150 mm of sediment above the original level of the ditch;
- Insufficient depth of the existing ditch to ensure proper drainage (at least 150 mm lower than the infrastructure line).
USING THE LOWER THIRD METHOD
When possible, the lower third method should be prioritized when cleaning a ditch.
This involves excavating only the lower third of the total depth of the ditch. Above the lower third, the banks are left intact, preserving the existing vegetation.
This method involves clearing the ditch and cutting the turf before starting to dig to a depth no greater than 600 mm below the infrastructure line.
Additionally, once the ditch excavation is complete, the exposed soils should be revegetated with a mixture of herbaceous plants (when conditions permit).
Image illustrant la méthode du tiers inférieur
A DITCH TO DIG? EXCAVATION CHANTHIER IS HERE FOR YOU!
Now that you know everything involved in ditch digging, you may realize that it’s better to entrust this task to specialists rather than try to do it yourself.
If that’s the case, you can trust our team. At Excavation Chanthier, we have all the necessary equipment, and our operators are trained and certified. Contact us today to entrust us with your project.