THE GOOD NEIGHBOR

By Newcomb

The ranch driveway, from Keller Road to the #1 house was short of ¼ mile long.  Slightly up hill all the way North.  Also, there was a slope down toward the East.  This was the pitch of Keller Road.  This pictures a small hill with the little road climbing a bit in two directions.  This is important because rainwater always runs. Down hill.

California’s rains don’t happen often but may deliver a lot of water, all at once.  Erosion carries an inch or so of material off the hills each year.  All of this accumulates in the low places.  The hills shrink and the valleys broaden.  We can’t stop this but we can alter what the water does on the way down.

A missionary is credited with the classic saying, ”My biggest job is keeping the cars on the road and the water off.”  This was my job too.  I found three places where water crossed my road.  If neglected, the washouts would make the road impassable.  The wheels would drop down into channels cut so deep, with banks too steep to climb out.

I talked with my neighbor to the East.  Berk. Moris.  Three generations of his family owned several sections of land.  (A section is 640 acres, one-mile square.)  His practical method was to let the erosion happen and fix the road when needed.  He owned a full sized road grader.  He also told me of the ‘Texas Bridge’.  (A Texas Bridge is not a bridge at all!  It is a low place to let the water cross the road.  This ‘dip’ is paved and the cars have good traction as they drive through the water.  (If it isn’t too deep!)

I drove back to the ranch with these options and one more.  California uses lots of culverts in many sizes.  This may be a metal, cement or wooden pipe open to the water and covered over for the cars.  The diameter is chosen to safely carry the stream.  It must be set to accept the flow.  It must be pitched to move the water fast enough to scour out the water carried sediment.  Naturally, the road must pass over it.

I am then faced with the need for a ramp to lift the roadway over the pipe.  To avoid ‘humping’ up over several culverts; I used more pipes of smaller diameter.   Used well casing was just right and available.  It wasn’t too much trouble to install the pipe just where the water wanted to go!  The eroded channels were enlarged and deepened.  I used a level and pitched the pipe down stream ½ bubble.  My tractor blade moved the dirt and gravel to rebuild the road over the trenches.  I formed small ditches along both sides of the road.  These carried the water to the closest culvert.  This crowns the road above the water level.  The water flows under the road and keeps the pipe clean.  It was and still is, a success!

 Another water problem:  Water from Keller Road flows across the intersection of my driveway.  If my road is smoothly connected to Keller, this large drainage pours into my road.  I can’t stop this without raising my road with a ‘berm’.  All drivers know about berms!  It is a ‘bump’ right across the road.  Sometimes only to slow down the traffic.

I was thinking about this while smoothing the ruts in my driveway.  When I reached Keller with my tractor and grading blade, I began building my berm, packing it down with the big tires.  It only took about a ¼ hour.

I looked up from the track to see my widowed, neighbor Janey.  I shut down the tractor to hear what she wanted to say.  “How much would you charge to make me a berm?”  (Her drive paralleled mine on the other side of the fence line.)  “Why, nothing, It wont take long, I’ll make you a berm right now!”  I scraped up a berm just like mine.  Of course Janey was pleased.  I lifted the blade and turned into my own drive, bumping up over my own berm for the first time.

I was pleased with my self!  Driving slowly along I looked at my culverts, ready for the water that would flow down from Janey’s place.  I could see the imaginary water spreading over Janey’s fields and filling my ditch and splashing safely, away.  My daydream included the water rushing down Keller Road!  I was awake now!  There was no water. The sun was shining.  I had built Janey’s berm for myself!  It was for the same water!  I was saving my own road!  Janey had done me a favor!