Geotextile?

[dipper]

Is this permanent?

 

[Jim Timber]

Yep, it can remain forever as a forestry access road.

If I convert the primary use to a residential driveway, then I'd need to replace it, or buy wetland bank credits.

We might be able to use an old trail through our neighbors place for our legal driveway though, so it's possible we can get out of paying for the credits when we build our house. Those neighbors won't let me drive logging trucks through their property though, so we need a different access.

 

[dipper]

So they can't deny a permit if you need access to your timber? I've got 410' that is binding my up from a purchase.

 

[Jim Timber]

If there's no practicable other way, they can't stop you. I'm not even sure I need permission, but since I need the guy who signs this off on my side for future projects I've played along.

For a temporary use road it's free and you have to remove any fill afterwards.

 

[Jim Timber]

I'm land locked by two owners to the North, 1/4 mile to the East, 1/2 mile and an even bigger wetland to the South, and narrow back-lots to the West; which also would cross two owners of property to bypass the swamp.

I have a 1.5 acre lot which is entirely swamp, but offers 401' of road frontage. The township vacated a platted road between that parcel and my North 40 a couple years ago, but had I built that road (rather than insisting they eliminate it, as I wanted) it would've been a major hassle as it's at the end of a poorly designed dead end and we'd get people driving across it looking for somewhere to turn around.

By taking on the burden of getting the private road through the swamp, my entrance isn't inviting to people who shouldn't be driving on it, and that's a much better long term situation. There's easily 7 cars a day on summer weekends turning around at the end of the street, plus all the walkers, and kids on bikes, atv's, and golf carts.

I'll pay a few grand if I have to, to avoid them all up in my driveway!

 

[dipper]

Here is my issue. This 80 has a a permanent easement from the south and there is an elevated road up to the last 400'. All the water from the swamp is forced through that last 400' so it is real wet.
I can't get to my wood if I can't finish off that 400'. If I interpret these exemptions I should be able to finish off my road?

Close up it is basically a marsh with tag alder, willow and tamarack

 

[Jim Timber]

There's a 10,000sf standard exemption per parcel/wetland outside the riparian zone (900' from the normal high water level of a lake or river) built into the WCA. Looks like you don't have water around the site, so you shouldn't need anything to get approval to build the road.

I'm 180' from the lake, so the standard exemption is cut to a pathetic 400sf.

 

[dipper]

Interesting thanks for the info

 

[sandbur]

There's a 10,000sf standard exemption per parcel/wetland outside the riparian zone (900' from the normal high water level of a lake or river) built into the WCA. Looks like you don't have water around the site, so you shouldn't need anything to get approval to build the road.

I'm 180' from the lake, so the standard exemption is cut to a pathetic 400sf.

How do you tell what is a river versus an ag ditch-legally?

I have heard of the 100 by 100 foot exemption. About a quarter acre.

 

[Jim Timber]

It'll be recorded as navigable waters by the DNR. A ditch is private.

 

[Jim Timber]

Wetlands guy was out and gps tagged some spots for the culverts, then let me know it'll be 15 business days before the rubber stamp. :D

We're good to go!

 

[St. Croix]

Use a nonwoven class IV- Propex has a 7oz which should be suitable for your situation. Tends to provide the porosity and strength for multiple applications. $900 is what I have been quoted in western WI.

 

[Jim Timber]

I'm thinking Brooks' fence sounds good if he'll get back to me with a number. :)

Wetlands guy likes it too, but I can do whatever I want. No engineering requirements since it's private.

 

[Jim Timber]

First loads of stone scheduled for morning.

 

[sandbur]

Will those culverts concentrate any water flow?
Might be some habitat options with those culverts?

 

[Jim Timber]

I'm not allowed to sequester water with my road. I also don't want to, as this whole area floods because of the stupid township's under-sized and improperly placed (it's a foot too high) culvert leading into the lake.

This swamp is spring fed (somewhere in the 3 acres), but also drains about 160 acres of upland.

I've given up wanting to "improve" it, and converted to a "do as little harm as possible" position. There's turtles, minnows (no effing clue how they get in), frogs, coon, salamanders, muskrat, and probably a host of other critters that use this habitat - I'm very fond of it. The road culvert raising the water table and killing my trees raises my blood pressure and makes me have un-Christian thoughts towards those responsible.

I had grand visions of a sculpted duck pond to the right of this photo, but if we dig too deep, or hit the wrong subsurface dirt formation, the whole thing could drain into the sand we found below that thin layer of clay. It'd be like uncorking the bath tub. I can't bring myself to take that risk.

Instead; I have other areas I can dam and sculpt into bird habitat. The boulders and riprap which will line this road will come from at least one such project. :)

The 1200' elevation is the outline of the swamp. I own the 1.5 acre lot along the very end of the beach road, and my North 40 is directly East of it.

 

[Jim Timber]

4 Loads of rock down and mostly spread, one still in a pile (it's beer 30!). Pics will get uploaded in a bit.

 

[bat man]

Mr Jim Timber,

Throw this out there. I have about 300 acres of timber, and you seem to have a good feel for finding ways to sell it. The guy that did my plan is of zero value for moving wood. If you think you can help me find some buyers, I give you the chain link you need.

 

[Jim Timber]

I sent you a PM over on FB.

I'll see if my logger buddy wants to bid on it and get back to you. He's over in Pillager so it might be out of range, but I'll ask.

 

[sandbur]

Mr Jim Timber,

Throw this out there. I have about 300 acres of timber, and you seem to have a good feel for finding ways to sell it. The guy that did my plan is of zero value for moving wood. If you think you can help me find some buyers, I give you the chain link you need.

Check yo r emails in a bit. The guy that took my timber out lives fairly close to your land.