Rip Rapping along Lake

[TnToutdoors]

I am going to be doing my first rip rap job along a lake coming up and was wondering if anyone had any tips, tricks, or reccomendations that I need to know about.

[AzLawnMan]

How many tons? What color? Have you excavated around the edges?

[NEUSWEDE]

Call DEP (department of environmental protection) and make sure you don't need a permit or there are any restrictions on materials that can be used. Fines can get get pretty pricey for the contractor.

Some places have a lot of restrictions some none so better to play it safe.

[shooterm]

There real strict about fines with the riprap. We've had to used washed riprap.

[TnToutdoors]

I will deffinetly be checking to make sure im following all of the regulations tommorow. Say there are no restrictions what type of rock would you use? Also as far as excavating what all procedures are there to doing this? The neighbor has theres done and the ground appears to be at the same slope. Am I suppose to dig out a spot at the edge of the water? Sorry for being such a green thumb to this but gotta start somehwere.

[AzLawnMan]

Originally Posted by TnToutdoors

I will deffinetly be checking to make sure im following all of the regulations tommorow. Say there are no restrictions what type of rock would you use? Also as far as excavating what all procedures are there to doing this? The neighbor has theres done and the ground appears to be at the same slope. Am I suppose to dig out a spot at the edge of the water? Sorry for being such a green thumb to this but gotta start somehwere.

Well, what type of rock is available in your area? Does the customer care? If not then I would call my vendor and ask "Whats on sale?" I always dig out a few feet from the edge of a lake, concrete or any other border thats not the same. Only so the rock will actually sit deeper in that area and wont roll into the water. If you dont and just lay the rock on top of the surface, there is a very good chance it will migrate into the water and leave a void where it used to be. Dig out about 6 inches deep and about 2-4 feet back. If it were 1/2in or 3/4in you wouldnt have to dig so deep, but because rip-rap is alot larger you wanna make sure your covered. You wanna lay the rip-rap so it in some ways "locks", if you walk on it they shouldnt roll or move to much otherwise they will migrate down hill and you will see bald spots. Most of the time we will take the rip-rap to the spot and in some cases actually put the bigger stones in by hand so that they fit where they need to be. On flat surfaces you can just drop the rip-rap and do some minor adjusting but on a hill where they may move you wanna make sure they "lock" together.

[Stillwater]

as you requested...... tips....

dump truck, skid steer and guys with gloves

[MarcSmith]

when my dad and I did it in florida. we had a couple guys in the water holding sheets of plywood laying on their long edge. that way when the operator dumped the stone it would not all go rolling out into the deeper water.