A dry creek bed is a shallow channel lined with stone that carries rainwater across your yard instead of letting it pool or wash out soil. It stays dry most of the year and fills only when a storm or snowmelt sends water its way.
As a landscaping supply company in Auburn Hills, MI, we sell the stone that goes into these channels and hear plenty of questions about how to lay one out.
Here's how to build one that actually moves water.
Watch your yard during a heavy rain before you dig. Note where water comes from, such as a downspout or a neighbor's slope, and where it collects.
The channel needs a safe place to end. Extension guidance on warns that sending water to an unsuitable spot just moves the problem downhill, so never aim it at a foundation or a neighbor's lot.
Water only moves downhill, so trace the route along the existing grade. A gentle, curving path looks more natural than a straight ditch and slows the water a little at each bend.
Mark both edges with landscape paint or a garden hose. Then walk the line and make sure it drops steadily from start to finish with no low pockets.
Real creeks are wider than they are deep, and a dry bed looks best the same way. A Master Gardener guide on suggests about a 2:1 ratio, such as 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep.
Pile the dug soil along the sides to form banks and tamp it firm. The same guide adds that if water will reach a public storm drain, you should check with local officials about permits first.
Line the trench with tightly woven landscape fabric and pin it down. It keeps weeds from coming up and stops soil from washing into the gaps between stones.
Overlap the seams so water cannot sneak underneath. If heavy clay keeps the area soggy, our post on improving soil drainage covers how sand helps the ground around the bed.
Mix stone sizes so the bed holds together. Larger stones anchor the channel, and smaller stones fill the gaps between them.
Set the biggest pieces along the edges and at the bends, where moving water pushes hardest. Spread smaller stone down the center and a little finer gravel near the outlet.
Our 1" to 2" cobblestone is a multi-colored river rock that works well for dry creek bed installations. Our 9A chipped cobblestone and pea gravel are also used for drainage, and both can fill the spaces between larger rock.
For more ideas on pairing stones, see how to create a low-maintenance landscape. Before your order, review ordering bulk landscaping materials or browse our full landscaping supplies.
Yes, Michigan homeowners need to contact MISS DIG 811 at least three business days before digging, even for a shallow garden trench. The service is free and marks public utility lines.
notes that private lines, such as a line to a shed or an invisible dog fence, are not marked, so locate those yourself before you start.
The 1" to 2" cobblestone is listed as an Auburn Hills yard only item on our pricing page, so plan your pickup or delivery from that location. The Auburn Hills yard is open Monday through Friday from 7 to 5 and Saturday from 7 to 1, weather permitting.
Call ahead to check current stock, since availability can change during the season.
Not always, because the two handle water differently. A dry creek bed carries surface runoff across the yard, while a French drain is a buried, fabric-lined trench that collects water below ground.
If water sits on top of the lawn after storms, a creek bed is a good fit. If the ground stays soggy underneath, ask a drainage contractor whether a buried drain makes more sense.
Yes, State Crushing delivers bulk stone with our own fleet of trucks, which saves several trips with a small trailer. We serve Auburn Hills, Oxford and surrounding areas such as Rochester Hills, Bloomfield Hills and Troy.
Tell us where the pile should go so the truck can drop it close to the work area without crossing soft lawn.
Yes, plants along the banks soften the stone and help hold the soil in place. Cut an X in the landscape fabric and set each plant into the soil beneath it.
Native plants are a good choice because they settle in easily and need less care. Leave the center of the channel open so water can still flow freely.
A dry creek bed takes a weekend of digging and the right mix of stone, and it can keep runoff away from the places you care about. Our landscaping supply company in Auburn Hills, MI can help you choose cobblestone and filler stone for the job.
Call State Crushing today at (248) 338-3310 or request a quote online.