Install a permanent culvert
Culverts are the most commonly used form of stream crossing. The following tips will enable you to construct a well-functioning and stable culvert.
- Provide a suitable bed for the culvert composed of compactable material.
- Compact fill around and over the culvert in 1-foot lifts.
- The fill above the culvert must be 12 inches or 0.5 times the diameter of the culvert, whichever is greater. For example, a 20-inch culvert must have 12 inches of fill above the pipe, while a 40-inch culvert will need 20 inches of fill above the pipe.
- Apply armoring or vegetation around culverts to prevent erosion, as needed.
![Permanent culvert](/-/media/uidaho-responsive/images/extension/topic/forestry/bmps/culvert.jpg?la=en&h=585&w=689&rev=f8881c84d1ca47ca92a834058066bf5b)
(Illustration by Noah Kroese)
For more information about culvert installations, see