Dry creek bed
A dry creek moves water in winter and looks like a creek all year.
Size your project then pick a material on each shelf below. Your running total stays at the bottom of the screen and updates as you choose.
Channel length and average width in feet. Odd shape? Add the rectangles, or enter total square feet as length with width 1.
The bed is rounded river cobble 2 to 4 inches, laid 4 inches deep on fabric, with a few larger stones and boulders at the bends. Measure the length and average width of the channel, then choose a cobble. The accent stones are the fun part; do not skip them.
Creek bed cobble
2 to 4 inch rounded cobble. Mix in one size larger along the banks.
Do not forget
How to build it
- Lay out the channel with a hose, wider at the bends, and dig it 6 to 8 inches deep.
- Line it with fabric and pin the edges.
- Set the largest stones and boulders first, on the outside of each bend.
- Fill with cobble 4 inches deep and scatter a few larger stones through the bed.
Questions
How much river rock does a dry creek bed need?
At 4 inches deep, about 1.35 tons per 100 square feet of channel. A 30 foot creek averaging 4 feet wide is around 2 tons, plus accent boulders.
What size rock for a dry creek?
2 to 4 inch cobble for the bed, 4 to 8 inch along the banks, and a handful of 12 to 24 inch boulders at the bends.
Does a dry creek bed actually drain?
Yes, if it runs downhill and ends somewhere water can go. It moves surface runoff; it is not a French drain.