This publication was prepared by Richard W. Brinker, Extension Forester, Associate Professor, Forestry, and Steven E. Taylor, Associate Professor, Agricultural Engineering, both at Auburn University. Stream crossings on forest roads frequently create problems for loggers and many landowners.
Stream crossings are costly to build and time-consuming to install.
They are also subject to failure during storms, and soil erosion from stream crossings is a major source of pollution in our streams. The best approach to a stream crossing is to avoid the crossing by selecting a route that does not require crossing the stream. However, there are times when crossing a stream cannot be avoided and a structure that will fit the site and accommodate the required traffic must be designed and installed. Selecting the appropriate structure is a critical step towards insuring that a crossing is both usable and cost effective, and that pollution of the stream is minimized. The most basic stream crossing structure is the ford .