Building a Dry Rock Bed

If your homeowner clients have excess water which is causing erosion or pooling water, consider installing a dry creek bed. Dry creek beds are both practical and attractive and are designed to efficiently redirect water away from a problem area.

Dry creek beds are an interesting focal point in any yard or landscape. In fact, many homeowners who don’t need a drainage solution often choose to build dry creek beds to simply add interest to their landscape.

The following steps will guide you through the process of building a dry rock bed:

Plan the course that the dry creek bed will take and mark the course with landscaper’s paint. Keep in mind that curvy creek beds are usually more attractive and more natural looking than straight ones. You may also want to start the bed from behind a large boulder or plant, as it looks more natural if you are unable to see the dry creek bed’s origin.

You may choose to finish the dry creek bed at the street, although many municipalities don’t allow this. Check with the local building inspector for ordinances regarding water drainage.

If channeling the water to the end of the property and into the street isn’t an option, then redirect it to a location where excess water isn’t an issue. Another possible solution would be to build a pond and channel the water to it.

After the course has been planned, the digging needs to begin. Before you start digging, keep in mind that many natural dry creek beds are usually wider than they are deep. As you begin to dig, take the soil and mound it up along the sides of the trench. After the trench has been dug, use a tamping tool to pat down the mounded soil. This allows you to lower the base of the trench and raise the sides at the same time.

Next, lay down landscape fabric along the length of the dry creek bed and secure it with fabric pins.

Choose the rocks you will be using and separate them into smaller and larger ones. River rocks are usually a popular, inexpensive choice, as they look very natural and have a smooth, round shape which is conducive for water flow.

Mortar the rocks into place, on top of the landscape fabric, placing the smaller rocks inside the trench and the larger rocks on the sides of the trench. The larger rocks help channel the water inside the bed, while the smaller rocks help the water move along more efficiently.

You might also want to purchase a boulder or two and place them at the head of the creek bed for a more natural look.

If the dry creek bed is purely ornamental, you can certainly eliminate this step and simply place the rocks along the bed.

Use plants, such as ornamental grasses, to add interest along the creek bed and to soften the lines along the bed. You may also want to suggest a small landscape bridge across the bed for an attractive focal point.