- [Mark] This is Mark Isselhardt,
maple specialist with the University of Vermont Extension,
and this is another Vermont Maple Minute.
Access to a sugar bush is critical
for installing and repairing sap collection equipment,
tapping and managing crop trees,
and responding to the effects of natural disturbances.
Quality access to the sugar bush relies
on a road and trailed system that can handle
the appropriate vehicles needed in the operation
at all times of the year.
Trails and roads must also be designed
to handle significant precipitation events
without washing out.
When designed and installed correctly,
water bars are a critical investment
in preserving the trail and road system.
Water bars divert water from the road
before it can pick up speed and erode the road surface.
There are a few key elements
to correctly installing water bars.
The cost of repairing significant road damage
far exceeds the costs of installing
and maintaining water bars.
The slope of a road or trail will determine
the spacing between water bars.
The steeper the slope, the more water bars are needed.
A typical water bar will consist of a channel
dug somewhere between eight and 10 inches deep
with a downhill berm of approximately equal height
that completely crosses the road.
Water bars that do not cover the entire width of the trail
will allow water to pass.
To be effective, water bars must not be installed
at right angles to the road.
Thirty degrees is ideal.
The end of the water bar will empty out into a runoff area
and allow the water to settle.
Keeping the water bars free of leaves, silt, and debris
will ensure it's ready to function when needed.
This is Mark Isselhardt,
maple specialist with the University of Vermont Extension,
and this has been another Vermont Maple Minute.