Private Water Crossings: Considerations Before You Build

16 | PRIVATE WATER CROSSINGSPiping: Washing out or erosion between andaround culverts.Pre-cast concrete: Concrete components which arecast and partly matured in a factory or on the sitebefore being lifted into their final position as partof a structure.Riprap: Rock placed on embankment slopes toprevent erosion.Sediment: Stone, gravel or cobbles that originatefrom the weathering of rocks and is transported by,suspended in, or deposited by water.Scour: The result of an erosive action of flowingwater in waterways, excavating and carrying awaymaterial from the bed and banks.Span: The horizontal space between two supportsof a structure. Also refers to the structure itself.Trash Grate: A debris guard or screen placed at theupstream entrance of a culvert, which stops heavyfloating debris away from the culvert entranceduring high velocity flow.Watercourse: Any natural or artificial channelthrough which water flows; a lake, river, creek,stream, wash, arroyo, channel or other topographicfeature on or over which waters flow at leastperiodically.Wing wall: Side extensions of a retaining wall aspart of an abutment; used to contain the fill of anapproach embankment and to direct and confinethe flow.