# HELP ... new sewer utilities may kill my 20 yr old Beech Tree



## jrojas (Jun 21, 2013)

Trenching for a new sewer line across the back of my property will start next week. My Beech tree about 70+ feet tall and is on my side of the fence. 

The trenching for the sewer line is on my neighbor's property on the opposite side of the fence and passes really close to my tree. 

Will this kill my tree? 

Should I severely trim the tree (on my neighbor's side) to help with the tree's stress if the utility people trench up the root system on the back side of the tree? 

I will try everything possible to get them to move the trench as far away as possible, however, the utility work has to be done within the utility easement on the property.

Any suggetions would be helpful. Picture attached showing base of tree right up next to the fence.


----------



## ddhlakebound (Jun 21, 2013)

If you're willing to foot the bill for it, you may be able to arrange for a section not to be trenched, and horizontal bore through that section under the beech roots.


----------



## rjb (Jun 21, 2013)

well i'll try to take a swing at this. first off could you tell us if it is a sewer latteral to the house or is it a sewer main that thay are replaicing? this would be helpful in estimaiting the trench size. would you know who is paying for the work utility co. or neighbor. trees can take some root trimbing but it can make them stressed and weak on one side. untill new roots grow. i dont know how your town works but thay may have a foristry devition or an arbor divition if thay do a lot of the time thay will have a tree biologest that will come out and give his oppinion on what this action may have on the health of the tree. if it is a latteral that is being replaced boring could work but it can be pricie and it can be hard to get consistant grade which your neighbor will wont. two alternitivesthat that may be cheper are the pipe could be slip lined if the existing pipe is in good enough shape or what is called pipe bursting. i don't know if there are companies doing that in your area or if thay can, due to city spec. but it may be something to look into eaven if it cost you a little. im not an expert but i hope this helpes you and gives you some ideas. others on here are a wealth of info. im shur some more will join in


----------



## derwoodii (Jun 22, 2013)

jrojas said:


> Trenching for a new sewer line across the back of my property will start next week. My Beech tree about 70+ feet tall and is on my side of the fence.
> 
> The trenching for the sewer line is on my neighbor's property on the opposite side of the fence and passes really close to my tree.
> 
> ...




A lot depends upon trench tree distance. The CRZ critical root zone can be measured or estimated Tree and Natural Area Preservation | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin If the authority cuts your trees root in this zone they may be liable for your trees demise or its structural failure. They best avoid this or can be exposed to liability cost.
Call them explain this they should know already thou. Likely they will nego a compromise for your and tree and their trench needs sub surface boring or distance offset more often solves


----------



## millbilly (Jun 22, 2013)

Like DDH said, directional drilling, its done all the time.


----------



## TheJollyLogger (Jun 22, 2013)

derwoodii said:


> A lot depends upon trench tree distance. The CRZ critical root zone can be measured or estimated Tree and Natural Area Preservation | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin If the authority cuts your trees root in this zone they may be liable for your trees demise or its structural failure. They best avoid this or can be exposed to liability cost.
> Call them explain this they should know already thou. Likely they will nego a compromise for your and tree and their trench needs sub surface boring or distance offset more often solves



Actually, if that beech was planted in the easement, they have the right to remove it completely. I would imagine the easement goes on both sides of the fence, they usually do. As far as the CRZ info, that's Austin, not Irving. You'd have to check with Irving's arborist to see of they have any of the same regulations.


----------



## derwoodii (Jun 22, 2013)

TheJollyLogger said:


> Actually, if that beech was planted in the easement, they have the right to remove it completely. I would imagine the easement goes on both sides of the fence, they usually do. As far as the CRZ info, that's Austin, not Irving. You'd have to check with Irving's arborist to see of they have any of the same regulations.



Howdy, pard n copy that, our down under easements typically run only one side rarely straddle a fence line doing both seems a dang it way to double your troubles. 
Saw my link was not a city bullseye but from the other side of the planet I thought twas good nuff shootin even for texas :smile2:


----------



## TheJollyLogger (Jun 22, 2013)

derwoodii said:


> Howdy, pard n copy that, our down under easements typically run only one side rarely straddle a fence line doing both seems a dang it way to double your troubles.
> Saw my link was not a city bullseye but from the other side of the planet I thought twas good nuff shootin even for texas :smile2:



Close, but no cigah, lol. Missin by 100 miles from down under aint bad shootin even by Texas standards... but ya gotta remember.... Texas is lak a whole nother country. Hell, we still do our liquor laws county by county. There's dry counties, Baptist dry counties, wet counties, and "moist" counties, ya'll figure it out, I can't. Austin actually has very tight standards as far as trees go. In had a close call last fall, buddy asked me to do a contract climb in Austin, removal of a nasty quad stemmed Cedar Elm. Hollow as a gourd 10' up, already lost one major onto the house, but oops, no heritage tree removal permit. Another tree co that wanted to cable it called it in, and zoom, here's the city arborist with two cops. I had just gotten set up in the tree, but they hadn't sent my saw up yet. If I had made one cut, would have been a 20,000 dollar fine, based on circumference at bh. As it was, arborist saw the hazard, and gave us the permit on the spot.
At the other end of the spectrum, Houston could care less, and easements are king. Did that pipeline contract this spring, and if it blocked line of sight, it was gone, no if ands or buts. And that easement ran straight as an arrow, trees got trimmed or dropped, sheds got moved, concrete ripped up. Easement was forty years old, nobody even remembered it was there, but when the new company bought the pipeline, they asserted their rights with a vengeance.
My only point is that, especially in Texas, definitely check local rules and revs, it varies greatly. If that beech is only twenty yrs old, (and since the op dated it they probably planted it), and if it is indeed in or adjacent to an easement that very likely predated the tree, don't expect too much sympathy or understanding from the utility company. 
And, honestly, who planted the damn thing right next to the fence in the first place?

And finally, just a bit of Texas trivia, the unofficial slogan of Austin is Keep Austin Weird.... and they work really hard to live up to it.

Good Luck, Jeff


----------



## smokey01 (Jun 23, 2013)

jrojas said:


> ......
> Should I severely trim the tree (on my neighbor's side) to help with the tree's stress if the utility people trench up the root system on the back side of the tree? ...



Couple of comments here:
A concern would be your comment about "severely trim the tree...to help with the tree's stress".
This is an excellent study on compensatory pruning that you are planing.
It is too bad you don't have more time, you could have done root pruning at the trench site, in stages, to help the tree.
Proper watering will be a key factor after the root removal.
You probably have very nice neighbors to tolerate a tree planted so close to the properly line that half of the canopy encroaches their side.
I'm very optimistic that the tree will only show some slowed growth.





.


----------



## sgreanbeans (Jun 24, 2013)

Don't prune the tree if it has or will have root damage, only adds to the stress.


----------



## Raintree (Jun 24, 2013)

Have treated root damaged trees with Cambistat with good results.


----------



## Toronado3800 (Jul 5, 2013)

How is this coming along?

What do you all think about the following ideas?

If the work is not already done I will volunteer:
1 trees are under the most stress in the summer. Especially at the southern range of their habitat.
2 wind load is less in winter when the foliage is off.

So doing the work late fall or early spring may be best depending on theory. I bet $1 in Texas root growth occurs all year long so I vote for fall. But I am not a pro.


----------



## rjb (Jul 9, 2013)

have you came to a resilution yet


----------

