What Is Rip Rap and Why Every Outlet Needs It

This is rip rap getting loaded on the jobsite. It is one of the least glamorous parts of a drainage system and one of the most important.

Rip rap is the rock we install at the discharge end of an underground drainage system. Its whole job is to absorb the energy of the water leaving the pipe so the ground does not erode.

Why the outlet needs protection

Water coming out of a pipe during a storm moves with force. If that force lands on bare soil, it digs a hole, then a rut, then a gully. We share photos of eroded, washed-out waterways almost every week, and a missing rip rap pad at the outlet is one of the most common reasons they end up that way.

Rip rap breaks that force up. The water hits the rock, spreads out, slows down, and soaks in or moves on without tearing the yard apart.

Build it in from the start

The frustrating part is that rip rap is cheap insurance. Skip it to save a little on the install and the outlet ends up looking like those eroded waterways. Build it in from day one and the system protects itself for the long haul.

This is the kind of detail that separates a system designed for the property from one that was just dropped in. We plan the discharge point and its protection before the first trench is dug.

Common Questions

What is rip rap in a drainage system?

Rip rap is the rock placed where a drainage line discharges. It absorbs the energy of the exiting water so the ground does not erode into a rut or gully.

Do I really need rip rap at my outlet?

Yes. It is inexpensive insurance. Without it, water leaving the pipe digs into bare soil and washes the outlet out over just a few storms.

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