Whisenhunt Excavation
Ola, ARPerry County
excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing, pond water management, site prep
12 years in business
Perry County, AR Contractor directory
Excavation contractors in Perry County, AR
4 verified excavating and site work contractors serving Perry County.
County excavation guide
Ground conditions and project requirements in Perry County
Use this local research to understand soil, seasonal constraints, permits, and jobsite logistics before choosing a contractor.
Skip to 4 contractorsSoil Regime ProfileEPA Ecoregion 39, 73, 74, 35 (Ozark Highlands, Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Arkansas Valley, South Central Plains)
Arkansas Ozark Highlands, Delta Alluvium & West Gulf Plains
Dominant Soil Order: Ultisols / Vertisols / Inceptisols / Alfisols
Parent Material: Ozark Cherty Limestone Residuum; Mississippi Alluvial Clay and Silt; West Gulf Coastal Plain Sand and Clay
Arkansas stacks three regimes vertically down the state. The Ozark Highlands (Fayetteville, Harrison, Mountain Home) are cherty limestone karst: thin stony soils over Ordovician-Mississippian carbonate, slopes of 30-70 percent, sinkholes and losing streams that make septic and stormwater design site-specific, and the Boston Mountains' sandstone caprock. The Arkansas River Valley and Ouachitas add sandstone-shale ridges and the state's modest rock work. The Delta (the east third, Memphis to Louisiana) is Mississippi alluvium: deep silty clay and clay, hydric soils on 40-60 percent of land, water tables within inches in spring, shrink-swell smectite clays, and rice-country drainage infrastructure that shapes every utility job. The West Gulf Coastal Plain south (Texarkana, El Dorado) is the easy half: sandy loam over Tertiary sediments, low slope, low shrink-swell, conventional septic systems standard. Frost is negligible; humid heat and storm loads drive drainage and erosion control.
Geographic Footprint:Arkansas's counties (Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Jonesboro) run from Ozark karst-and-slope through Delta gumbo to sandy Gulf plains: karst and rock in the northwest, seasonal wet clay in the east, easy sand in the south. Water management shapes the trade statewide.
Geotechnical Baseline
Physical Ground Conditions & Soil Properties
Shallow Bedrock (<50 in)
66.0%of county land area
High likelihood of bedrock refusal; hammer / ripper required for deep utilities.
High Shrink-Swell Clay
2.6%expansive soil
Low volumetric expansion risk in native subgrade.
Median Water Table Depth
18inches from surface
Shallow water table; active dewatering or sumps needed for deep trenching.
Hydric / Wetland Soils
6.8%hydric coverage
Indicates poor natural drainage and potential jurisdictional wetland pockets.
Steep Terrain (Slope >15%)
34.8%of terrain
Mountain/hilly terrain; terracing, benching, and tracked haulers frequent.
Septic Severe Limitations
91.2%severe rate
High rate of conventional drainfield limitations; engineered or drip systems often required.
Dominant Soil Textures:Silt loamFine sandy loamLoam
Surface Stones / Boulders: 70.2% coverage
Compliance & Permitting
Earthwork Regulations & Permit Thresholds
Stormwater & Erosion Control
ADEQ NPDES General Permit ARR150000 (Construction Stormwater; current term expires 10/31/2026, renewal effective 11/1/2026); 1 to <5 acres automatic coverage with site posting, 5+ acres NOI and SWPPP 10 business days prior
Administers NPDES stormwater discharge coverage for land-disturbing construction activities.
State Threshold:1.00 Acre
Local Threshold:Follows state
Onsite Wastewater & Utilities
Perry County Health Unit (Onsite Environmental Specialist)
Jurisdiction over septic tank permits, soil evaluation perk tests, and drainfield sizing.
Housing on Septic:55.0%
Soil Evaluation:Soil pit evaluation (about 4 ft deep) by a soil-qualified Designated Representative or ADH specialist; percolation test supplements soil findings
811 One-Call Requirements
Arkansas One-Call System (Arkansas 811)
Mandatory notice window: 48 hours prior to mechanized earthwork (excluding weekends and legal holidays).
Licensing & Clearing Permits
Weather & Ecology
Seasonal Constraints & Clearing Windows
Frozen Ground Days
0days / year
Typical days with sub-freezing soil conditions affecting digging.
Wet Season Months
May, November
Peak precipitation window requiring sediment traps and soil aeration.
Supply Chain & Hazards
Logistics, Aggregate Sources & Geohazards
Aggregate & Material Supply
Lentz Sand & Gravel Operation
Nearest active quarry: 10.7 miles haul distance.(20 active crushed stone/sand operations within 50 miles).
Flood & Hazard Overlay
FEMA 100-Yr Flood:15.4%(100% NFHL digital map coverage)
NWI Wetlands:9.8%jurisdictional coverage
Karst Terrain & Sinkhole Risk: Low
0.0% of county underlain by soluble carbonate rock formations.
HUC8 Primary Watersheds:Lower Arkansas-Maumelle, Lake Conway-Point Remove, Petit Jean, Cadron, Fourche La Fave, Upper Saline
Public conservation land: 70.9% (USGS PAD-US).
Area-specific FAQ
Do I need to call before digging in Perry County?
Yes. You should contact Arkansas 811 at least 2 working days before any digging so underground lines can be marked.
How deep do footings need to be in Arkansas?
In Arkansas, footings typically need to extend below the frost line, which is around 12 inches here. A local contractor will confirm the code requirement for your site.
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