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Modoc County, CA Contractor directory
Excavation contractors in Modoc County, CA
1 verified excavating and site work contractor serving Modoc County.
County excavation guide
Ground conditions and project requirements in Modoc County
Use this local research to understand soil, seasonal constraints, permits, and jobsite logistics before choosing a contractor.
Skip to 1 contractorSoil Regime ProfileEPA Ecoregion 82, 79 (Arizona/New Mexico Plateau, Arizona/New Mexico Mountains)
Colorado Plateau Mesa & Canyon Shallow Soils
Dominant Soil Order: Aridisols / Mollisols
Parent Material: Eolian Sand, Residual Shale and Sandstone Saprolite over Flat-Lying Sedimentary Bedrock
The Colorado Plateau's stripped-bedrock terrain, mesas, buttes, and dissected tablelands across northern Arizona, puts shallow sandstone, shale, and limestone saprolite under thin eolian and residual soils. Median restrictive depths of 12 to 24 inches are normal; mass excavation becomes rock excavation quickly, and pad building means benching into flat-lying sedimentary strata. Sandstone rips with a big hoe where fractured; shale weathers to a slick, expansive clay that swells under slabs and eats subgrade uniformity. Fine eolian sand and loess cap the mesas, stable when dry, instantly unstable when saturated, with caving trenches and spongy subgrade after storms. Water tables are hundreds of feet down; the water challenge is surface flow, with summer monsoon runoff concentrating in slot canyons and arroyos. Utility trenching crosses intact rock ribs that require hammer work; plan mobilization for rock breakers and expect crushed-rock borrow to dominate backfill economics.
Geographic Footprint:NE AZ high country: Coconino, Navajo, Apache, and the Yavapai plateau margins
Geotechnical Baseline
Physical Ground Conditions & Soil Properties
Shallow Bedrock (<50 in)
42.8%of county land area
High likelihood of bedrock refusal; hammer / ripper required for deep utilities.
High Shrink-Swell Clay
19.9%expansive soil
Moderate shrink-swell; verify plasticity index on structural fill.
Median Water Table Depth
42inches from surface
Moderate depth; seasonal wet perched water tables possible in spring.
Hydric / Wetland Soils
8.3%hydric coverage
Indicates poor natural drainage and potential jurisdictional wetland pockets.
Steep Terrain (Slope >15%)
24.7%of terrain
Mountain/hilly terrain; terracing, benching, and tracked haulers frequent.
Septic Severe Limitations
85.1%severe rate
High rate of conventional drainfield limitations; engineered or drip systems often required.
Dominant Soil Textures:LoamClay loamClay
Surface Stones / Boulders: 63.3% coverage
Compliance & Permitting
Earthwork Regulations & Permit Thresholds
Stormwater & Erosion Control
SWRCB Construction General Permit Order 2009-0009-DWQ (as amended; NOI + SWPPP required ≥1 acre; LRP applies)
Administers NPDES stormwater discharge coverage for land-disturbing construction activities.
State Threshold:1.00 Acre
Local Threshold:Follows state
Grading Permit: No separate county grading permit
Onsite Wastewater & Utilities
Modoc County Environmental Health / Regional Water Quality Control Board
Jurisdiction over septic tank permits, soil evaluation perk tests, and drainfield sizing.
Housing on Septic:55.0%
Soil Evaluation:OWTS Policy + county OWTS management plan: site/soil evaluation by licensed professional; percolation testing per county LAMP
811 One-Call Requirements
USA North 811
Mandatory notice window: 48 hours prior to mechanized earthwork (excluding weekends and legal holidays).
Licensing & Clearing Permits
Contractor License Threshold: Required for earthwork contracts exceeding $0 in California.
Burn Permit Season: Residential pile burning generally Nov–May (per-burn day authorization by local AQMD/CAL FIRE unit); Jun–Oct bans commonAuthority: CAL FIRE / county Air Pollution Control District burn permits; no-burn days by AQI forecast
Weather & Ecology
Seasonal Constraints & Clearing Windows
Design Frost Depth
0inches
Building code minimum depth for footing frost protection.
Frozen Ground Days
0days / year
Typical days with sub-freezing soil conditions affecting digging.
Wet Season Months
March, May, November, December
Peak precipitation window requiring sediment traps and soil aeration.
Supply Chain & Hazards
Logistics, Aggregate Sources & Geohazards
Aggregate & Material Supply
Fitch South Pit
Nearest active quarry: 6.5 miles haul distance.(2 active crushed stone/sand operations within 50 miles).
Flood & Hazard Overlay
FEMA 100-Yr Flood:12.0%(100% NFHL digital map coverage)
NWI Wetlands:23.9%jurisdictional coverage
Karst Terrain & Sinkhole Risk: Low
0.0% of county underlain by soluble carbonate rock formations.
HUC8 Primary Watersheds:Upper Pit, Madeline Plains, Lower Pit, Surprise Valley, Goose Lake, Massacre Lake
Public conservation land: 89.7% (USGS PAD-US).
Area-specific FAQ
Do I need to call before digging in Modoc County?
Yes. You should contact USANorth / California 811 at least 2 working days before any digging so underground lines can be marked.
How deep do footings need to be in California?
In California, footings typically need to extend below the frost line, which is around 18 inches here. A local contractor will confirm the code requirement for your site.
Verified local listings
Excavation contractors serving Modoc County
1 verified listing