Excavation contractor jobsite in Clackamas County, OR

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Clackamas County, OR Contractor directory

Excavation contractors in Clackamas County, OR

67 verified excavating and site work contractors serving Clackamas County.

County excavation guide

Ground conditions and project requirements in Clackamas County

Use this local research to understand soil, seasonal constraints, permits, and jobsite logistics before choosing a contractor.

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Soil Regime ProfileEPA Ecoregion 1, 2, 3, 9, 78 (Coast Range, Willamette Valley, Cascades, Columbia Plateau, Klamath Mountains)

Oregon Willamette Valley, Coast Range & High Lava Plains

Dominant Soil Order: Ultisols / Andisols / Mollisols / Vertisols
Parent Material: Willamette Valley Alluvium and Glacial Missoula Flood Deposits; Coast Range Marine Sediments; Cascades Andesite and High Lava Plains Basalt

Oregon stacks marine mountains, a glacial-flood valley, and lava plains. The Willamette Valley (Portland, Eugene, Salem) is the workhorse: deep alluvial and Missoula-flood silts and clays, wet winters with hydric soils across a third of the valley, seasonal high water, and the valley's shrink-swell clays localized in the southern reaches (the Eugene and Corvallis clays). Digging is easy; winter saturation and trench stability drive the schedule. The Coast Range (Newport, Coos Bay, Astoria) is marine sandstone and siltstone: steep, dissected, slide-prone hillsides (the Coast Range is one of the nation's landslide hotspots), shallow bedrock on ridge crests, and heavy rain loading every winter. The High Lava Plains and the Columbia Plateau (Bend, Madras, The Dalles) are basalt and volcaniclastics: rock excavation ordinary, pumice soils in places, and lahar and fault zones mapped around the Cascades volcanoes. The Klamath Mountains (Medford, Grants Pass) add serpentinite, gold-country gravels, and the state's most complicated rock assemblages. Frost is shallow everywhere (10-20 inches).

Geographic Footprint:Oregon's counties (Portland, Eugene, Salem, Medford, Bend) run from wet valley clays through slide-prone marine hills to basalt plains and volcanic mountains: winter saturation in the valley, landslide country on the coast, rock work on the lava plains. The shallow frost line keeps footings modest; water drives everything else.
Geotechnical Baseline

Physical Ground Conditions & Soil Properties

Shallow Bedrock (<50 in)
16.2%of county land area

Moderate rock encounters along ridges and upper slope shoulders.

High Shrink-Swell Clay
0.0%expansive soil

Low volumetric expansion risk in native subgrade.

Median Water Table Depth
24inches from surface

Moderate depth; seasonal wet perched water tables possible in spring.

Hydric / Wetland Soils
6.7%hydric coverage

Indicates poor natural drainage and potential jurisdictional wetland pockets.

Steep Terrain (Slope >15%)
44.5%of terrain

Mountain/hilly terrain; terracing, benching, and tracked haulers frequent.

Septic Severe Limitations
94.6%severe rate

High rate of conventional drainfield limitations; engineered or drip systems often required.

Dominant Soil Textures:Silt loamSilty clay loamLoam
Surface Stones / Boulders: 12.8% coverage
Compliance & Permitting

Earthwork Regulations & Permit Thresholds

Stormwater & Erosion Control
NPDES 1200-C Construction Stormwater General Permit (DEQ; effective Dec 15 2025 to Dec 14 2030); required for construction disturbing one or more acres, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan

Administers NPDES stormwater discharge coverage for land-disturbing construction activities.

State Threshold:1.00 Acre
Local Threshold:Follows state
Onsite Wastewater & Utilities
Clackamas County Environmental Health

Jurisdiction over septic tank permits, soil evaluation perk tests, and drainfield sizing.

Housing on Septic:35.0%
Soil Evaluation:Site evaluation report required before construction permit; at least 2 test pits in the system area about 75 ft apart
811 One-Call Requirements
Oregon 811 (Oregon Utility Notification Center)

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
January, February, March, November, December

Peak precipitation window requiring sediment traps and soil aeration.

Supply Chain & Hazards

Logistics, Aggregate Sources & Geohazards

Aggregate & Material Supply
Sand & Gravel Pit

Nearest active quarry: 3 miles haul distance.(52 active crushed stone/sand operations within 50 miles).

Flood & Hazard Overlay
FEMA 100-Yr Flood:8.4%(100% NFHL digital map coverage)
NWI Wetlands:10.9%jurisdictional coverage
Karst Terrain & Sinkhole Risk: Low

0.0% of county underlain by soluble carbonate rock formations.

HUC8 Primary Watersheds:Middle Willamette, Molalla-Pudding, Clackamas, Lower Columbia-Sandy, Tualatin, Lower Columbia-Clatskanie
Public conservation land: 25.8% (USGS PAD-US).

Area-specific FAQ

Do I need to call before digging in Clackamas County?

Yes. You should contact Oregon 811 at least 2 working days before any digging so underground lines can be marked.

How deep do footings need to be in Oregon?

In Oregon, footings typically need to extend below the frost line, which is around 24 inches here. A local contractor will confirm the code requirement for your site.

Verified local listings

Excavation contractors serving Clackamas County

67 verified listings (showing first 20)

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