Lewis County, WV Contractor directory
Excavation contractors in Lewis County, WV
1 verified excavating and site work contractor serving Lewis County.
County excavation guide
Ground conditions and project requirements in Lewis 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 69, 70 (Western Allegheny Plateau, Ridge and Valley)
West Virginia Allegheny Plateau Sandstone & Coalfield Hollows
Dominant Soil Order: Inceptisols / Ultisols
Parent Material: Pennsylvanian Sandstone, Shale, and Coal Measures with Thin Colluvial and Residual Soils over Dissected Plateau
West Virginia is the steepest state in the region and excavation here is slope-and-rock work from end to end. Slopes over 15 percent cover 50-85 percent of most counties (the southern coalfields and the Allegheny highlands are the steepest), the road network itself is bench-cut, and every septic system follows contour on graded benches. Soils are thin, stony silt loams weathered from Pennsylvanian sandstone, shale and coal measures: diggable in the upper foot, with bedrock within 50 inches on 20-55 percent of land, so rock excavation, hydraulic breaking, and blasting are ordinary line items. Perched water above shale layers, hillside seep springs, and spoil that needs moisture management are the recurring practical issues. Mine subsidence and abandoned-mine portals appear in the southern coalfield counties and occasionally surface in utility work. Shrink-swell is negligible statewide, hydric soils are rare, and the payoff for all the slope and rock is honest drainage: conventional septic systems on benched sites, deep frost (30-36 inches) but honest percolation.
Geographic Footprint:West Virginia's counties (Charleston, Morgantown, Parkersburg, Beckley) are plateau hill country end to end: steep slopes, shallow sandstone-shale rock, bench-cut sites, and coalfield considerations in the south. Rock excavation and slope engineering are the trade's defining skills here.
Geotechnical Baseline
Physical Ground Conditions & Soil Properties
Shallow Bedrock (<50 in)
55.6%of county land area
High likelihood of bedrock refusal; hammer / ripper required for deep utilities.
High Shrink-Swell Clay
0.0%expansive soil
Low volumetric expansion risk in native subgrade.
Median Water Table Depth
27inches from surface
Moderate depth; seasonal wet perched water tables possible in spring.
Hydric / Wetland Soils
0.4%hydric coverage
Indicates poor natural drainage and potential jurisdictional wetland pockets.
Steep Terrain (Slope >15%)
90.1%of terrain
Mountain/hilly terrain; terracing, benching, and tracked haulers frequent.
Septic Severe Limitations
96.3%severe rate
High rate of conventional drainfield limitations; engineered or drip systems often required.
Dominant Soil Textures:Silt loamSilty clay loamLoam
Surface Stones / Boulders: 77.3% coverage
Compliance & Permitting
Earthwork Regulations & Permit Thresholds
Stormwater & Erosion Control
NPDES General Permit WV0115924 Construction Stormwater (reissued Mar 6 2024, effective Apr 6 2024, expires Apr 5 2029); sites disturbing one acre or greater, or smaller sites in 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
Lewis County Health Department
Jurisdiction over septic tank permits, soil evaluation perk tests, and drainfield sizing.
Housing on Septic:55.0%
Soil Evaluation:Four test holes with percolation tests and a 6 ft soil observation trench (64 CSR 47 Ch. 6)
811 One-Call Requirements
West Virginia 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
July
Peak precipitation window requiring sediment traps and soil aeration.
Supply Chain & Hazards
Logistics, Aggregate Sources & Geohazards
Aggregate & Material Supply
J. F. Allen Quarry
Nearest active quarry: 30.5 miles haul distance.(8 active crushed stone/sand operations within 50 miles).
Flood & Hazard Overlay
FEMA 100-Yr Flood:4.2%(100% NFHL digital map coverage)
NWI Wetlands:3.0%jurisdictional coverage
Karst Terrain & Sinkhole Risk: Low
0.0% of county underlain by soluble carbonate rock formations.
HUC8 Primary Watersheds:Little Muskingum-Middle Island, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Tygart Valley
Public conservation land: 16.2% (USGS PAD-US).
Area-specific FAQ
Do I need to call before digging in Lewis County?
Yes. You should contact West Virginia 811 at least 2 working days before any digging so underground lines can be marked.
How deep do footings need to be in West Virginia?
In West Virginia, footings typically need to extend below the frost line, which is around 36 inches here. A local contractor will confirm the code requirement for your site.
Verified local listings
Excavation contractors serving Lewis County
1 verified listing