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Big Horn County, WY Contractor directory
Excavation contractors in Big Horn County, WY
5 verified excavating and site work contractors serving Big Horn County.
County excavation guide
Ground conditions and project requirements in Big Horn County
Use this local research to understand soil, seasonal constraints, permits, and jobsite logistics before choosing a contractor.
Skip to 5 contractorsSoil Regime ProfileEPA Ecoregion 18, 17, 25, 34 (Wyoming Basin, Middle Rockies, High Plains, Northwestern Great Plains)
Wyoming High Plains, Basin-and-Range & Central Rockies
Dominant Soil Order: Aridisols / Mollisols / Inceptisols / Entisols
Parent Material: High Plains Ogallala Gravel and Caliche, Cretaceous Shale Badlands, and Crystalline Core Uplifts with Glacial Mountain Fill
Wyoming is high-plains basins between crystalline ranges, and the excavation profile is rock-forward. The basins (Powder River, Green River, Wind River, Great Divide) sit on Tertiary sediments and Cretaceous shale: sandy and clayey aridisols over Ogallala gravel and caliche in places, bentonitic shale in the badland margins with the same swell-shear behavior Montana's Pierre shale shows, and shallow bedrock on 20-50 percent of the basin-margin counties. Coal and uranium country (Gillette, Rock Springs) adds mine-related ground considerations. The mountain uplifts (Laramie, Big Horns, Tetons, Wind Rivers) are Precambrian core and Paleozoic rim: steep, rocky, glacially cut, with rock excavation and blasting standard in mountain-valley sites and the state's deepest frost (42-60 inches). Wind erosion shapes everything: shifting sands and blowouts recur in the Red Desert, and snow-fence and drift management appear in utility work. Hydric soils are rare and localized. Slope is minimal in the basins, extreme in the ranges.
Geographic Footprint:Wyoming's counties (Cheyenne, Casper, Gillette, Jackson) are basin-and-uplift country: Ogallala gravel and caliche plus bentonitic shale in the basins, Precambrian rock and glacial valleys in the ranges, and the deepest frost in the lower 48 (42-60 inches). Rock work is the default.
Geotechnical Baseline
Physical Ground Conditions & Soil Properties
Shallow Bedrock (<50 in)
23.1%of county land area
Moderate rock encounters along ridges and upper slope shoulders.
High Shrink-Swell Clay
6.5%expansive soil
Low volumetric expansion risk in native subgrade.
Median Water Table Depth
26inches from surface
Moderate depth; seasonal wet perched water tables possible in spring.
Hydric / Wetland Soils
1.2%hydric coverage
Indicates poor natural drainage and potential jurisdictional wetland pockets.
Steep Terrain (Slope >15%)
36.2%of terrain
Mountain/hilly terrain; terracing, benching, and tracked haulers frequent.
Septic Severe Limitations
75.8%severe rate
High rate of conventional drainfield limitations; engineered or drip systems often required.
Dominant Soil Textures:LoamClay loamSandy loam
Surface Stones / Boulders: 25.2% coverage
Compliance & Permitting
Earthwork Regulations & Permit Thresholds
Stormwater & Erosion Control
WYPDES Large and Small Construction General Permits (DEQ); one acre or more per WYDOT guide (older docs: small 1 to <5 acres, large 5+ acres); current permit numbers not confirmed
Administers NPDES stormwater discharge coverage for land-disturbing construction activities.
State Threshold:1.00 Acre
Local Threshold:Follows state
Onsite Wastewater & Utilities
Big Horn County Planning and Zoning
Jurisdiction over septic tank permits, soil evaluation perk tests, and drainfield sizing.
Housing on Septic:55.0%
Soil Evaluation:At least 3 percolation tests per Appendix A; groundwater at least 4 ft below absorption stone; PE seal if rate is under 5 or over 60 min/in
811 One-Call Requirements
One-Call of Wyoming (Wyoming 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
90days / year
Typical days with sub-freezing soil conditions affecting digging.
Wet Season Months
April, May, June, September
Peak precipitation window requiring sediment traps and soil aeration.
Supply Chain & Hazards
Logistics, Aggregate Sources & Geohazards
Aggregate & Material Supply
Cooley Pit
Nearest active quarry: 23.8 miles haul distance.(4 active crushed stone/sand operations within 50 miles).
Flood & Hazard Overlay
FEMA 100-Yr Flood:5.3%(100% NFHL digital map coverage)
NWI Wetlands:0.0%jurisdictional coverage
Karst Terrain & Sinkhole Risk: Low
0.0% of county underlain by soluble carbonate rock formations.
HUC8 Primary Watersheds:Nowood, Upper Tongue, Upper Bighorn, Greybull, Dry, Big Horn Lake
Public conservation land: 0.0% (USGS PAD-US).
Area-specific FAQ
Do I need to call before digging in Big Horn County?
Yes. You should contact Wyoming 811 at least 2 working days before any digging so underground lines can be marked.
How deep do footings need to be in Wyoming?
In Wyoming, footings typically need to extend below the frost line, which is around 48 inches here. A local contractor will confirm the code requirement for your site.
Verified local listings
Excavation contractors serving Big Horn County
5 verified listings