Water takes soil with it when it runs fast. We use grading, swales, rock-lined channels and slope work to slow the water down, point it somewhere safe and keep your ground in place.
Erosion Control in Boise and the Treasure Valley
Erosion is slow until it isn't. A gully starts as a shallow groove, and one hard storm or a quick snowmelt turns it into a ditch that washes out a driveway or undermines a fence. Bare ground, steep slopes and concentrated water all make it worse.
We handle erosion control with grading and excavation for homeowners, builders and landowners in Boise, Eagle, Star, Kuna, Meridian, Middleton and Caldwell.
Where Erosion Shows Up
- Foothills lots. Steep slopes with decomposed granite wash quickly in a hard rain.
- Gravel driveways and lanes. Water runs down the tracks and carries gravel with it.
- New construction. Bare ground after clearing and grading is at its most exposed.
- Next to ditches and canals. Banks slump and wash when water runs fast or the ground has no cover.
- Downspouts and low spots. Water that comes out of a pipe at speed digs a hole wherever it lands.
Find Where the Water Is Going
Before we move any dirt, we look at where the water comes from and where it goes. Roof runoff, sprinkler runoff, a neighbor's slope and a clogged culvert can all be sources. The fix depends on the cause. Moving the water, slowing it down and covering bare ground are three different tools, and most jobs use more than one.
Grading to Shed Water
The simplest erosion control is a good grade. We shape the ground so water spreads out and moves slowly instead of gathering and rushing. That can mean crowning a driveway, smoothing a gouged slope, building a small berm to turn water or cutting a shallow swale to carry it. For general lot work, see our land grading and grading and leveling pages.
Swales, Channels and Rock-Lined Ditches
A swale is a wide, shallow ditch that carries water without cutting into the ground. When water flows fast, a bare swale erodes, so the bottom gets lined with rock to hold it. We dig the channel to the right shape, set the rock and tie it into an outlet where the water can leave safely. Our ditch digging and drainage excavation pages go into more detail.
Culverts and Outlets
Anywhere water goes under a driveway or comes out of a pipe, the outlet needs protection. A bed of rock at the end of a culvert slows the water down so it doesn't dig a hole. A culvert that's too small or half full of silt backs water up and sends it somewhere you didn't plan. See culvert installation.
Slopes
A bare slope needs shaping and cover. We can cut a slope back to a gentler angle, step a steep one into terraces or hold it with a retaining wall. Once the shape is right, seed or erosion blanket holds the soil until plants take hold, and we leave the surface rough enough for it to stick. Planting is up to you or your landscaper. For shaping yards and slopes, see landscape contouring.
Construction Sites
Building sites carry extra rules. A project that disturbs an acre or more generally needs construction stormwater permit coverage, and many cities and counties set requirements for smaller sites too. Common controls include silt fence, a rock entrance where trucks leave the site, stabilized stockpiles and seeded slopes. If you're a builder or owner-builder, tell us what your permit calls for and we'll plan the grading around it. Our earthwork services page covers larger sites.
Timing
Fall is a good time to fix erosion, before winter storms and spring snowmelt, though any time the ground is workable is better than waiting for the next washout. Wet clay is hard to shape, so we'll tell you if a job should wait for it to dry.
Why Call Ultimate Excavation LLC
We're an Idaho registered contractor (RCE-65836) based in Caldwell, with a 5.0 rating on Google. Our reviews mention our communication, and with water problems it helps to talk through what's going on. Call (208) 697-2429 or request a free estimate. Photos of the washout, and of the area above it, help us tell what's causing it.
